Post Categories

The ins and outs of tackle procurement and how to manage the war office. How much fishing gear do you really need?

Kontiki fishing is gaining more and more popularity in New Zealand every year. Thomas Black attempts to see what all the fuss is about. As the newest member of the NZFW Team and by far the least experienced fisherman, I thought I’d struck gold when I heard my first assignment was to go kontiki fishing.

For fly fishers, the purchase of a new fly rod will be the single most expensive acquisition in their fishing arsenal. The perfect fly rod is a complicated question and seldom produces a definitive answer, even when the query is pitched to an expert.

Snapper can be frustrating fish to chase, particularly when they are in spawning mode during spring. But there are some things the canny fisherman can do to increase the chances of bringing home a good fish. Snapper are our most popular sport and table fish.

Land-based expert Scott Cushman shares some tips for hunting big snapper in the dark of night. The hot bright days of summer are eagerly anticipated after the cold dormancy of winter.

Here in Auckland we are blessed with the Hauraki Gulf, giving us a huge area of reasonably protected water to play in. But for those looking for a bit of adventure there is a group of islands out beyond this protective ring and, like the Greek sirens of old, the Mokohinau Islands beckon. The fishing here can be exceptional, with a mix of deep pinnacles and reefs along with a lot of shallow foul ground and deep weedy gutters.

From marlin to tuna, kahawai, kingfish and snapper; the white specks in the distance are our eyes in the sky. But the fish underneath are not always a cinch to catch, and Editor-at-Large Geoff Thomas looks at how to turn the work-ups to our advantage.Birds – over there!” shouted Graham. We raced over and soon we were circling among shining yellow-headed gannets as they wheeled and dived like Stuka bombers, searing into the water then popping up with a shiny, silver anchovy firmly grasped between their sharp beaks.

As the weather warms, snapper begin to move in closer and, as NZ Fishing World’s Scott Cushman explains, they can become surprisingly fearless around the rocks. It’s interesting how some locations have their own quirks or patterns that don’t seem to follow the same patterns as others. This is true for both rock fishing and out on the water.

Snapper now start to move in close to feed and spawn and this can mean a bonanza for kayak fishos. Jason Walker shares his tactics to help you cash-in at this time of year but not before you get your gear in order. The change in seasons will bring a change in our fishing. Spring sees the shallower waters start to fill up with fish coming in to the shoreline to breed but before they do that they also want to feed themselves up.