Current Lines January 2017 Issue 1

Welcome to Current Lines 2017 Issue 1.  What a difference having time off work when the weather was reasonable and some good fish were found to be “on the bite!”  As for me I learned a bit about my cell phone and Spotify, and found some old music from when I was a pre – marlin fishing fisher.  So the song for this issue is by Mungo Jerry “In the Summertime” when the weather is fine you can head right out and touch the sky, you’ve got wishin your fishin on your mind!

Some of the early season catches – The wonders of modern technology, twitter, Facebook, the internet and fishing.net all are valuable resources for the modern traveling angler; 

22/12 – Bay of Islands a Striped Marlin landed on the vessel “Notorious” weighing 98.5kg would have been the season’s first landed, but was caught by a non-member. 

23/12 – Can’t confirm as I cannot find a weight for a Short-billed Spearfish caught on the “Foxy Lady”, not too sure where either. 

26/12 – Tutukaka no other details apart from Striped Marlin tagged and released by vessel “Game Time.”  Mercury Bay report three Yellowfin Tuna for the vessel “SU REEL” to anglers Fred and Sergei, and a Big Eye Tuna from the vessel “LEEDA”, for angler Thomas Boyd weighing 46.16kg. 

27/12 – Mercury Bay angler Matt Olthof fishing on “Battle and Rum” landed the Clubs first Blue Marlin weighing 213.1kg, but he was not a member at the time.  Also, several more Yellowfin as well.  From Tutukaka, another Blue Marlin was landed from the vessel “Blackjack” and this one weighed in at 218.0kg.  Whangaroa reports a Short-billed Spearfish caught by Fern Andrews weighing 21.3kg, and lastly from Mercury bay, the vessel “Aurora”, anglers Bill and Vicky Webb a treble of Yellowfin Tuna, 22/25/30kg. 

28/12 – From the Bay of Islands, the vessel “Outrageous” landed a Blue Marlin weighing 171.0kg, also out by Cape Brett, Russell Jenkins speared a Yellowtail Kingfish and it weighed in at 47.8kg, and a Striped Marlin caught off the vessel “Rampage” on a small PENN Fathom 25 reel, not quite under gunned as they caught it. 

29/12 –  From the Bay of Islands vessel “Back in Black” with angler Greg Haliday, arrived at the weighstation with a very nice Blue Marlin that weighed 347kg caught on 24 kilo line.  This fish is worth a staggering 1,445.83 points, if it was caught in the 2017 SIMRAD ITM Nationals.  Whangaroa not to be left out, vessel “Satisfaction” with angler Graeme weighed in his Blue Marlin on 37 kilo line after a marathon 10-hour fight, this Blue weighed in at 332.3kg, another great fish. 

30/12 –  Mercury Bay another Big Eye Tuna, this time for junior angler Angus Bryant (15) off the vessel “White Pointer” and it weighed 84.7kg. 

31/12 –  1st west coast Marlin and NZSFC Striped Marlin landed for Manukau Sport Fishing club, off the vessel “JIGGAS” by angler Jason Poninghouse weighing 136.2kg.  Frist Striped Marlin for the Counties club was courtesy weighed at Tutukaka by the vessel “WET DREAM” for angler Kane Sanderson and it weighed 92.8kg.  Ahipara vessel “REEF RUNNER” with angler Matt Masters courtesy weighed his club heaviest Yellowtail Kingfish weighing 40.30kg at the Houhora weigh station.  Lastly on the last day of the year Muriwai angler Craig Willcox tagged and released Striped Marlin.  Caught on a Red Gill RG1 Evil. First club member of the season to catch a Marlin!! There will be many more from these boys. 

01/01/2017 – A couple of Striped Marlin was bought to my attention, a 153kg from Whangaroa and a 141kg weighed at Tutukaka, Well done to top “Naki” boat Waikiore with a solid Stripey caught today, 141kg, angler Ken Murphy.  They are getting bigger, also a Blue Marlin was tagged out north of Tutukaka, estimated 220kg. 

So, fish of the New Year  – I believe goes to a junior angler fishing out from Waihau Bay and is a pending NZ Junior Big Eye Tuna, weighing in at 129.1kg caught on 37kg line for Junior Ben Shaw off the vessel “MORPHEUS”, a top effort. STAY TUNED IN FOR MORE 2017 SIMRAD ITM NZSFC NATIONALS advice and results here. 

Editor

Current Lines