Another epic experience in the magical Far North, Doubtless Bay. Challenging weather was not going to ruin the 30 keen Jetskifisho's plans for this adventure. The central location allowed the crew to tow their skis to strategic launching points to minimise riding and find relief from the wind. The trip did not disappoint with some amazing fish caught and plenty of guests improving on their personal best catches, while others were just happily gaining knowledge from experienced anglers. The catches were inspirational and shows why we are hooked on this adrenalin fuelled sport. Check out this bad boy Kingfish which Dave caught weighing in at a massive 18kg.
Here is Mike (pictured below), first time on a social trip and landing this 12 pound Snapper after heading out with some new fishing buddies.
More Kingfish action, Brent with a nice Kingy to take home.
New Zealand Jetskifishing Club member, Daniel with a personal best Trevally.
Nik with a Snapper easily cracking 10 pound.
The trips are always plenty of fun activities off the water to enjoy.
Snapper of the trip was this 9.55 kg Snapper caught on the Gulp Orange Tiger Grub.
The social trips are the best opportunity to learn more about the sport, meet like-minded people while enjoying a holiday of a lifetime. Join us at our next experience March 2017, only 4 spots left, don't miss out on attending with our group of 45 Jetskifisho's.
In this day and age in these busy times, it is all more the reason to embrace Jetskifishing where little time is needed to go for a quick fish. When your teenage son asks you to go fishing, you know that this upbeat sport appeals to a large span of age groups. Jetskifishing is fantastic for any parents wanting to take the opportunity to spend some one on one time with their children, while still getting their own fishing fix. So when my son Cooper asked me on the weekend, "how about we go fishing?" I didn't need any encouragement to spend some quality time with him and seeing him enjoying catch fish!
We made an early start, launching at the Bucklands Beach public ramp just on daylight. While heading out I was unsure if the forecast of 5 knots would be as good as they said. Fortunately it was flat conditions and made for an enjoyable ride at full throttle on my Sea-Doo to our destination, Durville Rock. On arrival we had the area to ourselves which made for pressure free hunting, as we could survey the area with the Raymarine looking for fish sign. There was plenty to see and it wasn't long before we were getting excited by the hits on our softbaits.
It was not long and with some fish in the chilly bin we decided to fish another area holding fish at the bottom end of Waiheke Island. A good call heading further south with plenty of activity and soon another fish just over 50cm in the chilly bin. The area was plagued by boats and a few other skis, with fish being hauled on board it always attracts attention and other fisherman want to park right beside you! Little did they know, there is a little more to it and our secret weapons of Gulp Chocolate Sparkle Squid Vicious and Salmon Grub were all the difference.
With the conditions being mint we went exploring, trying out the deeper water but found on the slack tide that the fish we could see on the sounder weren't interested in biting.
Though I was having success occasionally and adding fish to our catch, Cooper was struggling to actually hook a fish. The ones hitting his bait were smaller and were spitting the bait after about 10 seconds of fight. The objective for Cooper on todays session, which I found out, was that he was determined to get his name on the kids club leader board.
The challenge and pressure was proving a bit much and frustration was setting in, words of encouragement from Dad were all so important before he lost focus! These are the challenges of fishing, added pressure comes back on the skipper when fishing with your children. We kept on persisting and I was confident that an hour or so after low tide that there would be more action and movement with the softbait lure in the current... As predicted, one hour fifteen minutes after low, Cooper had his first Snapper coming on board, approx. 40cm, he was so excited! The pressure was off us both and with enough Snapper in the bin for our family dinner we decided one last stop on the way home before calling it a day.
On arrival at the next spot, I told Cooper to drop his line, while I cast my bait ahead of the ski and allowing for it to drift back towards the ski. The next thing I hear is Cooper's braid screaming! All my attention was directed to him, I knew he was on to something special. The video shows a brief segment of the fight, the fish giving him a real challenge in the shallow water with plenty of foul bottom.
After a 5 minute battle, he was buzzing with the reward. He never gave up and landed another big Snapper! The fish going 715mm (7 kilo) which will be a massive benchmark for our club Kids Leader Board.
Chocolate Sparkle did the damage again and made me appreciate the importance of retying your knots before each trip and using the reliable Daiwa gear. Cooper was well prepared with his trusted Exceller, it shows you can use affordable gear and still land your dream fish.
