Getting out on the water soon? It’s one of our favourite pastimes – going to the coast and enjoying the green and blue spaces we dream of all year. Sadly, more Kiwis are finding paradise spoilt by rubbish floating by as they swim or on the bottom of the ocean when snorkelling. Walks along the beach reveal plastic wrappers, drink bottles and all manner of rubbish deposited by the receding tide.

It is becoming more common. Kiwis need to realise that Aotearoa needs some help from us, its inhabitants, if we want to once again enjoy a clean green environment. We don’t need government policy to make a difference, we need people to care and take action.

As fishers, we need to make sure we’re not part of the problem. We start with thinking about how to stop bait or berley plastic bags entering into the environment. We can reuse plastic bait bags and we can make sure we don’t discard fishing line offcuts into the sea.

Sadly it is becoming more common for people walking along the Thames coastline to find berley bags washed up on the shore. There are so many that they cannot be one-off accidents, it points to people being too lazy to properly dispose of their rubbish. This is completely unacceptable and shows a lack of respect for nature.

Plastic is a real problem as it breaks down very slowly and can last for many years in the ocean. It will eventually break down but then it is consumed by some animal in the ecosystem and passed up the food chain until a human eats it.

There are some simple things we can do to avoid that scenario. Making sure all items are properly stowed on board so that nothing can accidentally bounce or get blown into the water. Having a different attitude about dumping any stuff over the side is also key. Artificial lures like soft bait tails should be replaced before they get worn and easily pulled off the jig head.

Not letting waste enter the environment is the first step, picking up any man-made rubbish is the second step. Instead of hurrying home and ignoring floating plastic or similar items, stop and collect whatever you see. Take a spare container to collect the extra stuff and be vigilant when out on the water. The other invaluable thing you can do is help others to be kaitiaki (guardians). Younger generations and any fishing mates who aren’t as aware of the dangers posed by rubbish can be positively influenced to become people who care and act with respect.

It’s smart to get more people educated and involved. If you want to do more, check out Sustainable Coastlines who run community beach care cleanups – you could be the catalyst for great things in your community. www.sustainablecoastlines.co.nz

Our spring season started with some high temperatures around the country and predictably, the fishing heated up too with some great catches. People were reporting solid snapper under the work ups and kingfish marauding amongst the schools of pilchards and anchovies.

When the fishing is good and abundant (and particularly when the weather is hot) we have to make sure we look after our catch so nothing is wasted. This starts with properly killing the fish, an iki spike to the brain is quick and effective. After dispatching it quickly the fish needs to be cooled in a salt ice slurry before you put it on ice. If you only have one chilly bin use a thin slurry and don’t let the fish freeze by putting too much ice in the water. A 2:1 ratio of water to ice is good. This ensures the flesh is in top condition and most importantly, can be kept in the fridge for longer until it is all consumed.

Fishers will need to factor in extra time to process the fish so everything is used. If you find yourself with too much fish and not enough time to eat it all, best to join the Free Fish Heads community (www.freefishheads.co.nz) by downloading the app and sharing your fish heads and frames with people in your area who would love them.

Because someone may not be expecting your gift, it may take them a bit longer to arrange collection of the heads and frames. If you have taken care of your fish with the iki and ice treatment it will remain in good condition until you or someone else sit down to enjoy a feast from the sea.

See our video on how to best care for and use all your catch:  https://fishcare.co.nz/principle-3-maximum-utilisation/

Fishing off the rocks can be an exhilarating and adventurous pastime. It is not only the thrill of big catches but the awe of hiking to beautiful locations, the feeling of solitude and relief from the pressures of life.

Rock fishing can also be extremely dangerous and sadly many people have died while pursuing their passion on ledges and rocky outcrops. It is not a place for the inexperienced when the location or conditions start to become risky. Smart rock fishing is about making smart choices – choose a location that doesn’t involve obvious risks such as big swells, high ledges or strong currents. Life jackets are useful and can save lives but fishers are best to fish in locations and conditions that don’t require the aid of a life jacket should they fall in. 

There are clear dangers when rock fishing, the first one is the swell. Check the swell (e.g. swellmap.co.nz is a good place to start) before you go fishing and think about how the forecast will affect the place you are fishing. Services like Swellmap will forecast how high the swell will likely be. You do not want to be fishing a ledge that has heavy swell sweeping over your fishing location. A few splashes on your feet is not the same as a wall of green water coursing over the rocks with a thunderous boom. Learning the difference is important. Generally, onshore winds will make conditions more dangerous by driving waves onto land and offshore winds will flatten down the waves making things calmer.

