How to: Night jigging for bluefin tuna

Here is an absolute game changer technology advance from Yamaha that will hold your boat, single or twin outboards, over your fishing spot all by itself, letting you concentrate on the fishing. At does much more than that too, but take a look at the results we got on a great day out with Gene Denton 'Whitiangler' and the team from Yamaha.

Check out the deluxe groper rigs full how-to video from Mark Cotton.

Big, fat fish that are awesome to eat! Deepwater species make up a staple target for fishermen all over New Zealand, particularly in the colder months when snapper and game fish take a winter break. The catch is often made up of fish that are large in size, where sometimes just one fish can fill the freezer and provide food for a month. It can be very rewarding, exciting, and certainly provides a solid work session if you are not using electric reels. It also means that these giants of the deep will be making a one-way trip, there is no returning fish that are pulled up from that depth, as they are ‘blown’ from the massive change in water pressure and usually float to the surface for the last 50 metres once you have them up that far. Here’s where sensible catch management is required for the respect of the fishery and the protection of your own spot X’s for next time. ‘Deep’ water, means anything over 100 metres, and commonly down to 350 metres or even more. This means specialist tackle and techniques are required. Pete Lamb operates long term Wellington store Pete Lamb Fishing, and has been operating charters that prospect the deep for many years. Here’s a really comprehensive article on deep water fishing with specific focus on some of the Wellington region areas, but all the other information is relevant to fishing these species all around the coastlines of New Zealand.

Check out some amazing Milford Sound scenery with the crew from Limitless Fishing NZ.

Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) or 'the chicken of the sea', are one of the best eating fish we can catch in NZ waters, and unlike their more desirable bigger cousins, the yellowfin and bluefin, albacore inhabit cooler waters and are able to be targeted just about anywhere in NZ. They are also brilliant sport on light tackle, even though most are winched aboard with heavier tuna gear or on bungees. Check out the smile on Catch sponsored angler Flyn Jack with an albacore he caught on a kingfish jig in the Coromandel to see that they can be great fun.

Master fisho Matt Watson has some great tips here for identifying and targeting bluenose, a very tasty deep water species that melt in the pan.

Next time you're thinking of exploring a few trout rivers, and wondering how to access some new ground, check out this app. Pocket Maps is a mobile mapping app for the outdoors. Find out what publicly accessible areas are local to you and explore somewhere new. Download Pocket Maps now via the Apple and android app stores.

After an epic trip last time round, all the boys want to do is go back out wide and repeat the process. This time around, Andrei is keen-as to catch a big king and tags along. An epic day's fishing was had.

Say you were having a nightmare where you could only have one jig to use for the rest of your days (Heaven forbid!) After waking up in a cold sweat, you might just get to thinking if that really WAS the case, what lure would I choose? Based on the results I’ve seen over the last few years. It would be hard to go past the Catch Double Trouble as the most effective and versatile jig out there. This initially angular looking pattern comes in a pretty wide variety of sizes from 100 grams to 300 grams, and I have personally used, and watched it in action, catching darn near everything out there that hits a lure.

VERITAS = VERI TASTY! There are just some products that I know I’m going to buy the moment I see them. As a massive soft bait and lure fishing fan, I love catching decent fish on relatively light weight spinning gear, and when the opportunity arises to upgrade or replace broken gear, it’s a no brainer.

The cuffs have come off. The weather is perfect and the top water fishing season has just kicked off in New Zealand. The plan is to head wide to an off shore island that is surround by big fish habitat. Wash rocks, step drop offs and tonnes of current. Big stick baiting rods and reels are rig and ready to do tangle with the the Yellow Tail King Fish.

When you are fishing or boating, there’s one thing that is for sure. Salt is going to get into your gear and cause havoc to expensive fishing rods, reels, boat engines, fittings, trailers, you name it. Here’s a great new product to the NZ market, developed and formulated here in New Zealand by Campbell Banks and Sam Johnston.