# Fish of the day.



## Buckshot00 (Feb 25, 2017)

Caught this black drum today.




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## KiwiBro (Feb 25, 2017)

Friday evening. Early knock off work, grab new cheapie road and reel, old POS battle tank of a kayak and try spinning and trolling with my not-so-secret home-made lure (a pen lid). Paddle out the estuary and greeted by a sloppy chop that is somewhat unpleasant but the icing on the cake were boil-ups erupting all around me. A dream scenario. Nobody else let alone cowboys there to charge through the middle of the main boil-ups and ruin it for everyone else, so, great, but my favourite lure is so light I can't cast it far, so I try drifting through the action. Straight into the fish, a bunch of what would have been good fish if only I hadn't seen some very big fish amongst the mayhem, so they all were released. I eventually calmed down, put a small weight on and cast into the now much smaller boil-ups, and hooked a reasonable fish. On light gear it's so much fun when the reel doesn't stop screaming for what seems like 20 seconds each run. A few times, I had to stop trying to land this fish and paddle back out because it knew to run straight towards the rocks and was towing me towards them at a hitherto unfamiliar but fun rate.

A great way to test out some new gear, but I really wasn't set-up for big fish and this one is all I want to be trying to get in the kayak on light line with no gaff or landing net. there were much bigger fish out there too. Kinda glad I never hooked one as it would have smoked me on the rocks or emptied my spool in no time.






Fishing is more addictive than CAD, me thinks. I'm saving up for a proper fishing kayak, along with a fish finder so I can achieve my dream of landing a legal-sized (minimum is 29.5" long) Kingfish (I think you call them yellowtale amberjacks in USA), which is about the strongest, hardest fighting fish we can catch in a kayak in inland NZ waters, unless catching a ride on a charter boat to offshore islands, banks, rises. They are like rock-seeking missiles that toy with any fisho who isn't set-up properly. Here is a video of what I'm hoping will happen when I get my at together (skip to 2:50 for the big boy).



this guys set-up is more what I think I'll end up with once I find the $:


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## Buckshot00 (Feb 27, 2017)

That's hardcore. Thanks for sharing.


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## KiwiBro (Mar 3, 2017)

Tonight after work. Bought a fishing kayak, took it out for a wee introduction to its new surroundings.
Caught a few like this but only kept the one for bait for the kids. Tried out braid mainline for the first time. Pretty different to mono that's for sure. No stretch at all, can feel every head shake. The poor softbait was bit to pieces and thrown away when I got home.


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## stillhunter (Mar 3, 2017)

Around here we call Amberjacks "Sea Donkeys", sight casting big poppers to packs of them is too much fun.


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## Buckshot00 (Mar 9, 2017)

On the New River this morning.


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## Buckshot00 (Jun 30, 2017)

Was going to the salt this am but tire was flat. Took it in tech said no puncture/ no leak. Anyway cancelled the salt as it will be a circus this weekend. Went to the creek behind my house for a little while and caught these.


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## CentaurG2 (Jun 30, 2017)

Buckshot00 said:


> Caught this black drum today.
> 
> 
> 
> [/URL][/IMG]



Great looking fish! Is that a Shimano Calcutta??


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## Buckshot00 (Jun 30, 2017)

CentaurG2 said:


> Great looking fish! Is that a Shimano Calcutta??


Yes.


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## stihl sawing (Jul 2, 2017)




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## stihl sawing (Jul 2, 2017)

and the biggest fish caught.


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## Buckshot00 (Jul 21, 2017)




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## Buckshot00 (Jul 22, 2017)

stihl sawing said:


> and the biggest fish caught.
> 
> View attachment 588503


ouch!


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## svk (Jul 23, 2017)

Great pics guys!

Here's a couple shorelunches from last week. We caught many larger bass but of course I didn't have my phone with that day. 

And up here in clear water, the bass taste delicious. I know many southerners consider bass a throw back species. They are murder on the filet knife though.


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## James Miller (Aug 1, 2017)

Buckshot00 said:


> Was going to the salt this am but tire was flat. Took it in tech said no puncture/ no leak. Anyway cancelled the salt as it will be a circus this weekend. Went to the creek behind my house for a little while and caught these.
> View attachment 588142
> View attachment 588143


Snake Head or Bowfin? Looks like a snake head but iv been wrong before. We have bowfin at the local lake and snake heads in the local rivers.


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## Buckshot00 (Aug 1, 2017)

James Miller said:


> Snake Head or Bowfin? Looks like a snake head but iv been wrong before. We have bowfin at the local lake and snake heads in the local rivers.


bowfin.


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## tla100 (Aug 10, 2017)

svk said:


> Great pics guys!
> 
> Here's a couple shorelunches from last week. We caught many larger bass but of course I didn't have my phone with that day.
> 
> ...



Some nice smallies and beautiful 'eyes!!


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## 2lungs (Aug 21, 2017)

stihl sawing said:


> and the biggest fish caught.
> 
> View attachment 588503


OUCH


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## stihl sawing (Aug 21, 2017)

Buckshot00 said:


> ouch!





2lungs said:


> OUCH


It actually never hurt much.


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