Report 016 Work-up madness... 13th of October 2009

I could not resist the forecast of light winds and the possibilities of the work up season now in full gear. The original plan was to head with Alex to Little Barrier, yet I knew in reality of only having freedom during school hours, my time was limited. I ended up leaving Bucklands beach ramp at 9.30am on a solo mission, with an idea of heading off out wide in the direction of Little Barrier.

The conditions were brilliant, so I cruised out at 80kph, not really knowing how far I would be going before finding the workups. It wasn't long and I was at the 45 metre mark and could faintly see a few boats in the distance.
The boats are normally a good sign, as they are usually located near the workups when fishing these areas. As I got closer, I could see the birds circling and the Dolphins breaking the surface. This is about the time is when the heart starts racing and you know you are about to enjoy some serious fun. I slowly moved over to one of the many areas where the birds were working and prepared for a non-stop fishing session. The Dolphins were swimming all around my WaveRunner and Gannets were dive bombing only metres away, adding to the whole buzz.

Once casting the bait it was a lucky dip, with which species would strike the 7” Gulp jerk shad. First hit was what I felt as a solid fish, unfortunately it was only to end with a sliced trace. This meant the ‘razor gang’ were around and their destruction was shown at the trace, with the jig head and clip completely gone. I re-rigged and went with a different technique, aiming to get the 7" Gulp Nuclear Chicken to the lower depths before being attacked again by the Barracuda. It worked a treat, from then on I was on to the Snapper, one after another!

Amongst this, there was plenty of bird activity, also with whales surfacing. The whale experience is out of this world, when you see it within 10 metres from your ski and next thing it disappears, all you can wonder is where it will resurface! I carried on a great session of fishing, regularly following the larger of the work ups. We have it so lucky on a jet-ski, being able to start up and move so easily. The next fish was a real string puller, after smashing the 7” Gulp Sweet and Sour. My Diawa Sol rod was demonstrating its merits, while the reel was sporadically screaming! After 10 minutes, when I finally thought I had the upper hand, the fish broke free. I then moved out to the 50 metre mark where more fishing action continued. There were plenty of other boats, all with similar theories, including a few of the local charter operators. As I ventured further, the boat traffic got less, yet the work ups were just as active…
Next I was back amongst the big Barracuda!

The fishing did not slow up at all, I had the luxury of putting plenty of fish back and testing different techniques on another fun fishing day. Last fish of the day was a 4 pound John Dory at 50 metres on a 7 " Nuclear chicken.

After a successful morning session, I had filled the chilly bin with fresh fish and set for a leisurely ride home.

Important trip data:
FISHING ACTIVITY TIME: 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
WIND: 5 knots
LOW TIDE: 9.00 am
SOFT BAIT: 7” Gulp Nuclear Chicken,
Char Neon, and Sweet and Sour.
JIG HEAD WEIGHT: 1 ounce.
BEST FISH: 7 pound, Snapper
SMALLEST FISH: 4 pound, Snapper
DESTINATION: Hauraki Gulf
PWC: 2009 Yamaha Waverunner FX HO
FUEL: 25 litres approximately
DATE: 13/10/2009