When you first arrive at your fishing spot, take some time to first watch the waves. Any rocks that are wet mean they have been splashed or swept by waves. Figure out where the safe spots are and also think about what would happen if someone fell in. What is the safety procedure? Where do you get out of the water? What does your mate do to help? If you’re fishing a location that doesn’t look like you could safely get out of the water, maybe think about fishing somewhere else. Take two forms of communication and check the reception on your phone and radio before you cast your line out.

Wearing a life jacket is a smart idea in remote places or where getting out of the water is difficult because of heavy current and swell. A smarter choice is fishing where a life jacket isn’t required. The west coast is generally considered the kind of place everyone should wear a life jacket. Watch out for slippery rocks and wear sturdy footwear with decent grip. A first aid kit is also a smart idea and especially useful if someone falls over and cuts themselves.

Always fish with a mate. This is really the supreme rule of rock fishing. A mate can help you get out of trouble or raise the alarm and get help if something happens. It’s hard to call for help when you’re in the water and your phone is safely in your pack if you’re fishing solo. Always tell someone where you are going and when you will be home. You don’t have to tell them your secret fishing location but if you need rescuing, the search parties will need a place to start looking. Hopefully with the right precautions and common sense, you will never need rescuing.

Summertime fishing from the shore can be a bit hit and miss sometimes. Fishers at their favourite holiday destinations may have escaped the bustling city but many of those city dwellers are now filling the campgrounds and hitting the rocks or beach to catch some dinner. The popular coastal destinations start to get crowded and the local wildlife seems to notice and depart for quieter waters.

Daytime fishing when there is a lot of activity like swimmers and divers and boats blasting past will put the fish off, especially the bigger ones. Of course if you’re outside with the kids then swinging a fishing rod is better than leaving it at home, however, the holiday fisherman may need to be a bit smarter about targeting a catch.

In summer you will often find yourself pulling in lots of small fish during the heat of the day. To target the bigger fish do your serious fishing at the change of light, especially in the early morning before the rest of the family wakes up. You’re less likely to hook the small fellas (and risk harming them). You can also try changing locations if you happen to be stuck in the nursery. Of course, if the whole family is mad keen then an early morning mission with everyone is a good idea.

Daytime fishing can pay off for species like kahawai and kingfish that come into the shallows to hunt small prey like yellow-eyed mullet. Using lures to target these fish is a smart idea and bringing along a fishing rod (just in case) on a trip to the water saves the family from smelly bait in the back of the car and protests about why fishing gear was brought on a family outing.

Family trips are the perfect time to teach young children about conservation principles like how to release fish without hurting them. Kids often get over-excited and innocently squeeze the life out of small fish. They will likely also want to keep what they catch, without a plan of what to do with them.  This is the time to teach them about utilisation – will they keep their catch, and will they eat it? Don’t forget to get a photo of the catch so the fish doesn’t have to be killed to be celebrated. If a fish is accidentally killed during fishing time (and as long as it’s not undersized) then keeping it for the family meal, for the cat or bait can help youngsters understand the importance of utilisation and avoiding unnecessary waste.

Hooking kids on fishing and the great outdoors is a far better option than being immersed in the digital world with little purpose other than entertainment and killing time. Fishing is educational, relieves the anxiety of social pressure and can be a lifelong positive influence in a person’s life.

Summer is the season for Kiwis to spend time fishing, and more time with friends and family. BBQs are a traditional gathering place to enjoy some beverages and catch up. It’s also the place to make the most of fish you have caught.

Some of us are just fillet eaters at heart but this is changing as we realise fish stocks are not what they used to be. Making the most of everything we catch means more high quality food for our friends and whanau and shows respect for our environment by not wasting anything of what we harvest.

BBQs are great occasions to celebrate with the whole fish being grilled in tin foil. This works easily for any fish that can fit on a grill. If you are cooking a whole fish that has thick shoulders, such as larger snapper, cod or granddaddy hapuku, it helps to have a lid you can close. Closing the lid helps to cook the fish evenly and on the inside without burning the outside.

Preparation doesn’t take much – gutting and scaling the fish then scoring the skin with a few cuts and seasoning with salt and pepper (lemon pepper is a winner too). For butter lovers, smearing some yellow goodness in the cuts is a tasty touch. You can put lemon slices in the gut cavity to infuse more flavour. Cooking depends on how thick/big the fish is, but start with about 6 minutes per side for a 30 cm fish and work from there, the bigger the fish the longer it will take. Check the fish regularly if you’re not sure of exact timing so you don’t overcook.

