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Overnight in Kumutoto Bay
Early December last year, I cast off from the mooring late in the morning on a beautiful calm day, heading for Kumutoto Bay with an overnight trip planned.
As I neared Kumutoto Point after passing Allports Island, I saw birds feeding on the surface and a couple of Hectors dolphins - one small, so perhaps a cow teaching her calf to hunt.
Throw some sand in
I've been taking my son Arthur out with me to look for trout on the river a few times this year.
This morning we went to a spot where I'd seen a trout yesterday.
We watched the water for a while, then Arthur started exploring the steep bank down to the water.
After climbing down to the water's edge, he threw a clump of sand into the water while making his way back up.
"That's probably not going to help attract a trout. Wait! Don't move!"
A trout had immediately appeared where the sand had landed.
A good start to the day
I lost a lure around high tide after snagging it on a submerged log near the Spring Creek township, and was able to retrieve it without entering the water the next day around low tide.
Over 11km inland from the mouth, the Wairau River is still affected by the tides.
Getting back into it
I hadn't been fishing much at all over the last year. Last few years, really.
In September I was crossing one of the bridges over the Wairau and noticed the water was quite high, with a bit of colour - ideal for spin fishing.
A seafood chowder recipe
I've been a fan of seafood chowder for years now, but have seldom made it myself for some reason.
Yesterday I had some groper cheeks, quite a lot of mussels, a couple of salmon steaks and some smoked salmon that all needed using before long, so decided to make a chowder.
I looked through my cookbooks and decided on Martin Bosley's 'Easy Winter Seafood Chowder' in Kirsty Cameron's The Kiwi Bach Companion, despite it being the middle of summer and one of the hottest days of the year.
I used some parsley, sage, and dill from the garden in place of the thyme (potato was also freshly dug), and aside from my seafood being different to what's in the recipe, I cooked it as per the guidelines.
The salmon added more oil to the mix, which showed on top. In some leftovers today I sprinkled over and mixed in some White Crest Arrowroot Substitute, a gluten-free thickener, which mixed in well with the salmon oil and made a nice thick chowder. I plan on using that next time I cook it.
I also threw together a loaf of bread in the bread maker - which I haven't used for ages - following the recipe I mentioned back in the trout pate recipe a while ago (this time using sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rosemary, and oregano).
All tasty and recommended.
Yesterday I had some groper cheeks, quite a lot of mussels, a couple of salmon steaks and some smoked salmon that all needed using before long, so decided to make a chowder.
I looked through my cookbooks and decided on Martin Bosley's 'Easy Winter Seafood Chowder' in Kirsty Cameron's The Kiwi Bach Companion, despite it being the middle of summer and one of the hottest days of the year.
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Click to enlarge |
I used some parsley, sage, and dill from the garden in place of the thyme (potato was also freshly dug), and aside from my seafood being different to what's in the recipe, I cooked it as per the guidelines.
The salmon added more oil to the mix, which showed on top. In some leftovers today I sprinkled over and mixed in some White Crest Arrowroot Substitute, a gluten-free thickener, which mixed in well with the salmon oil and made a nice thick chowder. I plan on using that next time I cook it.
I also threw together a loaf of bread in the bread maker - which I haven't used for ages - following the recipe I mentioned back in the trout pate recipe a while ago (this time using sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rosemary, and oregano).
All tasty and recommended.
Farewell to a Fishing Companion
One day Tee Tee followed our neighbour Sonjia home from one of her jogs in Barker's Park, on the north-western chunk of Grand Cayman Island. The vet said Tee Tee must've been left in the park pregnant or with pups. We adopted her (she adopted us?) after Sonjia moved to Miami.
I've probably now spent more time fishing with Tee Tee than anyone else.
The roads to the Wairau Bar and Diversion after the Kaikoura earthquake
I heard that there had been some damage to the road to the Wairau Bar after the Kaikoura earthquake, so a few days after the quake I rode down on the motorbike to take a look.
You could still get to the Bar easily enough dispite part of the road looking like it'd been plowed. The road splits before that point so you could avoid that part.
The end of the Wairau Diversion road was closed due to similar destruction but without an alternative route.
I walked down to the mouth and all appeared normal down there.
The wily trout of Spring Creek
I often see trout in Spring Creek, and have tried fishing for them, but never landed one. They'll follow a lure, but probably more out of curiosity than considering it food.
Today I parked the motorbike near the train bridge that goes over Spring Creek beside State Highway 1 for a quick look. There was a trout feeding just downstream of the bridge, so I set my rod up and had a few casts.
The trout followed my lure on the first cast, but that was as good as I could do.
I almost had a heart attack at one point - all of my attention was on the trout, and I didn't notice the freight train approaching until it barreled over the bridge above me. As much as I appreciate a lovely and accessible spot like this, there's something to be said for getting away from it all...
There is something very cool about trains too, though...
Sea Trout
From Game Fishing: Trout, Salmon, Sea Trout by W. E. Davies
Here is a fish I never tire of talking about.
It is one of Nature’s finest examples of streamlining and inside its small but well-shaped head is a brain capable of setting many tests for the angler.
Here is a fish I never tire of talking about.
It is one of Nature’s finest examples of streamlining and inside its small but well-shaped head is a brain capable of setting many tests for the angler.
Time and tide
I haven't been fishing as much as I'd like this year, and haven't had much luck the few times I have cast a line in the water.
Some days, though, make up for all the fruitless efforts.
