Ultimate Jetskifishing Adventure - Great Barrier Island

Report # 111 Why we are hooked on Jetskifishing! January 16th 2015

The last few months has seen me continuing getting many newbies started with Jetskifishing.  A vast number of the enquiries start off with a phone call to me and most saying "I own or owned a boat and are interested in the fun you are having with Jetskifishing"

Some of the common reasons they aren't enjoying the boat as much as they expected:

1. no crew when required
2. depreciation on boat
3. maintenance costs
4. time consuming to prepare launching and get to spots
5. boat was too big to handle
6. lack of space to store boat
7. they aren't catching many fish!
8. cleaning time 

Follow our advice and you will be a step closer to having more fun fishing! In my experience, I see that many of our community now catch more fish and are constantly achieving their new personal best targets. Much of their success is a result of their jet-ski fishing platforms being outfitted to a premium level and fishing with educated techniques for soft baiting.

As much as I enjoy the different levels of Jetskifishing, like catching a Monster Kingfish or landing a Trophy Snapper in the middle of nowhere, I still always appreciate the simple basics which keeps me in touch with what the typical kiwi bloke wants out of Jetskifishing...Catching a feed of Snapper!

Don't get me wrong, the extreme side of Jetskifishing is heaps of fun, with the 'out wide' missions and big Kingfish, but realistically only a small minority of people ever really get out to do it.  This is because it is:

•  harder on the body,
• more costly
• takes more time
• it requires more experience and further safety gear.

If setting up with the sport correctly, you will get the same enjoyment that got me hooked which was having so much fun with soft baiting and slow jigs for Snapper.

Remembering my early years of boat fishing with smelly baits, yes I know 'big fish, big baits', but not the mess you need and extra work for on a ski! Keep it simple and most important sporting.

A Jetskifishing platform is one step closer to the water than you would be use to on a boat. Bent rod action has your rod tip beneath the waters surface, a very cool feeling knowing you are so close to the action! You can really appreciate the atmosphere of being in touch with nature and sometimes a little to in touch ;-) We catch a great average size  fish soft baiting and plenty of nice ones once learning the basics about what tackle works best on a ski.

Jokes aside, I've only seen a few Sharks and most of the time as soon as the ski starts, they bolt! I don't burley very often, so there is no real attraction apart from the occasional fish on the end of your line.

I have been targeting Snapper over the summer break in depths of 15 to 30 metres, plenty of fun on my Daiwa Saltist rod.

 One of the keys to not being bored with my fishing is being active with my fishing, continually casting/retrieving and changing coloured/sized baits if no action. I use the best in electronics that cope with the environment of Jetskifishing, sonar charts with a tilted element transducer which lets me find fish and target them, rather than fishing blind.

My years of photos with Jetskifishing paint a lovely picture of the sport, yet there is a physical side! We get bad days on the water too, like any boating. I expect the weather forecasts to get it slightly wrong and will often time my trips with tides so I only endure a one way a rough ride... On occasion it is not unusual for me to be subjected to 35 plus knots in 3 metre swells however it is surprising what the skis can handle in these sea conditions and the riding on a larger ski, allows me more confidence than on a small boat. I operate a cellphone in a dry case, high wattage handheld VHF, personal locator beacon, so you need to be prepared. Always wear a vest and be clothed appropriately, as you never know what can happen unexpectedly on the water.  The mask is an extra measure to make the rides more enjoyable, with:

• no wind chill
• less salt water spray
• less noise
• protects your eyes
• reduces sun burn

Attached is one of my recent videos of soft baiting for Snapper, using 1 oz jigs which I cast away from the ski and work the soft bait while it was sinking through the water column. I find the bigger Snapper hit higher in the water column and the pannies are often the bigger numbers sitting in the lower depths.

 Some additional footage of Kingfish action on my Snapper gear, fighting well above their weight... heaps of fun!

If you are Jetskifishing, post your pics on my Facebook Page and tell us where you have been fishing. Our next social trip is 26th February.  So if you want to catch big fish and learn more about the sport, sign up before you miss out on our last summer trip.

 Cheers, Andrew Hill PH 021 864 560

 

Report # 110 Fishing can become catching... November 10th 2014

The switch has flicked and we are all go in the Jetskifishing world, everyone is eager to get started for summer! Added in this report is a selection of some smart looking skis which are up for sale.  These skis had been purchased and kitted out by the team at Jetskifishing and have enjoyed many great days on the water.  Their owners are now upgrading and are getting a custom fit out of their new skis at the Jetskifishing Store.

Earlier last week I managed to get away for a night to enjoy a couple of short fishing sessions. I ventured to the Far North where I really enjoy the adventure and challenge of fishing areas which I am less familiar with. These road trips are a  great break away and I always appreciate the versatility when fishing from my custom kitted out jet-ski.

