Tauranga is famed for its game fishing, there are good fishing grounds within an hours steam, the harbour is sheltered, it all makes for a great combination. To give you an idea of how many boats are here, ready to go hunting for marlin and other sports fish, check out the photo below:
Tauranga Game Fishing Club members hold the "All Tackle" world record for the Yellowtail Kingfish, a behemoth at 52kg (114lb 10oz) and although catching anything near this size now, may be a bit of a rarity, over 40kg fish still make the odd appearance. Mick Forrest, of The F Spot Charters, had told me how a few weeks earlier, while fishing off Mayor Island, the biggest Kingfish he had seen were following the speed jigs up but just not taking them, 40+kg, easy. This kind of talk wets your fishing lips and swells your appetite to get out and into it.
The following trip on the MG was a much calmer day. The water was almost glassy, albeit for the slow rolling swell of the South Pacific. A half day charter for a family get together, led us out into the Bay of Plenty on what was billed as a Snapper trip. Within a few miles of the harbour mouth, we started to see some work ups, Skippies chasing the bait fish and clearing the surface, lures on! Within minutes we had our first Skips into the hold, the family on board wanted to keep on catching the tuna, "Sod the Snapper, these are more fun!", they were completely right! There were only six customers on board which meant I had the chance to wet my line, many, many more times. Woooo!
I had taken three rods with me, which was much easier than I had envisaged, all nine foot, a 20lb class boat rod, a light spinner and a 7 weight salt water fly rod. I caught on all but the most fun, by far, was the light spinner. When we had circled the work up, I had a silver wedge ready to throw into the heart of the throbbing, bubbling work up. I cast and, almost, before the wedge had chance to get wet, it was scoffed by a Skippy. I barely had chance to think. Line was screaming off my fixed spool, I was running down the side of the MG to get to somewhere I could play the fish, before I knew it, I'd been snapped off and almost spooled. Within in ten seconds, 150 yards of mono had been taken. I feared my light gear may have been a little to light!
We headed to Karewa Island in search of some Kingie action. Drifting around about 70 yards off the rocks, fishing over rough ground, we used a multitude of methods to tempt, poppers, jigs, spinners and softbaits. I stuck to my spinner, casting to within feet of the breaking waves and drawing back through the turbulent waters. Thinking back, if I had hooked into a Kingie, I probably would have been watching the remainder of my line disappear with the biggest smile on my face and a hollow feeling in my stomach. It would be worth it though! I managed to land my first Kingie here although, at only 650mm, he went straight back. One member of the party landed a nice fish though, check it out:
The steam home is always a bit of a downer for me, the realisation that you will have to wait until the next trip to try and tame the beast. But it keeps you wanting. I think that is what fishing is all about. The thrill of the chase, the disappointment of losing, the adrenalin coursing through your veins when you hook up. But your always wanting more.