Earlier in the week I had been pruning some trees in the yard and trying to start the lawnmower, when I noticed my watch showed four fish.
Some days, though, make up for all the fruitless efforts.
Earlier in the week I had been pruning some trees in the yard and trying to start the lawnmower, when I noticed my watch showed four fish.
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| My Casio 3768 showing a 'good fishing' rating of 2 out of 4 fish at the time of writing. |
Hooks - from the 'Collins Gem' SAS Survival Guide
You can improvise hooks from all kinds of materials.
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| Pin |
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| A thorn |
Every Trout Has A Silver Lining (or What To Do With Over-Cooked Trout)
Despite the mental and physical benefits of fishing, let's face it - many of us like to fish to put some food on the table.
Admittedly, my family would starve if they had to rely on my fishing, but I provide a meal every now and then.
As mentioned, I over-cooked Henry's trout, but without the need to find a way to make use of the rather chewy flesh from the over-cooked trout, I may not have tried Jamie Oliver's very tasty pate recipe.
Songs about rainbows
I received an email from Fish & Game about two and a half weeks ago. They were holding a 'Getting Kids Hooked on Fishing' event in Blenheim, releasing some rainbow trout into a netted-off area of the Taylor River near Blenheim's town centre for children to fish for.
My son Henry was booked in almost immediately.
Henry practising casting on the lawn at home.
Today was the big day, and we arrived a bit early (just before 9 a.m.). It was a chilly start, and we had to return to the car to upgrade Henry's sleeveless vest that I thought would keep his arms free for casting. His teeth had been chattering while we were peering into the water before the fishing started.
Set-up rods and tuition were provided; I helped Henry get going, and he was doing some nice casts - some a bit sideways, but all out where they should be. The rods had been set up with a bubble and little 'bait nuggets' on a hook. The bubble moved and bobbed down a few times, but Henry's interest started to wane when others were landing trout and he hadn't received more than a few tugs.
Then he was on! After a few minutes of fighting to get the fish in close enough to be netted (he was winding, and I was helping hold the rod in case it all went in the water), a nice 1.5 kg rainbow was landed.
It was a great morning on the river and a very well-run event. Hats off to all involved: Nelson Marlborough Fish & Game, Marlborough Freshwater Anglers Club, Hendersons (Blenheim).
Henry now has one up on me - I've only caught brown trout so far, and have been keen to track down a rainbow... I swear that has nothing to do with me over-cooking his trout on the barbecue when we got home...
My son Henry was booked in almost immediately.
Henry practising casting on the lawn at home.
Today was the big day, and we arrived a bit early (just before 9 a.m.). It was a chilly start, and we had to return to the car to upgrade Henry's sleeveless vest that I thought would keep his arms free for casting. His teeth had been chattering while we were peering into the water before the fishing started.
Set-up rods and tuition were provided; I helped Henry get going, and he was doing some nice casts - some a bit sideways, but all out where they should be. The rods had been set up with a bubble and little 'bait nuggets' on a hook. The bubble moved and bobbed down a few times, but Henry's interest started to wane when others were landing trout and he hadn't received more than a few tugs.
Then he was on! After a few minutes of fighting to get the fish in close enough to be netted (he was winding, and I was helping hold the rod in case it all went in the water), a nice 1.5 kg rainbow was landed.
It was a great morning on the river and a very well-run event. Hats off to all involved: Nelson Marlborough Fish & Game, Marlborough Freshwater Anglers Club, Hendersons (Blenheim).
Henry now has one up on me - I've only caught brown trout so far, and have been keen to track down a rainbow... I swear that has nothing to do with me over-cooking his trout on the barbecue when we got home...
You know your lure is realistic when...
Overcast and still - it felt like perfect conditions at the river mouth, but nobody was catching any fish.
I was about to pack up when a guy hooked a decent-sized kahawai that leapt out of the water a few times. He had it on the line for a minute or so (I find 'time' takes on a different quality when a fish is hooked and have trouble judging how long playing a fish takes - more so when I'm the one playing the fish), but he ended up losing it.
It renewed my urge to fish, so I started casting again.
I've had this lure for a while now, but seldom use it. I love the paddle-tail action of these types of lure, but this one always feels a bit big for some reason (it's only just over 8 cm long, so it's not really that big).
Soon there was a tug on the lure, and before long a shag instead of a fish broke the surface.
I pulled the lure out of his beak and was able to wind it in quickly before he got hooked (shag grabbing it once more and chasing it underwater to the shore).
One more cast in case the shag had learnt his lesson; he hadn't. I was able to wind in again and change lures.
I've never had a bird grab my lure before - they normally seem quite aware that they're imitations. Must be a good indication of future success (with fish!), surely...
I was about to pack up when a guy hooked a decent-sized kahawai that leapt out of the water a few times. He had it on the line for a minute or so (I find 'time' takes on a different quality when a fish is hooked and have trouble judging how long playing a fish takes - more so when I'm the one playing the fish), but he ended up losing it.
It renewed my urge to fish, so I started casting again.
I've had this lure for a while now, but seldom use it. I love the paddle-tail action of these types of lure, but this one always feels a bit big for some reason (it's only just over 8 cm long, so it's not really that big).
Soon there was a tug on the lure, and before long a shag instead of a fish broke the surface.
I pulled the lure out of his beak and was able to wind it in quickly before he got hooked (shag grabbing it once more and chasing it underwater to the shore).
One more cast in case the shag had learnt his lesson; he hadn't. I was able to wind in again and change lures.
