Back to their Best!
Our last trip to the wanganellas, was with out a doubt the best we have ever had. Period. It was the culmination of great weather, great fishing, and great company and lets face it, this is why we do it.
I was a little apprehensive leaving Opua, with a forecast of 30 to 40 knots of easterlies not to mention all these cyclones that were developing in the pacific, however the long range was looking good, and once around North Cape it would be all behind us.
Monday the 7th of February we had left the crap behind and we awoke to classy conditions and with all the good weather we had made good time, so the decision was made to run at 20knts for 5 hours, which would put us on the bank at 1600hrs. The temperatures were the best we had seen up here, with 24 degrees on the bank. We trolled for 2 hours before we had a bite, however in typical Wanganella fashion it was bites from 4 fish at once. Tagging one of those fish we managed another, half an hour later to rap up the day. The water color was good and temp high, but the bait was scarce!?!
The next day arrived with more glassed out conditions and fish biting right on queue with our tides, just before, and during the changes. So uncharacteristically,(for the wanganellas) there were long waits with periods of chaos. We missed heaps of fish today, and finished up with 4 releases. However the talking point was the 500lb black marlin we "jumped off" at the boat. Bugger!!!
That night we moved up to a new rock that we had found the following trip, only to be disappointed with the 1 release in the morning. Maybe we were expecting too much? So we pushed on with some more exploring and then finally headed for our favorite spot. Over the next few days, the fishing gradually improved with 5, 8 then 9 and a 10 fish day. Coupled with the weather, I couldn't think of a better place I would want to be. Once we had found the fish, we switched to livies and slow trolled around bait schools. At the slow speed and crystal clear water we watched packs of fish rise up and hunt our baits, making for spectacular bites right beside the boat.
On one occasion our left rigger bait was eaten and while free spooling that we raised another fish, however I only realized it was the same fish, when it stopped at the back of the boat, started gagging and promptly spat out our bait. We had engaged the reel, and our angler was winding up, but to no avail. All was not lost, as it then swam over to our right rigger and ate that bait. Gotcha this time!
The last couple of days the fishing slowed to 5 and 3 fish days, I think due to the easterly and the strong tide that was pushing into it. We finished off with 47 marlin captures in 7 days and although the fish were slightly smaller, with the average weight around 220lb, and the numbers slightly down on previous years, its still my favorite place to go fishing.
Good Fishing.
Tom
|