While fish can be grilled on BBQ’s, the oven works well too if you happen to strike a wet day but the festivities must go on. If you’re lucky enough to have an open fire, cooking over hot coals produces a taste sensation, especially if it has just been pulled out of the ocean.

Some species like kahawai, mullet and trevally are first rate fish to smoke whole. You can easily make a stock from any leftover frames and heads. If you have been gathering shellfish while adventuring then why not combine it with some stock on a lazy Sunday afternoon and make some chowder? Smoked fish goes great in chowder and a proper home made fish stock is hard to beat. The full flavour of the ocean comes alive and not only does the food get better by using everything, you show maximum respect for the fish you catch and the people you entertain. Good times.

My charter business is called Saltflyfish and I am based on Waiheke Island. With an increasing number of first time and experienced fishers turning to fly fishing I am kept busy with teaching and chartering.

I have noticed that in our busy world of ever-increasing complexity, technology has both liberated and captured us. It potentially jeopardizes the continued existence of humans on the planet yet also offers our greatest chance of continuance. Fishing, by comparison, can be a pastime of simplicity and not only provides a place to escape but also takes me closer to the awesome power of nature itself. Engaging with fish and the habitat they live in connects me to part of myself, where my food comes from and teaches me both the immense power of the ocean and its fragile nature. To function and thrive in our current predicament I believe we need this balance and a reminder that we as humans are also part of nature. The ocean is vital and our interdependence with it is influenced by how we interact with it.

I choose to fish in a way that tests my skills, knowledge and observations. Having moved away from using bait I have found the skill required to first make a fly and then master the skills required to cast and present in a way to produce an instinct response from the fish gives me what I am seeking. While fly-fishing has an established catch and release ethic it is also a really fun way to catch a feed of healthy wild-caught food.

There are other reasons that fly fishing (and other forms of lure fishing) satisfy my sensibilities of care and respect. Without bait, fish strike at the lure and are hooked instantly in the mouth. Using barbless hooks, rubberised nets and taking a minimum of time to hold the fish out of water for the “grip and grin photo” allows me to make a successful release. I also choose to stalk and hunt fish in shallow water where I can see their natural behaviour. Fish caught in shallow water do not suffer the effects of barotrauma which further contributes to a successful release. My participation in a fly fishing tagging programme of kingfish has proven this.

Following the natural signs of fish and knowing where they are likely to be feeding puts us in proximity with seabirds and other creatures of the ocean – natural “fish finders” also hunting a meal.

One of the big differences with fly-fishing is the line itself. Fly lines are inherently thick in profile and we use the bend of the rod to deliver the cast of an unweighted lure. This is what defines fly fishing compared to other styles of fishing that use very thin lines and additional weight on the lure itself to make the cast. This can be environmentally significant as while we try to avoid interactions with seabirds, the line itself minimises any damage or interference if we are sharing the same areas. Barbless hooks allow for easy removal. My boat has a kit that includes gloves, a rag and pliers if we ever need to free an unlucky seabird.

Being involved in the LegaSea FishCare programme has given me a tangible way to share the aligned qualities of fly-fishing and communicate why it is so important that we take responsibility. It is through this programme I have witnessed a culture shift as many fishers move towards best practice principles. I truly believe that when we lose access to the wild places and natural abundance of fish in our oceans it will be too late, it is a paradoxical truth that catching fish is a vital part of saving fish. We must value them and do what we can to ensure we can always go fishing.

When chartering, it is rare that my clients want to take fish home but I encourage this celebration and carry saltwater ice to slurry the catch after quick dispatch. Many of my clients talk about the shift in their own expectations as the goalposts are no longer about the most or biggest catches but about the experience itself. In this busy world, this gift of being on the ocean is often the greatest reward.

Matt von Sturmer – saltflyfish.co.nz

Matt von Sturmer is one of our valued FishCare ambassadors who practices kaitiaki and helps others to adopt the same principles.

Fishing hooks are the first point of contact with fish and there are a few ‘givens’ when it comes to hooks for success. They must be sharp, they need to be picked for purpose and they must be rigged properly – that is, the knot must be tied well and in some cases, some knots are more appropriate than others.

The other important consideration is what impact your hook choice has on the fishery and environment. There aren’t many hooks for inshore species that are stainless steel but many brands have special coatings to resist rust and devaluing of their investment. High carbon hooks have high strength but can be more susceptible to oxidisation. These are better for the fish if the fish escapes with the hook still attached because it will rust out quicker. There are ways to reduce or eliminate oxidisation e.g. Once you have used the hook, do not put it back in the packet with the unused ones. Put it in a separate container with some vegetable oil or silicone to arrest any degradation.