I've never had a bird grab my lure before - they normally seem quite aware that they're imitations. Must be a good indication of future success (with fish!), surely...
Sanding and Savoury Muffins
Prep work for painting is never fun, but perhaps because of this, when the final stages of the painting are eventually done, there is that extra bit of satisfaction in the completed job.
Despite the hard work, there was a strange sense of melancholy at the thought of the relaunch, after working on her in the boat yard for four days.
There's a nice feeling of camaraderie with the others working on their boats and people passing through. Everyone feels comfortable stopping for a quick chat or a passing comment, and most do.
~ At least it's not a 50 foot boat!
~ That looks like a tedious job.
~ At least you're up to the painting stage!
There's always something going on, something to watch or talk about - boats are getting lifted out of the water to be worked on; boats are getting put back in the water.
The Waikawa Marina has the added bonus of The Jolly Roger Restaurant & Bar sitting at the water's edge, so that was the obvious destination for lunch/breaks/drinks while waiting for paint to dry. I highly recommend their savoury muffins, coffee, and Macs Three Wolves pale ale on tap. On the last day I saw a stingray swim in the water below my table on the deck.
The marina is quite sheltered from the wind, and despite strong winds being forecast for the relaunch, it wasn't too bad in the marina. The white caps just outside the marina entrance weren't overly comforting as I motored towards them, though. After motoring across Waikawa Bay in strong winds, I appreciated my telescopic boat hook that I bought a few years ago, managing to grab the mooring buoy between gusts, and securing her safely back on the mooring.
Fish Words
I like words.
I stumbled across (and purchased) a copy of The Complete Crossword Companion recently in a second-hand store.
It's a 1988 edition of two older books combined - Complete Crossword Reference Book (1932) and The Pocket English Dictionary (1976) (both also published in 1983 under the titles The Newnes Crossword Dictionary and Newnes Pocket English Dictionary, respectively).
As I often do with all sorts of reference books, I see if there's anything specifically about fish or fishing in them. In this book I found words divided into letter length (to help with crosswords, obviously) under the title 'Fish, etc.'
... and here they are!
amia, bass, bib, blay, bley, bret, brit, burt, cale, carp, chad, char, chub, clam, cod, coho, crab, cusk, dab, dace, dar, dare, dart, dorn, dory, eel, eft, elva, esox, fash, file, fin, gar, ged, goby, grig, hake, huck, huso, id, ide, jack, kelt, keta, ling, lipp, lomp, luce, mago, mort, newt, opah, orc, orca, orfe, parr, peal, pike, pope, pout, quab, ray, roe, rudd, ruff, sapo, scad, scar, scup, shad, snig, sole, tai, tau, tpe, tuna, tusk, zant
ablen, ablet, allis, angel, apode, banny, beroe, binny, bleak, bleck, bogue, boops, bream, brill, charr, cisco, cobia, cuddy, cudle, doree, dorse, elops, fleck, fusus, gadus, gibel, gummy, guppy, julis, loach, loche, maray, minim, moray, morse, mugil, muray, murry, mysis, myxon, nurse, perch, phoca, piper, pogge, porgy, poulp, powan, prawn, reeve, roach, roker, ruffe, saith, salmo, saury, scrod, scurf, sepia, sewin, shark, skate, smelt, smolt, smout, smowt, snook, solen, sprag, sprat, sprod, squid, sudak, sweep, tench, toado, togue, torsk, troll, trout, tunny, twait, whale, whelk, whiff, witch
alburn, alevin, allice, anabas, barbel, beakie, belone, beluga, blenny, blower, bonito, bounce, bowfin, braise, buckie, burbot, caplin, caranx, cepola, cheven, chevin, clupea, cockle, comber, conger, cultch, cuttle, dagoba, dentex, diodon, doctor, dugong, dun-cow, ellops, finnan, gadoid, ganoid, gardon, ginkin, goramy, grilse, groper, gunnel, gurnet, hilsah, hussar, isopod, jerkin, kipper, launce, loligo, margot, meagre, medusa, megrim, milter, minnow, morgay, mud-eel, mullet, mussel, narwal, otaria, oyster, partan, plaice, pollan, porgie, poulpe, puffer, puller, quahog, redcap, red-cod, red-eye, remora, robalo, rochet, romero, roughy, ruffin, runner, sabalo, sadina, saithe, salmon, samlet, sander, sardel, sauger, saurel, saynay, scarus, scurff, sea-ape, sea-bat, sea-cow, sea-dog, sea-egg, sea-fox, sea-hog, sea-owl, see-pad, see-pig, sephen, shanny, shiner, shrimp, snacol, soosoo, sucker, tailor, tarpon, tarpum, tautog, tawtog, tiburo, tomcord, trygon, turbit, turbot, twaite, ulican, urchin, vendis, wapper, weever, whaler, winkle, wirrah, wrasse, zander, zeidae, zingel
