Off to NZ in 2 weeks to chase snapper from yak

[arpie]

Hi guys

I've been a busy little beaver over the last few months, buying WAY too much stuff to take to NZ with me for my fishing trip (I leave on Oct 1st.) I've been mulling over what gear to take & have decided to take 1 spinning rod with the 14lb braid I received for my Catch of the Month Bream a few months back ...... and all the gulps, jigheads & other stuff is going with me too! The Bait Satchel is invaluable - keeping all the gear together - I still have space for some more SPs, too!

Snapper Pack

3 x Gulp 7" jerkshads

3 x Gulp 5" jerkshads

2 x Gulp 6" grubs

2 x Nitro 1/2oz jigs

2 x Nitro 5/8oz jigs

1 x 2oz elevator bomb

1 x Sonic braid 14lb 125yds

1 x Sensei 20lb FC ldr

1 x bait satchel

1 x MF60 vibe

1 x Berkley cap

1 x Braid scissors

I've added another reel with 30lb braid (thanks to Michelle - she popped up on the weekend and brought a Shimano Baitrunner spooled up with Castaway 30lb Braid) and a bait caster with similar braid as well. I've stocked up on nice warm gear - with a pair of fleecy lined Neoprene trousers that will fit nicely under my waterproof kayak trousers (Kokatat Tempest) and have matched it with a fleecy lined top as well - it will still be pretty cold at Coromandel in early Oct! It will almost certainly rain, so have put in a waterproof top as well!!

A couple of buddies who fished over there in a comp in June have given me the good oil on what jig heads & other SPs to take - tho the Gulp have worked well over there in the past even tho leather jackets love them there too - it pays to have a variety - as they don't have the full range of gulp & squidgies over there, just a few! Most will be fishing with bait & livies, so I may be one of the few sticking with SPs!!

I've lined up a day with a yak fishing pro over there, to show me the ropes & hopefully will get onto some good snapper with him 3 days prior to the event!! I am also fishing with a top lady fisho over there (and spending the night with her upon arriving in Auckland on Oct 1st.) She lives near Papamoa/Tauranga, so look forward to picking her brains! She is lending me a drift shute & measure stuff & some other bits, so I don't have to take EVERYTHING over with me!

I can see me travelling over a little more often now, too, as Shelley has a spare Viking Kayak that she will bring with her to the event & lend me for the Viking Invitational on the Fri before the Comp weekend. I will have a VERY experienced fisho on the Fri, so looking forward to that!!

One of my buddies who fished in the June Comp (the comp was way up the TOP of the north island) is going over again for this one & I will be buddying up with him (a rule of the comp is that you are NOT allowed to fish alone, so really happy to join him on both the Sat & Sun! He found a nice honey hole of a spot, where we will meet up on the Sat & Sun to fish! I just hope it produces as well as when he fished there - he got a nice 80cm snapper there - but it was AFTER he had fished the comp!

He is getting an 8m campervan with barn doors at the rear and single beds, so his yak sits inside the campervan! How SMART is that?? I can stay with him on the Sat night, so I don't have to do the 1.5hr trip back to base! So that'll be terrific!!

I am SO excited!!! I can't wait!

cheers

Roberta

[bassboy888]

GOOD LUCK ROBERTA!!!!! cant wait to hear the after report if this is just the intro!

[Blood Knot]

Sounds Fantastic Roberta - Good luck & hope you get amongst them.

Cheers Blood Knot

[arpie]

Thanks, guys! I just wish it was this weekend I was flying out!! i've still got to cull a bit of gear - as I can only take 30kg of checked in luggage - oh well, I can always take some more clothing out to make more space for tackle!

I had a 'short' Rod Tube that I have now lengthened with Keith's help - so it will now take 2 piece 7ft rods ....... so happy with that. I can't wait to see the Kiwi's yak setups - my buddy was really impressed with what he saw in June & immediately came back & re-arranged his own yak. He is now keen to go back for the 4 main yak comps next year! Who knows - I may join him!

I'll be SO happy if I get a decent snapper! The target species are: Snapper, Kingies, Trevally, John Dory & Kawahai/Aussie Salmon - I just hope I weigh something in!

cheerio

Roberta

[Joco]

SSSSSSSSSSSOooooooooooooooooooo jealous...

All the best Roberta, hope you catch the big one.....

im sure your gonna enjoy the trip....

[arpie]

Thanks, Joco!!

Yaaaaay! It finally IS this weekend!!! Gotta be ready for the shuttle bus at 5.15am tomorrow! It's gonna be a long day!!! Mind you, daylinght savings starts in NZ today, so that really makes it '8.15am' ......

All packed, slightly overweigh in the baggage department ....... got everything but the kitchen sink in there - enough Gulp & Sps to sink a battleship - I am sure it is all the jigheads that has put me over the limit ...... but hey!! I might need them!!!

I've been studying up on the inchiku & occie techniques & hope to land something on one of them or the SPs.

WIsh me luck!! At this point in time, I'll be fishing Tues morning, all day Wed, probably Thurs, all day Fri, all day Sat & Sun ...... then I collapse on Monday!!

Fingers crossed I get some goodies!

Cheerio & see ya in a month!!

Roberta