Issue 29 - 19/12/2006

Just in time for Christmas, the first gamefish of the season has been landed. Reports from up and down the east coast of the North Island indicate we have some good water edging closer. At Mercury Bay the water on the 400mtre mark out behind the Hook was reported to be up around 19-20 degrees with Gannets and Dolphins in attendance. Andy Kerr landed a number of good albacore up to 8kg yesterday further out near the Mercury Knoll and one or two of those are to be small Fry record claims apparently. Further north, it’s a similar story with good water not far off. We’ve heard reports of water approaching 20C which is encouraging…..

First Yellowfin of the season landedCaught in 400m of water off Cape Brett on 37kg line, a very respectable 51.8kg Yellowfin was weighed at the Bay of Islands from the team on Crazy Dayz. Well done those anglers and that’s a huge sigh of relief for many who have been waiting for any sign of full-sized fish….

WebWatch:
For a quick refresher on crimping see a recent and very informative article here.

Shared fisheries discussion paper:
This process has huge implications for all of us as recreational fishers. See more at the Option4 website where there is a preliminary view of the document and an opportunity for you to support the people’s submission. To ensure the Government clearly understands what the people want, option4, the New Zealand Big Game Fishing Council and Ngapuhi are compiling a "People's Submission" on behalf of non-commercial fishers to ensure their rights to fish in the sea are fully taken into account and protected.

IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame enshrines five men into Hall of FameOf particular relevance to Council members was the award for Charles Alma Baker. Charles Baker was a businessman and pioneer big-game angler in New Zealand, who persuaded Zane Grey to visit the country in 1926.  The subsequently-published account of this trip, Tales of the Angler’s Eldorado New Zealand, described the wonderful fishing opportunities available in the country which Baker continued to promote through the early part of the 20th century.  Baker had a keen interest in tackle and worked with the Hardy Brothers to design his first two-speed Almareel which today is prized by collectors. He passed away in 1941. Baker's Hall of Fame award, accepted by IGFA Trustee Mike Farrior, will be displayed at the Tuna Club on Catalina Island where  Baker was a lifetime member.

Tight lines,

Captain Bill Fish
BillFish@fishing.net.nz

PS: Drop me an e-mail if you have any news for Current Lines - the best news item every month wins a bottle of The Captain's finest rum...