abalone, acaleph, actinia, ale-wife, anchovy, asterid, batfish, bergylt, bloater, blue-cap, blue-eye, bocking, bonetta, box-fish, brassie, bubbler, bummalo, calamar, capelin, cat-fish, catodon, cetacea, cichlid, cidaris, cod-fish, codling, cow-fish, crabite, croaker, crucian, crusien, cyprine, dog-fish, dolphin, drummer, dun-fish, echinus, eel-fare, eel-pout, escolar, fiddler, fin-back, fin-fish, garfish, garpike, garvock, girrock, gladius, goldney, gourami, gournet, grampus, grouper, grundel, grunter, gudgeon, gunard, gwiniad, gwyniad, haddock, halibut, herling, herring, homelyn, houting, jewflsh, keeling, lampern, lamprey, latchet, lobster, long-tom, mahseer, manatee, manchet, merling, monodon, moon-egg, morwong, mud-fish, muraena, murexes, murices, narwhal, nautili, oar-fish, octopus, old-wife, pandore, pegasus, pen-fish, pig-fish, pointer, pollack, pollard, pollock, polypus, pomfret, quinnet, rat-tail, red-fish, reef-eel, ripsack, rock-cod, ronchil, ronquil, rorqual, sand-eel, sardine, sawfish, schelly, scomber, sea-bear, sea-calf, sea-fish, sea-lion, sea-pike, sea-wolf, shadine, silurus, skegger, smerlin, snapper, sock-eye, spawner, sphyrna, squalus, sterlet, stripey, sun-fish, thwaite, tiddler, top-knot, torgoch, torpedo, tub-fish, ulichon, umbrine, vendace, whiting, worm-eel, xippias
acalepha, albacore, albicore, ammodyte, anableps, anguilla, asterias, band-fish, barnacle, bill fish, blue fish, boarfish, bullhead, cachalot, cackerel, calamory, cetacean, coalfish, corystes, crawfish, crayfish, dapedium, dapedius, dragonet, drum-fish, eagle-ray, errantes, eulachon, exocetus, file-fish, fin-scale, fire-fish, flagtail, flatfish, flathead, flounder, forktail, fox-shark, frog-fish, gillaroo, gilt-head, glass-eel, goatfish, goldfish, graining, grayling, green eel, grub-fish, gymnotus, hair-tail, halicore, hand-fish, horn-beak, horn-fish, jentling, John Dory, jugulars, kelp-fish, king crab, king-fish, lady-fish, lancelet, land crab, lump-fish, lung-fish, mackerel, melanure, menhaden, moon-fish, moray eel, mormyrus, nannygai, numbfish, ophidion, pickerel, pigmy-eel, pilchard, pipe-fish, polyneme, Poor John, porpoise, raft-fish, red perch, rock-cale, rock-fish, rockling, sail-fish, salt-fish, sand-fish, sardelle, saw-shark, sea-devil, sea-horse, sea-perch, sea robin, shore-eel, siskiwit, snake-eel, sparling, spelding, speldrin, speldron, spirling, springer, spurling, starfish, sting-ray, sturgeon, sun-bream, surf-fish, tarwhine, teraglin, testacea, thornbut, thrasher, thresher, toad-fish, trevalla, troutlet, tusk-fish, water-fox, weed-fish, wolf-fish
acalephae, acipenser, angel-fish, Argentine, ascidians, asteroida, barracuda, blackfish, black sole, blue nurse, blue shark, blue sprat, bony bream, bulltrout, bummaloti, calamarys, chaetodon, cling-fish, cole-perch, conger eel, coral fish, coryphene, cover-clip, crampfish, crustacea, devil fish, dolphinet, echinidan, engraulis, finny-scad, fire-flair, fish-royal, fortesque, frost-fish, globe-fish, golomynka, grey nurse, hard-belly, hardyhead, hippodame, houndflsh, hybodonts, jaculator, jellyfish, John Dorée, jollytail, kingstone, mango fish, menominee, murray cod, pilot fish, porbeagle, pyllopodo, razor fish, red mullet, river crab, roundhead, sand-lance, saury-pike, schnapper, sea-mullet, sea-needle, sea-nettle, sea-urchin, sheat-fish, silver-eel, spear-fish, stargazer, stingaree, sting-fish, stink-fish, stockfish, stomapoda, suctorian, surmullet, sweetlips, swordfish, thorn-back, threadfin, tittlebat, troutling, trumpeter, tunny fish, whitebait, whitefish, wobbegong
amblyopsis, amphytrite, angel-shark, angler fish, banstickle, barracoota, barracouta, basket fish, black bream, black whale, blind shark, blue groper, blue puller, bottle-nose, brown trout, butterfish, cestracion, clouded eel, clypeaster, cock-paddle, coelacanth, cowanyoung, ctenoidans, cuttlefish, demoiselle, dragon-fish, echinoderm, fiddle-fish, fingerling, fistularia, flute-mouth, flying fish, ganoidians, garter fish, ghost-shark, giant toado, goblin-fish, great skate, grey mullet, groundling, hammerhead, hermit crab, holothuria, knight-fish, loggerhead, lumpsucker, mirror dory, morris pike, Moses perch, parrot-fish, pearl perch, periwinkle, pigmy perch, pycnodonts, rapier fish, red gurnard, red morwong, red rockcod, ribbon-fish, rudder-fish, Samsonfish, sand-hopper, sand-mullet, sandy sprat, sea-garfish, sea-leopard, sea poacher, sea-unicorn, silver dory, silverfish, silverside, sperm whale, square-tail, sturionian, sucker-fish, tailor-fish, tassel-fish, tiger shark, tongue-sole, triple-tail, turret-fish, velvet-fish, weaver-fish, whale-shark, white shark, yellow-tail, zebra shark
