The Espresso Report – Ristretto, short ‘n sharp - but make mine a long weekend 😊

Monday and Tuesday look primo, especially with Waitangi Day and most of next week promising excellent fishing opportunities. We’re thankfully past the frenetic full moon phase, with tidal currents favourable but not too strong – perfect for heading out for some big game fishing with both old favourites and new, enticing lures. The wind and tides seem to be aligning nicely for those fishing closer to shore. Why not consider an anchor and burley session? Or venture further from the beach-goers into the open waters of 30m or more, anchored with burley down. Using a heavy collapsible metal pot (or just add a rock to your sock) or tying a burley off the anchor warp near the bottom can create a super session with microjigs. It’s ridiculously fun to hook up on your lightest gear, laughing as you catch snapper, gurnard, dory, mackerel… and maybe even a curious kingfish.

Spending a calm, sunny summer day out there, trying something a bit different and surprising yourself with your catch is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. The pick of micros includes the famous little 25gm Pocket Rocket or the 20gm microjigs. Just lift and drop the rod, allowing the micro to freefall – even hitting the sea floor. Experiment with the technique to see what works best. Mackerel, increasingly showing up along shorelines, are particularly fond of the diminutive 7gm Pocket Rocket. It’s almost too much fun, especially with light drag settings. The deeper you're anchored, the more vertically you can fish the micros, even very lightly weighted softbaits like the tasty looking 5inch Livies 😉.

Remember to ICE your fish in a cold slurry as soon as it’s aboard to prevent rapid degradation of the flesh in this heat.

With snapper taking a holiday in this heat, like many of us, it’s no problem – there are plenty of other fish out there waiting for you, promising some of the best tasting dishes on the planet. Check out the stunning dish by @Alex Bender (#jig_creek_fishing), showcasing a catch ‘n cook with piper. The NZ Ajing and light game Facebook page offers many more delicious and fun fish to catch. While snapper is great, they’re on a well-earned summer vacation, so why not embrace it and go light? There are plenty of other fish to fry, creating tasty flavours from around the world and lifelong memories for the younger generation on their very own catch ‘n cook day, as the school year is just starting. There’s no better time than now.

Cheers,

Espresso