Report 042 My most costly Snapper yet… 24th of September 2010

As you may know I have been shop bound at the new Jetskifishing store for six weeks and my fishing therapy has been through other Jetskifishos reports! The weather has been shocking for a record time with high winds... yet I was determined to go and have a fish, whatever the conditions were! I launched at Bucklands Beach and on the way to the ramp I spotted the white caps in the distance! I was questioning my sanity, knowing it would be worst the further I went out. But still convinced myself it is worth it, as this was my only spare time with the King of Jetskifishing tournament starting to eat up time in the closing weeks. I was well prepared for this solo mission, I had attached my new Mcmurdo PLB-Personal Location Beacon (available at our Jetskifishing store) to my vest.

This session was plenty of miles, in some harsh conditions. I have been in plenty worst, but the body was out of condition with many weeks off the water. My first trip back, I had visions of flat seas chasing work ups, not of choppy water with a bucket of salt water thrown in your face every 10 seconds! Not to mention the jumbo bucket the odd time when least expecting, any keen Jetskifisho can relate to those experiences! As said plenty of miles, with me first taking the easy option of heading to Curusoe where it was just a waste of fuel, stuck in the wind and being unable to find sign... Then I made a ticky tour back to the shelter of Motuihe to head around via Motutapu towards the Noises, avoiding the wind, quite a long way round for those familiar with the area. It was a case of a hard ride heading straight in to the wind, or taking what we call the seahog cruise for those who don't put the body through its paces. I tried Takapu Rock where there was some sign, but no reward!

Then headed for the normally trusty Ahaahas and after thinking I had the Hauraki Gulf to myself... I then spot in the distance another mad bugga, Simon who purchased one of my recent Yamaha WaveRunners, sexy ski it is! (ski, not you Simon)

Where there is one, there is normally another with this revolution of Jetskifishing, next I spot Stefan, always up for any mad trip.

We all tried some drifts around the Ahaahas with a pretty slow session, struggling to find any sign. I continued on my solo mission hunting fish and then moved closer to Waiheke where I went to a well known spot. I scouted around the structure, looking for some encouraging sign on the Raymarine. Once I was set up correctly to drift over the fish, killed the engine and flicked a Gulp 7" Nuclear Chicken for a cast of about fifteen metres. High up in the water column the bait was hit, all was a bit of shock after such a slow start to the fishing. My Daiwa Sol reel had just had a thorough spring service and was on its first trip out. The braid was peeling nicely off the spool, unlike my previous sessions of my reel feeling like a cement mixer after the continuous salt spray being coated on the reel in extreme conditions. It was a good feeling to be using the quality gear to its full potential, after a relatively easy battle I soon spotted a nice pannie at the surface. The whole time thinking there was no time for complacency as this was dinner, so I better net it! Was a relief to secure the fish after thoughts of a possible zilching!

With the fishing going sixty centimeters, there would be two nice fillets.

I called it a day seeing it was windy and not a hot bite. Was a great day to do continue the research and development on my Ultimate reel cover to prevent any unnecessary reel damage.

Headed back to the ramp and what was an OK day soon turned to chaos with a comedy of errors including a battery issue four hundred metres from the ramp, then it just got worst. I hadn't used my dry bag and had a drenched Cell Phone, after falling victim to the environment of extreme Jetskifishing! Next the car alarm remote had also fell victim to salt water, making for fun manual over-ride, while the ski was being rested on the beach at low tide! Fourty litres of fuel used for one fish!!! One expensive dinner, but still was great to get out there enjoying the buzz and some entertainment for you internet fishers.