Spring is on its way and the fishing has been brilliant over the last few weeks. I particularly enjoy this time of year with the winter conditions making for some amazing flat water days, while also enjoying less traffic on the water. Many clients get into the sport with no expense spared, I can prepare them to the same level of gear which I fish with, but no money can guarantee the angler can catch that '20 pound Snapper'. I hear many come into the sport having dreams of catching the dream fish...a Monster Snapper. The reality is, there are very few that actually do achieve this true achievement. With the exception of the occasionally super lucky catch, most fall a bit shy year after year and this is what keeps anglers eager in search of their next personal best with the thrill of the experience.
In my experience if fishing enough, most have had at least one crack at a Monster Snapper, with it no doubt having a go at your bait! If you aren't prepared and on your "A" game, kitted with quality gear and some experience under your belt, the fish will likely out smart the angler by dropping the bait or busting your gear. The factor of luck is a small element in my opinion, as it is no easy task to find the big Snapper let alone land one. So much so, the fight is only half the battle, getting the fish in to your chilly bin on a watercraft is a challenge in itself and you need to be mentally prepared for all scenarios.
My most recent fishing session had me fishing with my long time client Brent Martin who has become a great friend, who shares his passion for Jetskifishing on my many adventures. He often mentions how much it would mean to him to officially land a 20 pound Snapper, one of his lifetime dreams and bucket list 'to dos'.
The odds are, you have more chance of catching your dream fish with a line in the water, than stuck behind the computer, which is definitely not the way to catch one and only leads to fishing envy. Not every trip leads to reward, but it all gains experience and any day fishing is better than a day at work. With another opportunity to come fishing with me, all he could say is "beers on me if you can get me a 20 pound Snapper"
Brent's long-time dream of his trophy Snapper has not been from a lack of trying with 40 years of fishing and 6 years of those, enjoyed from his ski. His angler skills are up there with the best of us and he has always invested in the best gear for his fishing.
The below image is the skull from one of my recent 26 pound Snappers. It shows you the serious chompers on these bigger fish. They have rows of teeth sharp enough to damage gear and jaw strength strong enough to bend hooks, demonstrates why so many fish get away!
Brent was pretty excited about fishing the area of Doubtless Bay, also our best destination for our upcoming social trip in September. Fishing individually on our skis, we fished an area of 35 to 40 metres that has delivered some big fish in the past. When fishing this area your expectations can be high, even though we were fishing on a full moon :-( The fishing was slow, but with so much variety in species of fish, catching Kingfish, Snapper, Blue Cod, Kahawai and John Dory, what an amazing fishery in the Far North. As I mentioned, we often get strikes by the Monster Snapper, it is just a matter of when and if our hook catches! I had only just caught a 55cm Snapper that hardly pulled my set drag and next cast, as my soft bait was dropping my bait was smashed by the Monster, screaming braid with some serious weight... a few seconds of adrenalin to only be left wondering what I lost after the fish not being hooked properly.
Checking in with Brent he too was in to the action, quietly excited that he had just landed a new personal best. His enthusiasm of an epic battle starting off as a heavy weight much like the snagged sea floor sounded very promising after experiencing screaming line and a exhausting 5 minute fight. Very hopeful to confirm a new personal best catch, we decided to head back to our stay and weigh-in his catch.
The fish is being mounted to be on display in his home, I look forward to seeing his prized catch on display. Our next adventure to this same area is 8th-11th September, keep watching our Facebook Page to see how all my guests go and contact me if you are interested in attending one of our future trips.
The latest addition to my social trip destinations is the renowned Hotel Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort, the venue is stunning and is our best adventure yet, amazing food, brilliant hospitality, plenty of activities off the water and amazing fishing grounds.
As with all my social trips which I organise, our guests, clients and good friends learn so much more about the sport while fishing and relaxing with like-minded people. The time off the water is just as enjoyable and entertaining, while making new friendships and enjoying the good life. If you are yet to experience one of my Jetskifishing social trips, book for the next one as this will be a trip to remember and you too could catch a monster Snapper!
I have put together showing a glimpse of this latest adventure and you can see some of the amazing fish that were caught.
Fishing remote locations are a whole new world of opportunities with Jetskifishing. The places I have fished I could only have dreamt about before I started this sport...
