This is the up to date blog written by the Jetskifishing Guy, Andrew Hill from New Zealand. There are many adventures including the latest photos and videos of daily fishing trips.
Yesterday was one of those days when you really appreciate how good we have it... I left Bucklands Beach ramp, just before 7am, to what was a dream ride... at a cruise of 85 kph enjoying the surroundings, having a chance to see Auckland City lit up in the distance as I headed towards Motuihe. This is half the buzz on a jet-ski, the freedom of these fast solo runs, making for some sporting fun in a short weather window. I arrived at a well known spot near the Haystack, within 13 minutes after passing Musick Point, hell of a way to start the day with a good adrenalin kick!
First pick bait of the day was the Gulp - New Penny 6" and with a few hits on the drop, it wasn’t long before I had the first taker. Today’s mission was to get a feed and in a short time frame, so a few pannies was my goal, but only looking like a medium pan day today!
After a delay with retrieving the jig head, after the Snapper gulping the hook. Thankfully this was the first in a while and after retrieving the jig head I was back in to it. There was plenty of sign showing on the Raymarine sounder and there was not much of a drift speed to assist my casts... I could see the sea chop trying to build, but fortunately the wind was not gusting yet as forecasted. With each cast I was getting hit on the drop and missed a couple of real thumpers! The fish kept coming, but not of any great size, all just over 400 mark.
Seeing the conditions were still so settled, I nipped to the back of the Noises for some different territory.
There to was plenty of fish sign and they were still keen on the bite.
With a few fish in the bin, I did some catch and release and tried another colour at a spot I have had my eye on for some time.
Next was a distinctive hit on the driftless drop, I straight away had it picked for a John Dory! By no way a family feast, yet it was still heading home with me, after swallowing the jighead and Gulp - Pink Shine 6 " Grub, half way down its throat.
Carried on for another drop and this time got hit by a better string puller.
Finally getting the reward of a better sized Snapper, once again with my "July favourite", the 6" Gulp - Pink Shine Grub.
With a good feed in the chilly bin, I decided to head back after just 2 hours on the water... As I was heading through Rakino Channel, the birds were full on with activity.
The tempation was too much for me and I decided on one more cast to see if any Snapper were amongst them. Yes there was! Another fish, a victim to the Pink Shine, this one I was thinking was a beauty to only find it was foul hooked!
That was it, work was waiting and I had a fast ride back at 105 clicks, enjoying the Yamaha supercharged horsepower, to top off a good morning on the water.
The fish were all filleted, ski cleaned down and me ready for work just after 11am to make a start on a fit out, of another new Yamaha FX HO recently purchased at our Jetskifishing Store.
It was one of those dream days which we have with the Hauraki Gulf on our door step.
And what a few hours diference makes, as I wrote this report, I could see the Tamaki River with white caps and kite surfers enjoying the strong winds!
After a crazy week with work, I agreed on some time out with Buzz’s invite of a Jetskifishing adventure on a work day! Not only was it me easily persuaded, there was a total of seven keen Jetskifishos on this trip. The original post on the Jetskifishing forum was to head wide in the Hauraki Gulf, but after some quick discussions, we opted for a long range Little Barrier mission. It was an early start and we all met up at BP Dairy Flat, Autobahn along the Northern motorway at 6am. I was running a bit late, the others had met up earlier and had a catch up with a quick breakfast together.
We all left in convoy from the BP which is a fourty minute further trip north to our launching point of the Omaha ramp.
After some quick preparations we were safely through the Omaha bar to what was a long haul ride out in some lumpy conditions! The bar was the calmest area of this trip, we were soon heading out to a southerly wind with a uncomfortable chop. As you can see from the photos we are all kitted out for the colder winter months fishing, most choosing the thermal Sharkskin clothing as our first layer of apparel. ( To learn more feel free to call me to discuss options)
Three of us powered through the rough to head to the southern corner of Little Barrier while the rest took a leisurely cruise, more sensible but no near as exciting as our airbourne ride out!
These hard rides at speed can take a toll on the body, but if out Jetskifishing reguarly your body becomes conditioned.
It didn’t take long for Dave, Brent and I to get on to some fish at our first stop. We were fishing in about thirty metres of water with plenty of sign, with a variety of species being caught. Dave’s first, a Tarakihi, mine a Blue Cod and Brent’s a Snapper…
The size of the fish weren’t trophy fish, yet plenty of action.. My hot bait of the day was the Gulp Pink Shine - Crazy Legs.
I went for a scout out wider to where I fished a drop off area to fifty metres and there I found plenty of better sized fish on the bite! I carried on fishing that area, while at the same time trying to raise my group on the VHF, unsuccessfully... to find out later on that one’s VHF - the speaker was blown and the other’s VHF was not turned on. A lesson learnt by all of us, you need quality gear for Jetskifishing and should be aware of the common communication channel. This communication breakdown created a comedy of errors including me circumnavigating Little Barrier on a wild goose chase, much to the guys amusement. Eventually I found the whole group only five hundred metres from the point of origin!
We all continued fishing with the main group having a few laughs about the number of Cuda, with plenty of gear loss! Another Minties moment, one of our Jetskifishos losing one of his catch when a keen Snapper jumped out of his chilly bin while sorting his catch.
Brent had a fifteen minute battle with what he expected to be a personal best Snapper, to find a Shark at the end of his line! It is always plenty of excitement at Little Barrier as you never know what to expect to hit your baits...
After all the cuda action some of us went for a venture out to Horn rock, there was plenty of bait fish but sadly no Kingfish action underneath.
Neil carried on catching the Cuda, but still had a smile knowing he already had the prized John Dory amongst his catch of Snapper in the chilly bin.
With all of us having a few fish in our chilly bins we made a call to head back at each groups leisure …
The conditions eventually got better with a smoother ride back. Stefan and Buzz did the best on the day with Stefan catching a couple over ten pound and being a great ambassador, releasing his fair share of fish - fishing for the future. Buzz landing the fish of the day going fifteen pound and loving every minute of Jetskifishing. Recently introduced to the sport after purchasing a Yamaha from me, he is living the dream of having the choice of his boat or the ski as his fishing platform.
Another rewarding day with a fun team, always a pleasure fishing Little Barrier with an eager group of Jetskifishos.
Here is my track of the area covered on this trip.
