ISSUE 44 - 18/01/08

Welcome to Issue 44 of Current Lines

WEIGH & WIN - only a couple of entries received to date - $10,000 of product at retail value up for grabs - 5 Draws - be in to win these fabulous prizes - see your Club for more details.

Just a note from our IGFA representatives – please be aware that IGFA do not certify any fishing line as certified as IGFA test.  IGFA has listed the line weight classes that they will recognise, e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 24, 37, and 60 kg breaking strain. (That the line should break under the line class specified, as close to or below.) PLEASE be very aware that “Braid” labelled lines that have been tested are breaking over or significantly over the test weight on the labels.

URGENTLY REQUIRED – we are midway through producing the first fifty years history of the NZBGFC; we are looking for any old black and white photos of the early days 1956 – 2007. Please contact NZBGFC Secretary Roz Nelson at; nzbgfc@bordernet.co.nz

From NZBGFC Secretary here are the first of the season captures as recorded.
1st Striped Marlin - 29.12.07 - Lynda Matthews - Tagged - North Cape - Houhora      
1st S/M Weighed - 02.01.08 - Michelle Goodhew - 95.40 kgs - Whakatane - Whakatane      
1st Blue Marlin -     07.01.08 - Marc Polbodetto - Tagged - Cape Brett - Bay of Islands
1st Yellowfin -    04.12.07 - Ken Peters - 20.40 kgs - Back Poor Knights - Whangarei

The season has well started now with marlin captures from Houhora in the north, Waihau Bay in the south, Raglan, Muriwai and Counties on the west coast, BOP – Whakatane, Tauranga, Mercury Bay have recorded catches, as well as the northern clubs based at; Houhora, Whangaroa, Bay of Islands and Tutukaka are fishing well.

From Tutukaka- 3 s/marlin caught today a marlin est 80 kg. Weigh station had a very respectable 128.4 kg s/marlin caught over on the west coast HINEWAI skipper KEV had a huge smile on his face (pending pin). PSYCHO  also weighed a s/marlin of 95 kg (solo effort). Silver Fox hooked up in 200mtrs off the back of pinnacles, and after 5 hours it got away.  Heard on VHF "it had died and gone 2 bottom on 24 kg a Blue Marlin was on end of hook." Weather looks great up here for next few days.

From Tauranga- from the weigh in of the tuna tournament.  A nice fat Blue pulled the scales down to 257kg. At least four stripey's too, biggest was 165kg. 36 fish in total, made up of the following; Yellowfin 18, Albacore 9, Marlin weighed 3, Marlin T/R 3, Mahimahi 1, Short billed spearfish 1. From 232 anglers fishing from 67 teams. Good fish for the first tournament of the year.

The wild west coast;  that a boat launched at Ahipara this morning, went out and returned with a 143.9kg striped marlin

From Tairua the Aldies, green water but warm, 20.5. some reefs to be crawling with barracouta, the largest skippy schools seen for a while, in 130m due north of aldies, two good yellowfin taken out on the 500m line ~53kg and a marlin lost somewhere behind the aldies and a spearfish taken in to Mercury Bay.

**Help - We need a Fish Smoker**  Angel Brown our resident “Smokey” for the last millennium (or close to it) is hanging up his hat and retiring which means we need a good keen person to perform this important role.  The coast definitely needs a fish smoker, especially during the contest season, Feb - April.  Please contact Sue at the Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club if you are interested.  Ph: (09) 4343818  or email: fish@clear.net.nz

A special note from Whakatane; Hi Roz – a special catch weighed in yesterday 2nd heaviest yellowfin ever for NZ at 92.80kg – it has taken 24 years for us to have another yellowfin over the 90 kg mark – the NZ record is held by Whakatane at 95kg.  Details are; Date caught 14/01/08 - Yellowfin tuna - at 92.80kg on 37kg from Pursuit for Fran Jordan (a bloke) caught at the Ranfurly Banks, Courtesy weighed for the Big Fish Fishing Club, Got the whole town buzzing! Cheers Kevin - WHAKATANE SPORTFISHING CLUB