Calm seas, and what promised to be a hot summers day, greeted us yesterday morning, the day of the “Riverhaven Fishing Competition”.
On the water at 7.30am as planned, Sue, Jaxon and Steph! So far so good.
First stop 30 meters (100 feet) and free dropped the anchor – only to get a big knot around the feeder half way down! Having followed Russell’s instructions to the T, I was a little cross! Jaxon managed to unscrew some things and send the anchor to the seabed!
Then there was a message on my phone from Russell, the net was back at the cottage! So if we got a big one we were in trouble. We did have a back up in the Gaf (long bar with hook on the end).
Finally we dropped our lines and started fishing!
A couple of hours and Sue had hooked one keeper (36cm snapper) and we had thrown back a few babies, eaten our sandwiches and drunk our can of coke, all by 10am – time to move, if we were going to have any chance if entering the contest!
Out further, day getting hotter, more sunblock on our feet, to 42meters (just inside the shipping channel). Not a fishing spot and no other anglers around!
Success – Sue and Steph hooked a couple of 40cm Snappers and some mid 30’s as well – dinner sorted!
Still nothing to speak of to enter in the fishing competition, then this happened…
Jaxon swung into action – showing good patience as this fish took his line off the reel to the end…Sue waiting with aforementioned gaf to help get it into the boat – 25 minutes later.
An 80cm kingfish (well it was until we bled it and remeasured back on shore – checked in at 78cm).
We thought we had to be back on the beach at 3pm, so around 1pm we headed back in closer for the shore and decided to do a bit of fun fishing, close to the rocks of Motuora Island and only 20 minutes from Waiwera (by boat).
Lots of bites and small fish catching (throwing them back of course) but it was Jaxon’s day!
He hooked a 45cm Trevally (legal size for this fish is 25cm) and beautiful eating!
Russ sent us a message that the finish time was actually 4.30pm but, knowing that all the boats would soon be heading in, we aimed for the beach pick up at 3.30pm, just beating the queues!
Boat clean up, official fish measuring, and Sue’s hour of gutting and filleting.
Just had time for a quick shower and made prize giving at 5.30pm
The girls caught dinner and Jaxon caught the winner (well 2nd biggest other fish – not snapper – in the men’s)
To be fair, Stephs and my 41cm snappers were not far off the mark – the cup was won with a 44!!!
All in all a good days fishing with only a few blondish moments!
All who wander are not Lost girls 