With experienced Jetskifisho's, I ventured to the furtherest point of the upper North Island, Cape Reinga. The scenery is breathtaking and the location has some challenges that keep the area unpressured to recreational fisherman.
My learnings from different launching over the years and local intel helped along way to making this trip possible.
Planning strategies around wind, tide, swell, made launching and retrieving achievable, as it is a extremely soft sand beach. Preparation is so important on these trips, there is no cellphone access and little VHF coverage. I prepare for all scenarios on these adventures, fishing with a mate and choosing a late model 4 stroke naturally aspirated watercraft for reliability.
This time of year, to enjoy a full day on the water in a southerly wind I wear the Sharkskin thermal clothing, no chafing, no rashes and being a two piece clothing kit, when nature calls you have no restrictions.
With a 6 hour drive, you want to be on your game and have confidence in your fishing gear, so when you hook that dream fish you can take the fight to the fish! This hook up was thanks to the Gulp White Glow Grub with the 2oz Orange Elevator Rig, these hooks are strong and have never let me down.
Check out this latest video and be sure to share with your friends the endless opportunities available with our social Jetskifishing experiences.
Taking Jetskifishing to the next level is getting involved socially, where you can learn more about the sport in a fun environment. The trips which I host are fully catered in luxury, so guests can really enjoy a holiday along with an adventure in fishing grounds they will never forget. This experience had us venturing to the Far North, a new destination which the guests gave feedback on saying this is our best venue yet.
These trips are foremost about education and this requires a short briefing familiarising the guests about the facilities, safety and itinerary for the four days.
Like all of our trips there are plenty of different launching options and the fishing area was well suited for most wind directions.
All guests fish with a room mate and everyone is required off the water by weigh-in close off for the fun comp each day. With some challenging conditions we still managed to catch some amazing fish and many of the anglers set themselves new personal best targets with their prized catches on this adventure.
More personal bests!
Weigh-in is an opportunity to inspire other guests by seeing what everyone is catching and hearing about where fish are being caught and with which soft baits...
There are daily prizes up for grabs and also an opportunity for one lucky angler to win a luxury suite upgrade with a spa, the only thing is it usually came with many new mates ;-)
Each afternoon finished with a few coldies at the bar, followed by a great selection of food for dinner.
If you own a ski and want to learn more about the sport, sign up to one of Andrew Hill's trips so you too can have the opportunity to catch your personal best with like minded friendly Jetskifisho's. Our trips are always full of fun, on and off the water, a holiday doing what you enjoy while improving your skills.
Check out some of the feedback from just a few of our latest customers and now friends who joined us.
Checkout some footage of our last trip, call Andrew to join us on our next adventure.
We have a new King!
Results of the JFK Powersports King of Jetskifishing!
This was another awesome event with a big turnout of eager Jetskifisho's including our first ever overseas guests participating from Australia. Check out our latest video with highlights from the day.
Congrats to Stu Mcmillan who took out the top prize, receiving $1,000 cash and the title 'King of Jetskifishing' Stu is another of our Jetskifishing Store clients who fishes many of our comps, is an active club member and always great company on our social trips! Great to see him taking away the cash and making the most of his drive up from down country to participate.
Full results as follows
HARD LUCK STORY OF THE DAY - Richard Scown
DAIWA Kids Heaviest Snapper1st Cooper Hill - 1.65kg, 2nd Ryan Johnson - .75kg
JACK LINK'S Heaviest Other Species1st Quinn Barnes - Skip Jack 3.75kg, 2nd Dennis Pou - Skip Jack 3.25kg, 3rd Gareth Leadbetter - John Dory .55kg
SHARKSKIN Heaviest Kingfish1st Peter Jacobson - 11.85kg, 2nd Lucky Draw, 3rd Lucky Draw
MARINA CANTINA Heaviest Kahawai1st Jackie Williams - 1.85kg, 2nd Stu Mcmillan - 1.85kg, 3rd Johann de Beer - 1.80kg
NZ JETSKIFISHING CLUB Legend of JetskifishingDennis Pou - 3 species
BERKLEY Average Weight Snapper Jason Harris - 1.75kg
JFK POWERSPORTS King of Jetskifishing1st Stu Mcmillan - 3.40kg, 2nd Lachlan Haddon - 3.05kg, 3rd Michael White - 3.05kg, 4th Marcus Peterson - 2.90kg, 5th Grant Roxburgh - 2.60kg
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