For those who do a bit of surfcasting

[98tls]

Happy to announce the Elephant fish have arrived:2thumbsupA little early for down here but with the Mrs doing nightshift i cant be clattering around in the shed so thought i would try my luck early this morning,hardly great white hunter stuff but a good feed,most underated fish out there i believe.Very tasty tea tonight.:drool:

[ellipsis]

...yip, they are a real good cooking if not good looking fish...and rod benders too...haven't bent a rod down the beach for a long time...more of a redfin in the river fan...they are a beautiful eating fish...

[98tls]

...yip, they are a real good cooking if not good looking fish...and rod benders too...haven't bent a rod down the beach for a long time...more of a redfin in the river fan...they are a beautiful eating fish...

If theres any failings fishing for them is they dont fight at all i reckon,with this one just 2 big bends in the rod then that was it,it wasnt that well hooked and if it had struggled i believe it would have got off,there a fair weight.Strange really its like they just go "its going to be a bad day" and do nothing.

[ellipsis]

...prehistoric type of shark aren't they...they have certainly come a long way being laid back about it all...

[98tls]

...prehistoric type of shark aren't they...they have certainly come a long way being laid back about it all...

:lol:Indeed.No idea what the wee trunk does eh.

[Paul in NZ]

Good catch. I took a rod down to the beach last night because it was so darn nice and gave it a good lash. Caught a nice stick... 2 more and I'll have a bush...

Its still early days here before the snapper arrive and to be fair the ocean around where we were fishing is a vast sandy plain with no structure to hold fish. Its very hit and miss (mostly miss for me). For all that we enjoyed a nice evening watching the sun set over the south island and the grandsons enjoyed a splash - not all bad really.

In a few weeks I'll get the kayak out and score some dinner....

[98tls]

Good catch. I took a rod down to the beach last night because it was so darn nice and gave it a good lash. Caught a nice stick... 2 more and I'll have a bush...

Its still early days here before the snapper arrive and to be fair the ocean around where we were fishing is a vast sandy plain with no structure to hold fish. Its very hit and miss (mostly miss for me). For all that we enjoyed a nice evening watching the sun set over the south island and the grandsons enjoyed a splash - not all bad really.

In a few weeks I'll get the kayak out and score some dinner....

Always pondered that ie the Kayak thing,how far out do you go in one and is there much hassle go in /coming out?Guess its just about picking the right day eh?

[Paul in NZ]

Always pondered that ie the Kayak thing,how far out do you go in one and is there much hassle go in /coming out?Guess its just about picking the right day eh?

Go as far as you like really but we find for a feed not going too far is the trick. ie the zone well beyond the surf casters but before where the boats go. Caught a good feed in 5m to 20m usually.

Getting back (and out) can be bothersome but its just a part of the adventure. If you can ride a motorcycle you can learn to ride a wave... (he says spluttering with sand in his undies and weed in his teeth) Trick is never take anything on the kayak you are not afraid to loose or get wet.

[98tls]

Go as far as you like really but we find for a feed not going too far is the trick. ie the zone well beyond the surf casters but before where the boats go. Caught a good feed in 5m to 20m usually.

Getting back (and out) can be bothersome but its just a part of the adventure. If you can ride a motorcycle you can learn to ride a wave... (he says spluttering with sand in his undies and weed in his teeth) Trick is never take anything on the kayak you are not afraid to loose or get wet.

Cheers,sounds great.What length of kayak are we talking?

[Paul in NZ]

Cheers,sounds great.What length of kayak are we talking?

It varies depending on budget and conditions of use. I use a very old one modified for fishing but we do a lot of surf landings and i don't go far so its quite short. Others use 4.7m monsters...

[george formby]