Bait fishing hooks

Suicide / J style hooks are very common for bait fishing and are offset in shape. These hooks can be good for hooking fish and require the angler to strike to set the hook. These are popular and what most bait fishers have grown up with, learning how to hook fish with quick reflexes.

The downside is that these hooks are deadly when swallowed by fish, which is ok if you will keep the fish and it doesn’t escape by breaking the line. The best approach to using these hooks is to use large sized hooks, 7/0 or larger and don’t leave the rod unattended. Even 28cm (illegal) sized snapper can manage to scoff it down and get gut hooked if given enough time.

It is common for fishers to let the fish run with the bait and then strike. We would discourage this practise if it results in gut hooking. Sometimes the fish are cautious, but sometimes it’s because the fish are just too small and can’t fit the bait in their mouth. Best to strike by letting the fish turn (drop the rod tip before striking) instead of disengaging the reel and giving it time to get gut hooked.

Circle Style Hooks

There are a few variations of circle style hooks and studies show non-offset hooks are best at lip hooking fish. These styles of hook are good for bait because fish will be hooked most often in the lip or jaw. Circle hooks also come in offset styles as well. We would recommend carefully bending into a straight line with a vice or a pair of pliers if you can to reduce the chance of gut hooking a fish. ,

Circle hooks require a different approach to striking. The basic theory is that the hook will slide into the corner of the jaw as the fish moves away with the bait so it’s best to lower the rod a little and when the fish has the bait in its mouth, to slowly lift the rod. Another way is to simply start winding the reel without a vicious jerk of the rod and this can slide the hook into the jaw or lip.

Hooks are a vital connection between fisher and fish. Effectiveness is usually the first consideration when fishers think about what hook is best for their style of fishing, however, there are other important considerations. Do your hooks cause unnecessary damage to fish that you release? A good example of this would be when using treble hooks on stick baits or minnow style lures. Fish can easily take treble hooks down past the mouth and into the gill area. The gills are extremely delicate and any damage is likely to cause death upon release 99% of the time. Other unnecessary damage can be caused to the fish’s eyes or face if the lures has two sets of treble lures i.e. one hook in the belly and one in the tail. Treble hooks are effective at hooking fish but there are other styles that are just as efficient without causing as much harm to fish that are to be released. Single in-line hooks are a good alternative to treble hooks.

Assist hooks, which you usually find on slow jig or inchiku style jigs, are often smaller and rigged in a set of doubles. They are predominantly hidden or wrapped with some style of skirt. These are specifically designed to catch the fish in the lips, jaw or face as it lunges for the lure. These hooks are seldom if ever swallowed or taken into the gill area and smaller sizes are good.

They can be dangerous for the fisher though when a fish is flapping around and one hook is free, swinging around wildly. If this is happening the safest approach is to net the fish (using a rubber mesh net) and use a pair of pliers to unhook the fish. Pliers are good to unhook fish whenever you are using assist hooks as it reduces the risk to the fisher.

Fishing with live baits requires stronger styles of hooks, simply because the species of fish tend to be large and powerful (i.e. kingfish). These hooks tend to be short shanked and straight or circle style hooks are commonly used. Circle hooks are also a great choice for bait fishing for smaller species like snapper and kahawai or trevally and blue cod.

We would recommend using circle style hooks so that any fish caught are more likely to be lip hooked and can be safely released if the fisher wishes to or if the fish is undersized. If you are using non-circle style hooks, we would recommend using a large live bait so that undersized fish (eg kingfish under 75cm) will be less likely to get hooked.

Some countries in central South America have made it illegal to use anything except circle hooks when targeting game fish with bait, to help protect the lucrative sport fishery. These are high value fisheries because the tourism dollars generated are far greater than killing the fish for meat, and nearly all fish are released to maintain the fishery.

Whatever hooks you use, crush the barbs so it is relatively easy to remove the hook. Untold damage is caused by people squeezing the fish and its internal organs during the process to unhook it. Barbless hooks are also a friendly hook to remove from your body parts as your skin won’t have to painfully stretch very far as it is removed.

Sometimes we leave behind traces of our fishing trips in the marine environment. Plastic bags can blow into the water without our noticing them, or we cut a tangle out of our line and throw the offending mess into the sea. We may get snagged on the bottom and leave behind a lure and section of line that could end up wrapped around some sea creature’s head.

Accidents do happen, but we can certainly minimise the impact we have in the marine space. Making sure that plastic is not left lying around on the rocks or our boat is an easy one, simply because as we fly home with our eyes glued ahead, the wind may catch a bag sitting on the floor behind us and whip out onto the ocean without being noticed. Minimising plastic on board in the first place is a good idea too.

