Our next fishing adventure took us to Waitata Bay in the Outer Sounds in late April for five nights. Autumn is a great time to visit the Marlborough Sounds and one of our favourite times of year for fishing.
We loaded the boat and completed our final safety checks, launched from the Havelock Marina to a calm day. After navigating the Havelock Channel, we powered up the boat and headed to our lunch stop at Te Rawa Resort.
We continued to Waitata Bay, arriving mid afternoon. Out into Waitata Bay for the remaining afternoon sun, fishing for snapper and diving for mussels for the evening’s dinner.
During dinner we made plans to fish the Chetwode Island, which guards the Inner Sounds and head out of the bay and fish the Nine Pins at the southern end of the Chet odes.
Bright and early next day we dropped anchor and started preparing for our fishing session, enjoying the beauty of the island, the beautiful bird song and the stunning native bush on it. What a magnificent spot to spend the morning fishing for big blues.
After catching and releasing a few smaller cod, I decided to change a light jig rod and an Inchiku 60gm jig that had been upgraded at home, with extra-long squid assist skirt to entice the bigger blues to bite
The change to the new Inchiku rod and jig setup was immediate. On the first drop and slow wind you could feel the more aggressive blue cod trying to take the lure. Only the biggest and most aggressive blue cod was going to be able to take this XL squid lure attached to jig though.
A few more drops and slow winds and more attacks on the lure, then finally ‘Big Blue’ stuck and was hooked.
It’s great fun fishing for blue cod on a very light jig rod and reel and the rod had a big bend in it as I slowly but steadily wound the bluey towards the boat. As it neared the surface, I grabbed the net and scooped it up. Time now to put him on the measuring mat. Big Blue measured in at 54 centimetres long, which was a new personal best.
We pulled up anchor and headed back to our accommodation for lunch after an exciting morning’s fishing, with still another five days to go.
