Current Lines 8^th February 2013

Tom Jones, the Welsh crooner, came to NZ last month and was heard singing “Why, Why, Why Delilah”. Delilah is now the new term for a fish crushing easterly weather system that breaks our fishing every year, just WHY? It just proves Mother Nature does not go fishing!

High Tech Hammerheads- Up to 9 hammerheads, across a range of sizes, will have satellite SPOT tags attached to their dorsal fins this February.  These allow near real-time tracking to assess the movement patterns of this shark.  This follows the success tracking Carol the mako from the Bay of Islands to Fiji and back.  She is now off Kaikoura with weekly updates to her tack on the internet. The team from NIWA and DoC will be in the Whangarei – Tutukaka area for a week starting Tuesday 11th February.  Any Hammerhead sightings or hook-ups should be reported on Channel 4.  NZSFC encourages fishers to catch and tag hammerheads to increase our knowledge of where they are caught and where they go this year. The gamefish tagging projects are funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries and supported by the NZSFC.

NZSFC member benefits- Great to see applications coming in at a great rate of knots.  A REMINDER! - Discount with a PL Mobil Card for NZSF Members is 10c/L incl GST off the pump price.   You will also receive 6c/L incl GST at PL Marinas with a PL Fuel Card.  Please also send us your Direct Debit Form with applications (required for account payments).  This is on our website but a hard copy is required.  We hope you are all casting off your stress, hitting the water and enjoying the sunshine.  Feel free to ring us on 0800 42 83 83, email: admin@plpl.co.nz or visit our website www.petroleumlogistics.co.nz

From the chronicles of Pursuit- The good ship Pursuit has found striped marlin between the Motu and Te Kaha and just as recent as 1^st February caught a 98 kg Big Eye Tuna whilst on a trip down off East Cape.

Recent club action - from Tutukaka- Whilst dropper fishing for Blue Nose and Puka, a Broadbill weighing 306 kg was caught on the dropper on a bit of skippy. Whilst heading back into port they caught a Striped Marlin weighing in over the 100 kg mark, not a bad day out but a big day out.

From Raglan- Young Joe Clark went out game fishing with his dad on 1^st of February and caught his first marlin weighing in at 131 kg on 15 kg line, well done Joe and dad.

From Tairua- Their first Blue Marlin of the season has come in, it weighed 235 kg and they are seeing more striped marlin as the season progresses.

From Gisborne– Reported on the 27^th January they announced their first striped marlin weighing in at 93 kg and their first Blue Marlin caught from a 6m trailer boat weighing in at 263.2 kg. Go the mighty Hawkes Bay.

From Whangaroa– Reported on the 25^th January they weighed their first yellowfin tuna. You heard it here - a yellowfin tuna caught out wide around 350m weighing 73 kg and this fish eclipsed the first from the BOISC weighing 68 kg.

From the Counties Sports Fishing Club– Congratulations to club member Margie Hornell who went out on the family boat and landed a striped marlin weighing 152.8 kg. Well done Counties big fish catchers and a winning rugby team.

From White Island– Hats off to Daniel who was live baiting for kingfish on 24 kg line when (his words) a giant Black Marlin took his live bait and the battle commenced. He suddenly found his small boat a little smaller when they saw the size of the marlin. Discretion dictated they transfer to a bigger vessel. They eventually lost the fish at midnight with the marlin swimming to live another day. Last heard from they were towing the smaller boat back to White Island. They have bought new tackle and some brand new Bonze lures to troll today.

Available through your Club or Favourite Tackle Retailer– We have had available for some time now, a small number of the nylon headed billfish tags which are available through your Club. There is also a supply of the needle styled tag applicator tips if you wish to build your own tag pole or you can purchase a 'complete' made up one from your favourite tackle retailer. Please contact the secretary@nzsportfishing.org.nz for more details.

Editor

NZSFC