balance-fish, banded toado, bellows-fish, black-angler, blue-pointer, bridled goby, brown-groper, brown-puller, carpet-shark, carp-gudgeon, chanda perch, common skate, common toado, crested goby, cycloidians, electric eel, electric ray, finner-whale, five-fingers, golden perch, green turtle, gurnet perch, herring-cale, hippocampus, jackass-fish, javelin-fish, Jumping-Joey, kingsnapper, leatherskin, leopard-fish, lepidosiren, little tunny, man-o'-war fish, Moorish idol, orange perch, peacock-fish, peacock-sole, pennant-fish, prickleback, pterichthys, rainbow-fish, red bullseye, red fire-fish, rock-whiting, salmon-trout, sand-whiting, school-shark, scleroderms, sea-elephant, sea-scorpion, silver-belly, silver perch, silver toado, smooth toado, soldier-crab, soldier-fish, starry toado, sticklebeck, stonelifter, surgeon-fish, swallow-fish, tallegalane, trumpet-fish, whistle-fish, wolf-herring
basking shark, black drummer, black rock-cod, blue trevally, coachwhip ray, cucumber-fish, dipterygians, dusky morwong, fan-tailed ray, fatherlasher, fighting-fish, forehead-fish, gargoyle-fish, giant herring, gray tusk-fish, oyster-blenny, painted saury, piked dog-fish, plectognathi, Plesiosaurus, rainbow-trout, rat-tailed ray, river garfish, rock flathead, scarlet bream, sentinel crab, silver mullet, smooth angler, Stout Long-Tom
allports perch, banded-pigfish, barred-garfish, Barred Long-Tom, black king-fish, black-trevally, branchiostoma, climbing perch, dactylopterus, dusky flathead, entomostracan, findon-haddock, finnan-haddock, flying gurnard, giant boar-fish, horse-mackerel, leafy seahorse, leatherjacket, long-finned eel, magpie-morwong, marbled angler, mountain-trout, ox-eyed herring, porcupine-fish, Red-Indian fish, salmon catfish, salt-water fish, sandpaper-fish, scarlet angler, Sergeant Baker, silver batfish, silver drummer, snub-nosed dart, southern tunny, spiny flathead, spiny seahorse, striped angler, thresher-shark, tiger-flathead
banded sea-perch, black stingaree, branchiostegan, brown-sweetlips, butterfly-bream, enaliosaurians, estuary cat-fish, Greenland-shark, Greenland-whale, king barracouta, king parrot-fish, little nurnbfish, Macquarie perch, many-banded sole, marine annelida, one-finned shark, painted gurnard, purple sea-perch, red gurnet-perch, river blackfish, short-finned eel, shovel-nosed ray, Slender Long-Tom, smooth flathead, spotted whiting, striped catfish, striped gudgeon, striped sea-pike, white horse-fish
acanthopterygii, Australian perch, Australian smelt, beaked coral-fish, bottle-nose shark, common stingaree, crusted flounder, crusted weed-fish, edriophthalmata, frigate mackerel, hairback herring, little cling-fish, little conger eel, long-finned perch, marbled flathead, painted dragonet, short sucker-fish, small-headed sole, smooth stingaree, spangled grunter, Spanish mackerel, spermaceti whale, spotted cat-shark, spotted eagle-ray, spotted pipe-fish, white-spotted ray
It's a 1988 edition of two older books combined - Complete Crossword Reference Book (1932) and The Pocket English Dictionary (1976) (both also published in 1983 under the titles The Newnes Crossword Dictionary and Newnes Pocket English Dictionary, respectively).
As I often do with all sorts of reference books, I see if there's anything specifically about fish or fishing in them. In this book I found words divided into letter length (to help with crosswords, obviously) under the title 'Fish, etc.'
... and here they are!
2 letter, 3 letter, 4 letter words
amia, bass, bib, blay, bley, bret, brit, burt, cale, carp, chad, char, chub, clam, cod, coho, crab, cusk, dab, dace, dar, dare, dart, dorn, dory, eel, eft, elva, esox, fash, file, fin, gar, ged, goby, grig, hake, huck, huso, id, ide, jack, kelt, keta, ling, lipp, lomp, luce, mago, mort, newt, opah, orc, orca, orfe, parr, peal, pike, pope, pout, quab, ray, roe, rudd, ruff, sapo, scad, scar, scup, shad, snig, sole, tai, tau, tpe, tuna, tusk, zant
5 letter words
ablen, ablet, allis, angel, apode, banny, beroe, binny, bleak, bleck, bogue, boops, bream, brill, charr, cisco, cobia, cuddy, cudle, doree, dorse, elops, fleck, fusus, gadus, gibel, gummy, guppy, julis, loach, loche, maray, minim, moray, morse, mugil, muray, murry, mysis, myxon, nurse, perch, phoca, piper, pogge, porgy, poulp, powan, prawn, reeve, roach, roker, ruffe, saith, salmo, saury, scrod, scurf, sepia, sewin, shark, skate, smelt, smolt, smout, smowt, snook, solen, sprag, sprat, sprod, squid, sudak, sweep, tench, toado, togue, torsk, troll, trout, tunny, twait, whale, whelk, whiff, witch
6 letter words