Over my decade of Jetskifishing interest, I have met thousands of people eager to get started with the sport, most wanting to do it once and do it right, who happily utilize my skills and services to set them up from start to fishing. Although it frustrates me that some still try to reinvent the wheel in our sport, it unessisarily dulls their experience with the sport, by them enduring more trial and error than just enjoying what we do.

If you have been struggling or about to get started, here are some straight forward tips to save you the hard yards so you can do more catching rather than fishing.

Key factors to enjoy the sport the way I do:

• Purchase a late model (2004 minimum), 4 stroke Naturally Aspirated, 3 seater, 155 plus horsepower craft with adequate storage for your necessary safety equipment and fishing tackle.
• A Trailer which can be beach launched easily.  I personally use the customized DMW rollered trailer which I can easily beach launch and retrieve in tidal areas with little hassle. Often a retrieval will be solo and sometimes an added challenge when there is little water to get the ski all the way to the trailer.  Pivoting rollers and an appropriate winch ratio make for hassle free retrieval off the beach.
• The Fishing kit which I use is the Ultimate Rod Holder with a minimum of 4 holders .Typically I only take two or possibly three rods, as to not over complicate the fishing adventures with tackle in the way when playing fish 360 degrees around the ski. An important feature of the kits is the rod holders, and making sure they are in practical and easily accessed locations. If considering one of the many other brand kits, think realistic... How many fish will you be really be keeping to fit in your chilly bin? How much salt-ice expense will you require for each trip for over sized bins? How secure are they and can you ride the ski to its full potential without losing the kit or your gear? Are there leashes for all add-on hardware?
• Safety is paramount, I need to be relaxed and have confidence while fishing to get my best results! I carry a fully charged cellphone in a LifeProof case, 5 watt Handheld VHF, Personal Location Beacon (All these items are available in stock at my Jetskifishing Store). I also support Coastguard services and have membership so I can call them on my VHF when required.
• Bait - NO dirty smelly bait! I only purchase and use Gulp soft baits, I have from day one, after being introduced to soft baiting 10 years ago, I have consistent success with a selected series of baits in the Gulp colours. Reluctantly after being gifted various other brand soft baits at times to trial and whether it has been slow fishing or inferior product, I haven't seen results to make a sudden change. Currently my 'go to' versions of Gulp are the Nemesis and Grub series baits. There is a great colour selection that our local Snapper attract to and this helps me do more catching than fishing :-)
• Slow  jigs - with so many brands being introduced to the NZ market, it is a challenge to know what actually is the best bang for buck! I have caught nice Snapper and Kingfish on most brands, you can't go to wrong with what you are using beyond the required weight for your depth and colour that the fish are keener for on the day.
• Navigation Light, Sounders/GPS units with thru-hull transducers and dual battery systems, all a bonus for building your ultimate fishing machine. Call me to discuss what gear we use and why specific models suit Jetskifishing more than others.

This latest adventure had me fishing areas of 60 metres deep with the Berkley Squiddo - Orange Tiger slow jigs for an 18 pound Snapper on my new Daiwa Sol3000 soft bait set.

 

 Once catching the big one I was keen on some shallow water fishing, but couldn't believe how shallow I would be able to catch big fish in! Only a few 100 metres from the launching point I spotted some birds and bait fish working on the surface in 8 metres of water. Using the Gulp - New Penny 6" Grub, I cast a 1oz jig head about 20 metres, just to land behind the trail of the bait fish. Repeating this technique with a slow retrieve, as to not allow my hook to be snagged on the foul ground, I was striking big fish on light gear. Exciting fishing where I needed to be on my game, catching and releasing many nice fish!

 This was one of the most enjoyable fishing sessions I have had in a long time, so many different species caught and with shallow water fishing for big fish you need to be on your game. Deciding to keep a few fish to take home for friends and family, I also got the bonus of a big Kingfish from shallows.

Sounder/GPS tips

• Always back up your spots to your chart card, rather than the unit
• Off the shelf sounder units (unmodified) are at risk of getting water ingress on wet Jetskifishing days from salt water spray.
• If your sounder/GPS powers down when starting your ski, this is because the supply voltage is going below the required level for the sounder, which can cause a voltage spike resulting in unit damage. To eliminate this inconvenience the Jetskifishing Store offers, dual battery systems installed and the other option is a DIY kit.
• Sounder rain coats are now available from Jetskifishing, keeping your screen clean, to and from your spots... Also adding the required extra protection to your unit from salt water spray that penetrates the rear of the sounder, email andrew@jetskifishing.co.nz for further information.

 

Cheers, Andrew Hill

Report # 109 Goes Wild 6... October 2nd to 5th 2014

Jetskifishing 4 day social adventure to the top of the Coromandel and Great Barrier.

