Report 010 Extreme trip out wide and returning via the Rakino Channel with dinner... 3rd of September 2009

Yes, it is that stage in the week for my weekly jetskifishing report. Like normal, the time to enjoy these trips is not always fortunate to fall on the good fishing days. Two weeks in a row and I have had to suffer the elements of strong winds and swells in the Hauraki Gulf.

This trip was not too bad on departure, so I headed for the Ahaaha's, I went straight to Innsies fish farm, where I found no sign on this particular day! I soon headed back to the Ahaaha Rocks and not long and I was on to my first Snapper of the day. This was a nice string puller on the new Penn reel I was trying out, care of Big Fish in Cascades Road. The beauty of this reel, having no reverse switch is a good aspect for Jetskifishing, one less area to absorb salt spray. The Snapper was giving me a good chance to hear that screaming reel...

I soon spotted in the distance the Dolphin Explorer and could also spotted a work up in the making. Not long and my patience got the better of me, as I could now see diving Gannets and had to go have a closer look about a Km behind the Ahaaha's. This was a frenzy of Dolphins and by this stage the work up was only sporadic. The Dolphins were in big numbers and I was obviously not in to any fish with their company!

I soon nipped over to Durville for a fish and this was the bad move of the day as it set me up for the hard conditions riding back. At Durville there was some sign, but apart from a nasty snag, that was all I caught there on this trip. I then decided to head back closer to home, to find some of the other crew who were possibly heading out that afternoon. They were nowhere to be seen, so I made a stop at the Three Sisters which paid off with another nice pannie on a 7" Gulp Camo.

I persisted a little longer at the same spot, yet after no more serious hits I thought I would try some shallow water washing fishing around at the next point.

This type of fishing is normally the option for me in the strong southerlies, when you know you are hard pressed for a feed. First cast and I was on to an aggressive string puller with 5/8 of an oz using another Camo. When the fish hit at the surface, they always have so much more urgency trying to go deeper to bust you in the kelp. Not to be today, I soon had the upper hand and swiftly made way for this Kelpie in my net.

After the Kelpie, I had enough with the wet conditions and decided to head back, with the intentions of hugging the shelter of Motatapu. On the heading, across the Rakino Channel I could see two other Jetskifishos heading over on a path to meet me, it was Eddie and Mark with grins ear to ear. They ventured out in the harder conditions and had loved every minute of it, having some great stories of an extreme trip through Motuihe Channel. We stopped and had a fish together after Eddie had finally reeled in all his 100 metres of line that had unhooked at speed, was quite an amusing sight.
Eddie soon made up for his embarrassment, by quickly catching a Snapper.

Then Eddie decided to go have a play.

Mark also decided to enjoy the torque with his new Yamaha with a few Kahawai in his chilly bin.

We eventually decided to head home with a hell of a ride, putting the skis and equipment through some hard conditions. Attached is some footage of the trip with our bodies and skis still intact, unfortunately the footage ran out at the peak of the troughs coming to the notorious Motuihe Channel.