Report 025 Kingfish on the jig and an unexpected predator... 26th of December 2009

This being my first adventure for the Xmas holidays, I decided Mayor Island, while staying at Waihi Beach. I launched the Yamaha WaveRunner at the Bowentown Boating and Sportfishing Club boat ramp, at 5.00am. The marine forecast was average, but with an early start the sea conditions were comfortable riding. The destination of Mayor Island is about 18 miles off shore and with an amazing sunrise, the day was off to a perfect start.

The trip took about 25 minutes to the southern area of Mayor Island. I stopped at a 30 metre pin where I had fished before, with disappointing success rates in the past! Yet this session had a great feel about it, I was sheltered from the wind and not a boat to be seen for my early start. But the first couple of drops with the jig, felt like previous non productive Mayor trips… I soon tried the Gulp soft baits, after admiring so much sign on the Raymarine sounder. The soft baits also weren't happening… so I persisted at the same spot working the jig. The real purpose of the session was to target the kingies and before I knew it, I was rewarded with my first strike for the day! Heaps of fun with the bent rod and a screaming reel… landing the first Kingfish by 6.30am.

The first Kingfish was put back, as my mind was set on a larger catch, after spotting a school of large Kingies swimming past my ski while pulling up the first one. I quickly retrieved my jig and deployed it to the depths once again. I soon felt a hit on the wind up without a hook up… Then I decided to drop my jig back down a few metres and try winding through that same area of the water column, which worked a treat! Next I was on to a screamer, heaps of fun, all captured on Tachyon helmet camera, the video footage tells all! The real action was the shark trying to attack the 11 kilo (945mm) Kingfish right at my ski, my third shark encounter while off shore Jetskifishing! I had to act fast, gaffing the fish as the shark was approaching for its easy prey. What made it worst, the shark was still circling the ski once I had the Kingfish out of the water… not exactly what I live for with Jetskifishing!

After all the excitement and the wind increasing, I quit while I was ahead and decided to head back towards Waihi Beach. I cruised at a speed of 60 kph, conscious of my catch stored in my chilly bin. I detoured slightly on the way back and went to Steels Reef to try a soft plastics fish on the light gear. I stopped on the edge of the reef not far from some boaties, looking very relaxed with their slow fishing. First cast I used the 7” Gulp Nuclear Chicken and I had the rats chasing the bait all the way back to the surface. I thought I would give it one more go, did a cast of 15 metres away from the ski and as the bait sunk 5 metres down in the water column, I was on to another fun Kingfish. Once the sporting play was over, the fish was placed gently back in the water to be wiser for another days fishing.

I finally headed back to the ramp via the Waihi bar, having a nice feed for the family dinner.