alburn, alevin, allice, anabas, barbel, beakie, belone, beluga, blenny, blower, bonito, bounce, bowfin, braise, buckie, burbot, caplin, caranx, cepola, cheven, chevin, clupea, cockle, comber, conger, cultch, cuttle, dagoba, dentex, diodon, doctor, dugong, dun-cow, ellops, finnan, gadoid, ganoid, gardon, ginkin, goramy, grilse, groper, gunnel, gurnet, hilsah, hussar, isopod, jerkin, kipper, launce, loligo, margot, meagre, medusa, megrim, milter, minnow, morgay, mud-eel, mullet, mussel, narwal, otaria, oyster, partan, plaice, pollan, porgie, poulpe, puffer, puller, quahog, redcap, red-cod, red-eye, remora, robalo, rochet, romero, roughy, ruffin, runner, sabalo, sadina, saithe, salmon, samlet, sander, sardel, sauger, saurel, saynay, scarus, scurff, sea-ape, sea-bat, sea-cow, sea-dog, sea-egg, sea-fox, sea-hog, sea-owl, see-pad, see-pig, sephen, shanny, shiner, shrimp, snacol, soosoo, sucker, tailor, tarpon, tarpum, tautog, tawtog, tiburo, tomcord, trygon, turbit, turbot, twaite, ulican, urchin, vendis, wapper, weever, whaler, winkle, wirrah, wrasse, zander, zeidae, zingel
7 letter words
abalone, acaleph, actinia, ale-wife, anchovy, asterid, batfish, bergylt, bloater, blue-cap, blue-eye, bocking, bonetta, box-fish, brassie, bubbler, bummalo, calamar, capelin, cat-fish, catodon, cetacea, cichlid, cidaris, cod-fish, codling, cow-fish, crabite, croaker, crucian, crusien, cyprine, dog-fish, dolphin, drummer, dun-fish, echinus, eel-fare, eel-pout, escolar, fiddler, fin-back, fin-fish, garfish, garpike, garvock, girrock, gladius, goldney, gourami, gournet, grampus, grouper, grundel, grunter, gudgeon, gunard, gwiniad, gwyniad, haddock, halibut, herling, herring, homelyn, houting, jewflsh, keeling, lampern, lamprey, latchet, lobster, long-tom, mahseer, manatee, manchet, merling, monodon, moon-egg, morwong, mud-fish, muraena, murexes, murices, narwhal, nautili, oar-fish, octopus, old-wife, pandore, pegasus, pen-fish, pig-fish, pointer, pollack, pollard, pollock, polypus, pomfret, quinnet, rat-tail, red-fish, reef-eel, ripsack, rock-cod, ronchil, ronquil, rorqual, sand-eel, sardine, sawfish, schelly, scomber, sea-bear, sea-calf, sea-fish, sea-lion, sea-pike, sea-wolf, shadine, silurus, skegger, smerlin, snapper, sock-eye, spawner, sphyrna, squalus, sterlet, stripey, sun-fish, thwaite, tiddler, top-knot, torgoch, torpedo, tub-fish, ulichon, umbrine, vendace, whiting, worm-eel, xippias
8 letter words
acalepha, albacore, albicore, ammodyte, anableps, anguilla, asterias, band-fish, barnacle, bill fish, blue fish, boarfish, bullhead, cachalot, cackerel, calamory, cetacean, coalfish, corystes, crawfish, crayfish, dapedium, dapedius, dragonet, drum-fish, eagle-ray, errantes, eulachon, exocetus, file-fish, fin-scale, fire-fish, flagtail, flatfish, flathead, flounder, forktail, fox-shark, frog-fish, gillaroo, gilt-head, glass-eel, goatfish, goldfish, graining, grayling, green eel, grub-fish, gymnotus, hair-tail, halicore, hand-fish, horn-beak, horn-fish, jentling, John Dory, jugulars, kelp-fish, king crab, king-fish, lady-fish, lancelet, land crab, lump-fish, lung-fish, mackerel, melanure, menhaden, moon-fish, moray eel, mormyrus, nannygai, numbfish, ophidion, pickerel, pigmy-eel, pilchard, pipe-fish, polyneme, Poor John, porpoise, raft-fish, red perch, rock-cale, rock-fish, rockling, sail-fish, salt-fish, sand-fish, sardelle, saw-shark, sea-devil, sea-horse, sea-perch, sea robin, shore-eel, siskiwit, snake-eel, sparling, spelding, speldrin, speldron, spirling, springer, spurling, starfish, sting-ray, sturgeon, sun-bream, surf-fish, tarwhine, teraglin, testacea, thornbut, thrasher, thresher, toad-fish, trevalla, troutlet, tusk-fish, water-fox, weed-fish, wolf-fish
9 letter words
acalephae, acipenser, angel-fish, Argentine, ascidians, asteroida, barracuda, blackfish, black sole, blue nurse, blue shark, blue sprat, bony bream, bulltrout, bummaloti, calamarys, chaetodon, cling-fish, cole-perch, conger eel, coral fish, coryphene, cover-clip, crampfish, crustacea, devil fish, dolphinet, echinidan, engraulis, finny-scad, fire-flair, fish-royal, fortesque, frost-fish, globe-fish, golomynka, grey nurse, hard-belly, hardyhead, hippodame, houndflsh, hybodonts, jaculator, jellyfish, John Dorée, jollytail, kingstone, mango fish, menominee, murray cod, pilot fish, porbeagle, pyllopodo, razor fish, red mullet, river crab, roundhead, sand-lance, saury-pike, schnapper, sea-mullet, sea-needle, sea-nettle, sea-urchin, sheat-fish, silver-eel, spear-fish, stargazer, stingaree, sting-fish, stink-fish, stockfish, stomapoda, suctorian, surmullet, sweetlips, swordfish, thorn-back, threadfin, tittlebat, troutling, trumpeter, tunny fish, whitebait, whitefish, wobbegong
10 letter words
