Going back a few years, a couple of mates and I did a fishing charter off White Island to chase big kingies. We hadn’t experienced catching these fish before but as young fit 20 somethings, how hard could it be?
I needed new gear, so I treated myself to a 6/0 Daiwa and an appropriate stump puller rod with a roller tip fitted.
Off on our roadie to Whakatane, the charter vessel and out overnight, where I learned about catching flying fish for bait. Imagine eight grown men on the deck—all lit up—well inebriated, tangling each other with landing nets while trying to catch fish-shaped projectiles as they hurtled across the deck, attracted by the lights. Good fun as I remember it.
Next day we were off to the reef behind White Island. This was the first time I had baited a hook big enough to impale a flying fish’s head— how big are these kingfish?
The first drop I was hit by what I can only describe as a freight train. My flash new rod and reel sustained unimaginable degrees of pressure, trying to keep these beasts from busting off on the reef. All I remember for the next few hours was being as physically taxed as I ever was during my rugby days. No more taking kingfish lightly!
There was plenty more fishing on the trip but one incident sticks out more than the others. One of our mates wore a wide brimmed leather hat. Apparently, he was born wearing it, so was his favourite accessory. As anyone who has been out that way knows, it can get a little blustery. Predictably, the hat ended up in the drink with its owner extremely upset but not comfortable swimming in such deep water. Perhaps the constant chatter about the resident great whites had put the willies up him.
I’m comfortable in the water and as it was a balmy 22 degrees, in I went. It was about 50 metres to the hat and by the time I got to it, put it on my head to swim back, I was confused by a heap of splashing around me. Then something bounced off the hat. I looked up to find my so-called mates, including the hat owner, having a great time bombing me with pilchards to see if they could interest the afore mentioned sharks and see how fast I could swim. I should have left his stupid hat in the water.
A great time was had by all, always the way you want a trip to go. Charter fishing with some mates always leading to some good banter and hopefully a successful and safe trip along the way.