Recently, a fisher was doing a beach clean-up along the Thames coastline and couldn’t get over the amount of red onion sacks and plastic holding bags washed up on the shore. Fishers use these as berley bags and had simply discarded them after a day’s fishing. It was obvious fishers would rather pollute the environment instead of getting their hands dirty and emptying the berley bag of its contents before stowing the plastic onboard for proper disposal.

It’s a good idea to have a rubbish container on board that is easily accessible so line, packaging, and items such as used softbait tails, can be safely stowed away. Any measures that prevent rubbish from entering the sea contributes to reducing our impacts.

Softbaits have become very popular over the last few years and this raises the question around pollution. Some brands are biodegradable and will likely say so on the packaging. While not as bad for the environment, it is still best to not throw them overboard once they have served their purpose because the time it takes to biodegrade can still be a while.

What about non-biodegradable softbaits? These are still plastics that are not good for the ocean should they end up there. There are lots of positives to using softbaits, like hooking fish in the lip rather than the gut and the fact that legal-sized fish are caught more often than not on these lures.

The best strategy then is to minimise any loss of lures and check your lure frequently and replacing if it becomes easy to pull off the jig head or tattered. If the softbait is easy to pull off the jig head, it is also easy for a fish to grab it and remove it altogether. Another measure is to use strong enough line and tackle so that bust offs are minimised. Fishing softbaits on light line around rocky terrain (eg casting into the wash around the rocks) is an obvious recipe for disaster as the chances of hooking a fish that can take you into the reef and cut the line becomes highly likely.

Choosing to either use lighter tackle in areas where there is little chance of breaking the line or choosing heavier tackle for the rougher terrain are strategies to help minimise the loss of softbaits and fishing line in the marine environment.

It’s also worth considering changing to heavier line when there are several people on board and two or more fishers could get their lines crossed if a school of kahawai turn up. Kahawai have a lovely habit of swimming up and down, left and right, all within 10-20 seconds. Fishing with lighter line means the chances of bust offs becomes a lot more likely, even if the fish are hooked in water that is otherwise free of obstacles to break the line on.

Think about how you fish – are there ways to minimise your impact on the marine environment? Our fishery and coastline are too wonderful to let our litter end up there.

When fishing in water deeper than 20 metres some species of fish suffer from barotrauma when reeled to the surface. Barotrauma is where a fish can’t adapt to the change in water pressure quickly enough and the gas in their swim bladder expands as they are brought to the surface on a fisher’s line. Some species like kahawai and kingfish are more adaptable and are less susceptible to barotrauma. Snapper, unfortunately, are not a species that are as adaptable and are more likely to suffer the effects of barotrauma.

This condition has been studied and several attempts to help fish survive have been trialled and developed. One commercial product developed in the USA is called the ‘SeaQualizer’ and is like a pair of jaws that fixes to your line and then to the fish’s jaw ($60 USD). The fish is lowered on your line and when the fish hits the approximate depth set, the jaws release and the fish swims away.

A similar descender rig that involves a hook and heavy (16-20oz) weight has been commercially produced in Australia and had good success at being able to provide a viable option to return fish back to the depth they were hooked. A barbless hook is attached to a heavy sinker and then a loop is attached to the bend in the hook. A fishing line is attached to the loop so the rig can descend to the seafloor, carrying the fish which has been hooked through the top lip. A sharp tug on the line pulls the hook out of the fish’s top lip and it swims free.

The other style of descender rig developed by Kiwi marine scientist John Holdsworth has the same basic set at an affordable price. Instead of a barbless hook, it incorporates a pair of Fish Grips. Fish Grips are a pair of plastic vice grips that are attached to the top or lower lip. A hole can be drilled in the grip’s top handle so that the line can be attached to it. Another short (40cm) section of mono is attached to the lower handle and then the heavy weight. When returning a fish back to the depth it came from the grips are fastened to the fish’s jaw and both are carefully placed in the water. Gently ease the line out so the weight can carry the fish down to the depths. Once on the bottom, a sharp jerk on the line will release the grip so the fish can swim free.

Having a dedicated rod set up beforehand is a good idea as the length of time it takes to return the fish can make a big difference to its survival.

As we realise how finite and delicate our ocean resources are we need to be continually assessing better ways to fish. While this process might feel awkward at first, over time you will become well-practised at releasing fish in good condition.

We need to protect and conserve what we have. If you catch fish in water over 10m there is the likely that fish will suffer some effects of barotrauma. LegaSea encourages you to have a go at using the descender rig to reduce your impact on the marine environment.