A Wellington John Dory delivered more than just dinner. It came with Johnny Tightlines stamped on the side.
There are fish you catch for the table… and then there are fish that hand you a story.
This John Dory did exactly that.
It started as one of those classic Wellington sessions. Calm enough to fish comfortably, enough current to keep things interesting, and the slow-pitch gear doing what it does best — hunting over structure and waiting for that unmistakable weight. No screaming kingfish run. No chaos. Just that heavy, stubborn nod that tells you something decent has climbed aboard.
When the fish rolled into view beside the boat, I knew straight away it was a proper John Dory. Big shoulders, prehistoric face, all attitude. They really are one of the strangest-looking fish in the ocean — like someone designed them after a long night at the pub.
But this one had something else. The famous black spot.
Now most anglers know the old myth behind the John Dory mark. Legend says the black spot came from the thumbprint of St Peter. According to the story, Peter caught the fish while collecting tribute money, leaving behind the mark that still appears on the species today. That’s why John Dory are sometimes linked with “St Peter’s fish.”
Good story. But this fish had other ideas. Because the spot on this one didn’t look round at all. It looked like a perfect “J.” A proper J! J for Johnny Tightlines!
Now I’m not saying the fishing gods personally signed this fish for me before it climbed on my jig… but I’m also not, not saying that.
There is a saying that every fish you catch has your name on it, but this was taking it to the next level!
The funny thing about fishing is how these little moments stick with you. You can catch bigger fish. Harder-fighting fish.
But every now and then one turns up with a bit of personality attached to it and suddenly the whole trip becomes memorable for reasons you never expected,
John Dory have always fascinated me anyway. They’re ambush predators built completely differently from most fish we chase here in NZ.
Thin as a dinner plate, giant eyes, huge extendable mouth, and capable of inhaling prey in a split second. Ugly? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.
And on light slow pitch jig gear they are great sport and one of the finest eating fish in the ocean.
Tightlines!