  

I've just arrived back from another amazing group trip to the Coromandel, where 35 Jetskifisho's ventured on a social fishing trip to the remote location of Port Charles. We experienced some challenging weather but this didn't stop us from catching more personal best fish. Check out these three fish Peter and Jenny caught while using our newly stocked Berkley Squiddos.

 These trips are as much fun off the water, with many new friendships made and lots of tackle tips being shared between the guests.

 

 

 

 Our Jetskifishing experiences are growing with popularity and your opportunity to join us on our next trip which is now open for bookings today. Check out the location where we fished, along with some added tips with which was the 'hot' colour and model slow jig which we currently have on sale at Jetskifishing.

Hottest fishing

• Cape Barrier at Great Barrier Island.
• Despite the 30 knot winds and up to 3 metre swells, we fished best in the BLUE areas with a depth of 35 to 40 metres.
• With no anchor or drogue, we used 2 to 4 oz weights. We cast 15 metres ahead of our skis, to allow for the fast drift and so the baits could get to the fish zone.
• The best sized fish caught between the group weighed 6-8 kg in this BLUE area.

Fishing Location - Cape Barrier of GB Island.

Launch area, beach launching at Little Sandy and Big Sandy Bay at Port Charles.

Due to popular demand, we have arranged another Goes Wild adventure, book quickly to avoid the disappointment of missing out!

 Cheers, Andrew Hill

Report # 108 The best way to meet likeminded people... June 26th to 29th 2014

I have been enjoying Jetskifishing for nine years and I still remember the first day I tried the “fishing off a jet-ski” concept. Never did I vision how far the sport could evolve so quickly, much because you can be addicted after catching your first fish! For those early days, the first month of Jetskifishing was purely solo missions and it inspired a waiting list in my family to join me two up  My kids were eager to experience the thrill of catching a fish off the ski, there is no turning back once they got a taste of it! To look back now, a 3 mile trip within the Hauraki Gulf, was classed as mammoth adventure back then. Now we travel up to 30 mile off shore and tow the skis to picturesque vantage points throughout NZ. Even better, we now fish with social groups, largely due to the sport now being my full-time career choice. This sport is a lifestyle for me and many others, even better, living the dream working with what I am passionate about. Nine years on for me from where it begun and with the support of fishos choosing to purchase and use my quality and tested Jetskifishing products, I continue being able to make a difference in other peoples lives with them too being able to enjoy Jetskifishing as I do. To see people enjoying my social events, active in the NZ Jetskifishing Club and sharing their experiences on the Jetskifishing Facebook page, is the bigger picture for me, with so many friendships introduced within our growing community. All this activity sees Jetskifisho’s learning more and being involved with likeminded people eager to meet others and get the most out of the sport. This latest blog gives an insight into our latest winter trip, joined by twenty keen Jetskifisho’s, all eager to have some fun after being prepared and kitted out at the Jetskifishing Store. By visiting at our specialised store, they shop with confidence to achieve what inspired them to get started with the sport, doing it once and doing it right.
Most of us met for an early start on the Thursday and headed off in a group to appreciate the full social experience. Much of these trips is meeting others and we always look forward to welcoming newbies to our groups.

The destination for the Goes Wild trips is at the remote location of Port Charles in the Coromandel. Just over 3 hours journey on a lovely scenic drive.

On arrival, we check-in at the resort’s impressive main conference centre where we were allocated our lodges for our next exciting three nights stay. Couples have their own private lodges and the singles share group lodges with fisho’s with similar experience.

 The weather for this trip was a was looking like mixed bag, with periods of strong winds and a few short breaks forecasted over the four days. The first day we were lucky enough after a reasonable weather window, for a few of the group to ride over to Cape Barrier and some trophy fish being caught.

 

 More fish from day one, including a new personal best for one of our newbies, Brent!

After a great start to the trip, we all looked forward to a few well-deserved drinks along with an amazing meal at the resort’s restaurant.

 

Day two and day three had some challenging conditions. Fortunately most of my guests were all kitted out with our Jetskifishing Store winter apparel options, allowing everyone to still enjoy the day and the experience on those wet and colder days.

A bad weather window is always a good opportunity to prepare gear for the following days fishing while enjoying the odd refreshment and sharing some fishing stories.

 

and a few more beersies!

Dream conditions on day four allowed us a twenty minute, full throttle ride to Great Barrier Island. My favourite style bait, Gulp Nemesis enticing a big Snapper from the shallows!

Day four saw some great fish being caught, including a few of our new Jetskifisho’s catching the big ones.

These adventures are always plenty of fun, a great opportunity to learn so much more about the sport, all while having a holiday. Our next trip is October 2nd - 5th and with only 5 single spots left, you need to book fast!
You now have another reason to visit the Jetskifishing Store more regularly, not only can you purchase our trusted products on sale, we also offer a large range and selection of proven Jetskifishing soft bait tackle. Give me a call to receive an easy email order form for your monthly weekly tackle supplies that are working for me.

Cheers, Andrew Hill