amblyopsis, amphytrite, angel-shark, angler fish, banstickle, barracoota, barracouta, basket fish, black bream, black whale, blind shark, blue groper, blue puller, bottle-nose, brown trout, butterfish, cestracion, clouded eel, clypeaster, cock-paddle, coelacanth, cowanyoung, ctenoidans, cuttlefish, demoiselle, dragon-fish, echinoderm, fiddle-fish, fingerling, fistularia, flute-mouth, flying fish, ganoidians, garter fish, ghost-shark, giant toado, goblin-fish, great skate, grey mullet, groundling, hammerhead, hermit crab, holothuria, knight-fish, loggerhead, lumpsucker, mirror dory, morris pike, Moses perch, parrot-fish, pearl perch, periwinkle, pigmy perch, pycnodonts, rapier fish, red gurnard, red morwong, red rockcod, ribbon-fish, rudder-fish, Samsonfish, sand-hopper, sand-mullet, sandy sprat, sea-garfish, sea-leopard, sea poacher, sea-unicorn, silver dory, silverfish, silverside, sperm whale, square-tail, sturionian, sucker-fish, tailor-fish, tassel-fish, tiger shark, tongue-sole, triple-tail, turret-fish, velvet-fish, weaver-fish, whale-shark, white shark, yellow-tail, zebra shark
11 letter words
balance-fish, banded toado, bellows-fish, black-angler, blue-pointer, bridled goby, brown-groper, brown-puller, carpet-shark, carp-gudgeon, chanda perch, common skate, common toado, crested goby, cycloidians, electric eel, electric ray, finner-whale, five-fingers, golden perch, green turtle, gurnet perch, herring-cale, hippocampus, jackass-fish, javelin-fish, Jumping-Joey, kingsnapper, leatherskin, leopard-fish, lepidosiren, little tunny, man-o'-war fish, Moorish idol, orange perch, peacock-fish, peacock-sole, pennant-fish, prickleback, pterichthys, rainbow-fish, red bullseye, red fire-fish, rock-whiting, salmon-trout, sand-whiting, school-shark, scleroderms, sea-elephant, sea-scorpion, silver-belly, silver perch, silver toado, smooth toado, soldier-crab, soldier-fish, starry toado, sticklebeck, stonelifter, surgeon-fish, swallow-fish, tallegalane, trumpet-fish, whistle-fish, wolf-herring
12 letter words
basking shark, black drummer, black rock-cod, blue trevally, coachwhip ray, cucumber-fish, dipterygians, dusky morwong, fan-tailed ray, fatherlasher, fighting-fish, forehead-fish, gargoyle-fish, giant herring, gray tusk-fish, oyster-blenny, painted saury, piked dog-fish, plectognathi, Plesiosaurus, rainbow-trout, rat-tailed ray, river garfish, rock flathead, scarlet bream, sentinel crab, silver mullet, smooth angler, Stout Long-Tom
13 letter words
allports perch, banded-pigfish, barred-garfish, Barred Long-Tom, black king-fish, black-trevally, branchiostoma, climbing perch, dactylopterus, dusky flathead, entomostracan, findon-haddock, finnan-haddock, flying gurnard, giant boar-fish, horse-mackerel, leafy seahorse, leatherjacket, long-finned eel, magpie-morwong, marbled angler, mountain-trout, ox-eyed herring, porcupine-fish, Red-Indian fish, salmon catfish, salt-water fish, sandpaper-fish, scarlet angler, Sergeant Baker, silver batfish, silver drummer, snub-nosed dart, southern tunny, spiny flathead, spiny seahorse, striped angler, thresher-shark, tiger-flathead
14 letter words
banded sea-perch, black stingaree, branchiostegan, brown-sweetlips, butterfly-bream, enaliosaurians, estuary cat-fish, Greenland-shark, Greenland-whale, king barracouta, king parrot-fish, little nurnbfish, Macquarie perch, many-banded sole, marine annelida, one-finned shark, painted gurnard, purple sea-perch, red gurnet-perch, river blackfish, short-finned eel, shovel-nosed ray, Slender Long-Tom, smooth flathead, spotted whiting, striped catfish, striped gudgeon, striped sea-pike, white horse-fish
15 letter words
acanthopterygii, Australian perch, Australian smelt, beaked coral-fish, bottle-nose shark, common stingaree, crusted flounder, crusted weed-fish, edriophthalmata, frigate mackerel, hairback herring, little cling-fish, little conger eel, long-finned perch, marbled flathead, painted dragonet, short sucker-fish, small-headed sole, smooth stingaree, spangled grunter, Spanish mackerel, spermaceti whale, spotted cat-shark, spotted eagle-ray, spotted pipe-fish, white-spotted ray
Serenity Regained
Boxing Day: After we'd spent a couple of nights with my parents for Christmas, I took a detour on the way home on my motorbike - a spot I'd been meaning to explore for quite a long time.
I only saw one trout, but I think I'd rather see only one trout and no other people fishing any day. Must get back there soon.
I only saw one trout, but I think I'd rather see only one trout and no other people fishing any day. Must get back there soon.
Serenity (or the lack of it)
Despite the road to the south of the Wairau Diversion being open during the whitebaiting season, I only went down there once. There's just too many people around during that time for it to be enjoyable for me now. Possibly getting grumpier with age.
I popped down to the mouth a couple of times about a week ago to see how things were looking. The whitebaiting season was over, so I figured it should be reasonably quiet during the day while most people would still be at work.
The first day I caught (and released) four young kahawai. Nothing great, but a bit of fun - better than hooking nothing. I saw someone had a decent-sized kahawai, so they must've been around.