Kayak fishing rocks!!! I used to use a Scupper Pro, 14 ft IIR. Length = speed . Sit on, not in, stable, I used it for spear fishing too, climbing in & out. You can go berserk on farkles but I just screwed a big tupperware tub into the middle of it for tackle with a catch on the lid. I used lanyards for my rod & paddle, you will roll.
I started out bait fishing then progressed to soft baits, as good if not better & much less faff.
A hand net or tailer helps with the big uns.
Fishing off a surf beach is ok up to about 1.5 mtr waves. You get wet heading out & when you come back in paddle the kayak sideways onto the face of a wave otherwise you can plough the nose in & flip, you come in like a log, leaning into the wave on your paddle, no dramas, just like backing a bike in... The best fishing is often just behind the breakers, the bottom is getting churned up but it's not too violent for the fish to feed. Best conditions are the wind blowing along the beach, you cover a lot of ground & find a lot of schools of fish. Paint weights white if your bait fishing & use a long trace. Bounce the weight off the bottom to send up a puff sand, it imitates a baby flounder, particularly those homemade "spoon" weights. Do the same thing with soft baits, that wee puff of sand is a great trigger.
A mate recently caught a 25ib snapper (est) off his kayak on a soft bait. Not sure if he has loaded the vid onto youtube yet. It's a bloody good fish!

[98tls]

Interesting stuff fellas,cheers.Will bide my time wait for the right moment and inform the other 1/2 of the wallet that we need a kayak.:pinch:

[Laava]

+1 on the Scupper Pro!

[Paul in NZ]

Scupper pro... I had one for YEARS and caught my 1st fish from one... Still a very fast kayak for a sot but primary stability is a bit weak if you are not used to kayaks. I use my old Scrambler XT which is an utter barge but battleship stable.

I sold the Scupper to fund a new yak for vicki for fishing as it was too wobbly for her and the scrambler is too wide for her. She is using a modified cobra explorer now (i think).. I missed my scupper pro though.... so i scored a wee surf yak for fun.... :lol:

[Oakie]

Anyone recommend a good place closish to Christchurch to chase these beasties?

[Road kill]

I've got a Viking PF400 kayak.
Been fishing and hunting from them for years,Firth of Thames,Manukau,West coast out from Port Waikato,,,and all the rivers an lakes.
I stay away from the Waitamata,,,it looks like a tupperware party over there most good weekends.
I get out 8kms off the port now an then, but off shore winds means it's only really 2-3 times a year for that mission.
Currently saving for a dedicated sea kayak so I can paddle to Gt Barrier,Stewart island ect ect,,but the $4500 required is proving a bit of a challenge.
Choice fish them Elephants,,,one day for sure:niceone:

[98tls]

Anyone recommend a good place closish to Christchurch to chase these beasties?

http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=fishing+for+elephant+fish+around+christchurch&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CCcQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fishingmag.co.nz%2Fsurfcastin g-steve-elephant-fish.htm&ei=v8SQULi8D4-SiQeM4IG4Cw&usg=AFQjCNEbvGsPGDHB0765Q6rEy8yxsGEQQwAm sure there will be other places to mate.

[Coolz]

At the Tall Ships regatta in Russell last year, I met a sixty year old Canadian lady who was preparing to kayak from the Bay of Islands to Tauranga. Made me feel a bit of a whimp.

[98tls]

At the Tall Ships regatta in Russell last year, I met a sixty year old Canadian lady who was preparing to kayak from the Bay of Islands to Tauranga. Made me feel a bit of a whimp.

If it helps ive never met her and she makes me feel like a wimp.

[AllanB]

Waikuki Beach pulls in a few Elephants the old salties tell me. Mostly friggen sharks though.

I take the lad off to Diamond Harbour wharf with the rods quite often - just a bit of fun for the boy, dog fish, yellow eyes mullets, spotties and once he pulled up a small kowhai.

Birdlings Flat used to pull out cod but it is hit and miss out there now.



What you running on that XR? 19's?

[JimO]

Currently saving for a dedicated sea kayak so I can paddle to Gt Barrier,Stewart island ect ect,,but the $4500 required is proving a bit of a challenge.
Choice fish them Elephants,,,one day for sure:niceone:
having been to Stewart Island on a big boat that was almost standing on its end in the swells i wouldnt be going out in a kayak

[george formby]

At the Tall Ships regatta in Russell last year, I met a sixty year old Canadian lady who was preparing to kayak from the Bay of Islands to Tauranga. Made me feel a bit of a whimp.

:wacko: One of my customers, a Scandinavian guy is in the Bay for season guiding. Kayak mad. He paddled from Raglan to Gisborne via Cook straight. On his travels he met a couple who are currently spending a year circumnavigating both Islands.... their prefence is to camp on remote parts of the coast. He's guiding because they really took the wind out of sails as it were.
A guy in Whangarei, Stephen Tapp, fishes for Hapuka off his Kayak and I know of a guy in Tutukaka who fishes for Marlin off his.

