Again, we’ve had some great days and, as usual, some not-so-great ones, with weather being a factor. But we must all take the good with the bad and count ourselves damn lucky.

Last weekend, we ventured out to the Mayor Knolls for the first time in months and were treated to beautiful conditions, including 5-knot variables and only a slight breeze, even into the afternoon. These calm seas make a big difference, especially when you don’t have a Minn Kota or another system to hold you over the fish sign. Regardless, I always do a “test” drift to align with the target area when fishing in depths over 300 metres.

With some extra effort and great attitudes from the anglers, we finally hit a good run of bluenose near low tide. These weren’t massive fish, but at around 7-8 kg, they’ll make for a beautiful meal or two leading up to Christmas.

In the shallower waters around Motiti, snapper fishing has been fantastic. During the week, there was a great run of snapper and some trevally where the baits didn’t even reach the bottom before getting hit hard by some very nice-sized fish. It seems that with patience—and in this case, no burley at all—you can still be successful.

Diving Notes
With many divers collecting their Christmas feed of crayfish, please note that as of Sunday, 15th December, packhorse crayfish females around Mayor Island are still in berry. Make sure you check before attempting a catch or at least double-check before placing them in your bag.

On a more serious note, I’ve noticed divers entering the Tauranga Harbour entrance without flying the “A” Dive Flag. This is a major shipping channel, busy 24/7, and diving there without proper signalling is incredibly dangerous.

Years ago, I hit a diver in this exact area on 2nd January, the busiest time of the year. They had no float, no flag, and were free diving near the Tania Shelf, well out into the channel with no visible bubbles. I noticed a black object ahead, slowed immediately to less than five knots, and turned to starboard into the main channel. Despite my caution, there was a slight thud under the stern, giving me one hell of a fright.

The diver appeared with a gash on his head, and we lifted him aboard to provide first aid and arrange for an ambulance. Thankfully, he was okay after a short hospital visit, and because I run a Hamilton Jet unit, there was no prop or keel hanging down. Had I been using a stern leg or outboard, the outcome could have been fatal or caused very serious injuries. I would’ve likely ended up in court, despite their negligence.

So, please, always fly the correct-sized “A” flag (600x600mm) and ensure other boaters know what it means. Skippers, remember to keep clear or slow to five knots within 200 metres of a flagged vessel.

Yellowfin Tuna Update
On a brighter note, yellowfin tuna fishing has been fantastic, with plenty of fish, some up to 60 kg. One vessel even had a quadruple hookup of smaller tuna and landed all four! It’s shaping up to be a bumper game fish season.

All the best for Christmas, and, as always, stay safe and keep a sharp lookout for everyone in or out of the water.

Cheers,
Russ Hawkins
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