Next ride down there, there were only a few older guys around. A couple of them were leaving not long after I got there. I asked whether they'd had any luck. One of them called back, he'd caught four medium-sized kahawai, destined for his 'jars'. Preserving them, I assume.
I overheard them discussing arthritis pills and home-brew whisky while I started to fish.
~ The Irish whisky is a nice change, easy to drink. Too easy to drink! It sneaks up on you!
Eventually everyone left and I had the mouth to fish on my own. It's a good feeling to have a nice spot like that to yourself. Normally the fact that nobody else is around means there's also probably not many fish to be caught, but there's always the chance.
There wasn't much happening, but I cast lures and changed them a couple of times in case it made a difference (I pretty much always use the Blue Fox jigging lure in such situations these days).
Before too long a car pulled up on the other side of the mouth. A couple got out with their young child. They cranked up the car stereo and started fishing.
I left.
I popped down to the mouth a couple of times about a week ago to see how things were looking. The whitebaiting season was over, so I figured it should be reasonably quiet during the day while most people would still be at work.
The first day I caught (and released) four young kahawai. Nothing great, but a bit of fun - better than hooking nothing. I saw someone had a decent-sized kahawai, so they must've been around.
Next ride down there, there were only a few older guys around. A couple of them were leaving not long after I got there. I asked whether they'd had any luck. One of them called back, he'd caught four medium-sized kahawai, destined for his 'jars'. Preserving them, I assume.
I overheard them discussing arthritis pills and home-brew whisky while I started to fish.
~ The Irish whisky is a nice change, easy to drink. Too easy to drink! It sneaks up on you!
Eventually everyone left and I had the mouth to fish on my own. It's a good feeling to have a nice spot like that to yourself. Normally the fact that nobody else is around means there's also probably not many fish to be caught, but there's always the chance.
There wasn't much happening, but I cast lures and changed them a couple of times in case it made a difference (I pretty much always use the Blue Fox jigging lure in such situations these days).
Before too long a car pulled up on the other side of the mouth. A couple got out with their young child. They cranked up the car stereo and started fishing.
I left.
It's not the same without you
I've come to realise fishing isn't the same without one of my companions. A recent forced break made me really appreciate the relationship.
It's my motorbike.
The last time I took her out for a fish about a month ago, the first corner didn't feel quite right... after another couple of corners I pulled over and confirmed that the rear tyre was fairly flat.
I slowly rode back home and went for a fish in the Pajero. Enjoyable enough, but something was missing. I realised that the motorbike is now a vital companion for an enjoyable fishing excursion.
Rear tyre has now been replaced (was getting quite worn), tube seems fine. As soon as this dry gusty westerly stops blowing across the Marlborough Plains, we're heading out.
Update (2015 Nov 30) : Perfect conditions this morning. Checked the tyre after I rode out the gate. Flat again. Took back to workshop. Tube replaced with no labour charge (I'd requested the tube replaced with the tyre originally, but that must've been forgotten while we were discussing the tyre). Anyway, bike is now road-ready again...
A new spot to explore
I've always loved 'exploring'.
I grew up on a farm, and started venturing into the nearby gullies when I was young, and as I grew older, going further afield around the coast and the hills behind us.
Being amongst nature and not knowing what was around the next corner or over the next rise was about as happy as I could be. I recall often thinking I had almost reached the peak of a hill, then realising there was another above it that I couldn't see before - and then usually more after that. The wilderness felt endless.
That love of exploring hasn't changed, but if it includes fishing spots, it adds a cherry on the top these days. Bonus points, of course, if I get there via motorbike.
I wrote about a perfect morning a while ago, with these ideas in mind.
More recently, a 'tip-off' from a friend led me to a new fishing spot nearby.
First visit there, I went upstream with my fly rod - saw three trout, scared them away quite successfully.
Second visit, I had a look downstream with my spin setup, again seeing three browns, hooking and landing the third.
I've been back and explored downstream as far as I can easily go with a rod, and still have more upstream for my next visit.
This area isn't too far from a highway, but nonetheless at least ticked most of my boxes for the ideal fishing trip:
☑ explore a new area
☑ ride the motorbike (or a boat)
☑ have a walk
☑ solitude
☑ see some fish, ideally catch at least one
☐ not hear traffic while exploring
I grew up on a farm, and started venturing into the nearby gullies when I was young, and as I grew older, going further afield around the coast and the hills behind us.
Being amongst nature and not knowing what was around the next corner or over the next rise was about as happy as I could be. I recall often thinking I had almost reached the peak of a hill, then realising there was another above it that I couldn't see before - and then usually more after that. The wilderness felt endless.
That love of exploring hasn't changed, but if it includes fishing spots, it adds a cherry on the top these days. Bonus points, of course, if I get there via motorbike.
I wrote about a perfect morning a while ago, with these ideas in mind.
More recently, a 'tip-off' from a friend led me to a new fishing spot nearby.
First visit there, I went upstream with my fly rod - saw three trout, scared them away quite successfully.
Second visit, I had a look downstream with my spin setup, again seeing three browns, hooking and landing the third.
I've been back and explored downstream as far as I can easily go with a rod, and still have more upstream for my next visit.
This area isn't too far from a highway, but nonetheless at least ticked most of my boxes for the ideal fishing trip:
☑ explore a new area
☑ ride the motorbike (or a boat)
☑ have a walk
☑ solitude
☑ see some fish, ideally catch at least one
☐ not hear traffic while exploring
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