I have just returned from 2 weeks at my place int he kei. It was a holiday of 1 week of superb weather (the best I can recall over a december) and one week of indifferent/ miserable weather (the usual decemebr/ newyear weather).
Had a great time with the kids on the beach and taking them up the river a few times, even though the fishing was poor. My son 2.5 got his first fish (assisted by my brother) a seapike of about 1.5kgs. released, and my daughter 5.5 added 2 kob to her species list. Other than those 3 it was dead, but I misted 2 stikes on the raps. I flyfushed the river but it too was dead.
The plan for the holiday was
with fish of all species having been seen and caught in the area since mid nov. I arrived the 22nd and set up tackle etc.
23rd afternoon we decided to run out for a troll in perfect flat very hot conditions. we found green water. pea soup green so we headed out 26.5km out to find the current and the blue water. all we found was dead calm soup and returned with 75l of empty fuel drums. Plenty bait fish and dolfin behind backline and even trolling that had no results. Very unhappy campers. The coditions wwith 1km/h current 26km out were perfect for bottomfishingh, but damn them for banning coppers. the one year we wanted blue water due to coppers banned wer get bottom fishing conditions.
The 24th my son was very ill so i didnt go out, but my dad and brothers did. they picked up a lighty we know at the launch that had just finished matric. he couldnt believe his luck. They got stuck into the bottom fish big time. They got sctsman up to 10kgs, black steenbras, dagarad, soldiers you name it. Came home with a decent bag and rerleased plenty. The sea was still terrible.
The 26th I went out again to the same area as their last trip. the current had turned to s-n at about 3knots which makes for poor bottom fishing. it was dead until we found a reef where the dagarad were eating. we got our quota 4 in quick time and had to releaser a few due to being over. They unfortunately dont do well with baro trauma so we moved and couldnt buy another bite. all boats reported only dags eating.
My oldwer bother left to his place at Hole int he wall. I spent a few days with the family on the beach etc. The 29th was a pearler day but due to a severe hangover by my brother we decided not to fish. at 8am got messages through of a sailgfish caught off HITW. My brother had found a new pinacle whilst trolling. they put mackrel don in 60m and immedialy got a big rockcod. next drop and his mate was into a big fish that turned into a 21kg yellowtail (a bus of a fish). They had drifted a long way due to the reverse current. as they stared back tot he spot they saw a billfish on the surfasce. my boet cut his bottom trace with live macrel on and tied it onto his game rods clip swivel. trolled it past the sails nose and it lit up and ate it. a 45 min battle and they boated the sail. They decided to keep it. It weighed in at 50kg on the button. They tyhen trolled and got 2 yft and a skipkack whilst all other boats remained fishless. Big parties at HITW that night.
We launched the 30th and searched for mackrel as all billfish hooked of caught int he area in the last 2 years have been seen first and then fed live mackrel. They dont seem to like plastic in the area. We searched but no luck. We tried deeper and i decided to try a bait in 60m whilst the other 2 used yo-zuris for macrel. 1st drop i caught a very nice 74 of about 5kgs which was released. next drop i had a good pull and I got a small 3kg copper. The smalles i have seen in the area ever. (so much for them being too scarce to fish for as this was ona reds reef). next drop a good bite and I was vas. No doubting what I had on. It gacve me a good rev and i took it very easy ont he fish and duly landed a 30kg copper. I never removed it fromt he water. use our last tag we had and sent it back with a reverse hook release rig. 3 drops, 3 illegal fish. Thanks DEAT. We trolled back down to HITW with no luck and the current stillt he wrong way but the watwer was slightly better, but only just. We got 2 dagarad for our efforts.
We troleld the 18km home and eventually got a double strike of dorado which my dad and I landed. I got a bull of about 8kgs and he the cow of about 7kgs. That was it.
On the 2nd we gave it a go at the west had blown a fair bit with some heavy rains over new year. The water was almost blue and early opn got a bonnie, but forgot to live bait it as I was running the dec and telling my dad where to drive etc. school boy error. we trolled for 5hrs for nothing else. the east blew gale force all day, then turned around that afternoon and blew 80km/hr west for a day and then 50=km/hr the next. that was the end of my fishing holiday. My brother did fish on saturday after the windi in rough seas but he said the sea was back to the proper blue water and 25 deg and got 2 dorado and had a marlin jumping next top the boat. Typical, the the good stuff once the holiday is over.
So all in all a rather dissapointing holiday again especially seeing I was really wanting game fish, but a 30kg copper is still a quality fish, but couldnt enjoy its quality eating. Damn you deat.
Now to wait for 2 decemebers time until my next extended stay in the kei. until then I will have to make do with the odd weekend and long weekend.