I also know of a guy circumnavigating the planet on a Postie bike go figure..

[98tls]

What you running on that XR? 19's?

18s mate,and a cat.

[Road kill]

having been to Stewart Island on a big boat that was almost standing on its end in the swells i wouldnt be going out in a kayak


Trust me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I know what I'm doing.:eek:

I'm going on a different day to you.





Plus,,it's been done before.

[Road kill]

:wacko: One of my customers, a Scandinavian guy is in the Bay for season guiding. Kayak mad. He paddled from Raglan to Gisborne via Cook straight. On his travels he met a couple who are currently spending a year circumnavigating both Islands.... their prefence is to camp on remote parts of the coast. He's guiding because they really took the wind out of sails as it were.
A guy in Whangarei, Stephen Tapp, fishes for Hapuka off his Kayak and I know of a guy in Tutukaka who fishes for Marlin off his.

I also know of a guy circumnavigating the planet on a Postie bike go figure..

Stephen lives in Matamata.

His Whangarei puka spot is close to 10kms off shore and he puts in 30-40km days on a regular basis,,,on a sit on top.

Put the guy in a sit inside sea kayak and he'd be capable of 80-100km days easy,,,,frigg'in legend:headbang:

[AllanB]

Reckon the cat makes it go faster?

[SlowHand]

:wacko: One of my customers, a Scandinavian guy is in the Bay for season guiding. Kayak mad. He paddled from Raglan to Gisborne via Cook straight. On his travels he met a couple who are currently spending a year circumnavigating both Islands.... their prefence is to camp on remote parts of the coast. He's guiding because they really took the wind out of sails as it were.
A guy in Whangarei, Stephen Tapp, fishes for Hapuka off his Kayak and I know of a guy in Tutukaka who fishes for Marlin off his.

I also know of a guy circumnavigating the planet on a Postie bike go figure..

You have poor friends...

[98tls]

Reckon the cat makes it go faster?

No idea,can say without doubt though that said cat is evil...i shit you not.

[ellipsis]

...i walked the last 20 miles to Whangaroa a lot of years ago, after flying to Orcland and getting a bus out to Kaeo , there was no connection to get there so I walked...real keen to catch a kingi off the rocks...got picked up by a maori bloke on his way to Whangaroa...when i got in his vehicle he said,'your'e too pink to be walking around up here'... his son showed me the foolproof way to get a john dory for tea under the wharf...never got my kingi off the rocks but i got a trip out to the heads to a rock that held big kingis, a local gamefish charter boat owner was taking his mate out to try and jig some huge kingfish that had been seen out there and i had been lucky enough to have a chat earlier that day to an older woman on the wharf when i was catching some live bait..."my son will take you out", she said. " He'll need a few bucks for fuel"...$50.00... the bloke who was wanting a 6kg NZ record for a kingi missed out but he hooked up on a few smaller kingis...i floated a live bait under a balloon and hooked my first kingfish...small, 12kg, and a really fucking idiot mako that thought it was a clown at a circus before it spooled me...the maori bloke who picked me up was the one and same bloke who cut the tree down ...funny ole world..

[Road kill]

...i walked the last 20 miles to Whangaroa a lot of years ago, after flying to Orcland and getting a bus out to Kaeo , there was no connection to get there so I walked...real keen to catch a kingi off the rocks...got picked up by a maori bloke on his way to Whangaroa...when i got in his vehicle he said,'your'e too pink to be walking around up here'... his son showed me the foolproof way to get a john dory for tea under the wharf...never got my kingi off the rocks but i got a trip out to the heads to a rock that held big kingis, a local gamefish charter boat owner was taking his mate out to try and jig some huge kingfish that had been seen out there and i had been lucky enough to have a chat earlier that day to an older woman on the wharf when i was catching some live bait..."my son will take you out", she said. " He'll need a few bucks for fuel"...$50.00... the bloke who was wanting a 6kg NZ record for a kingi missed out but he hooked up on a few smaller kingis...i floated a live bait under a balloon and hooked my first kingfish...small, 12kg, and a really fucking idiot mako that thought it was a clown at a circus before it spooled me...the maori bloke who picked me up was the one and same bloke who cut the tree down ...funny ole world..


People ya' meet when ya' don't have a gun huh !


Good on the fish though,,,walkin's worked for me too.