We’re planning to bring our Fiji developer for www.proworkflow.com to NZ to live and work, so he’s been here the past week checking out the NZ scene. I took my boat down to Lake Tekapoin the weekend to attempt to freeze him. Vishal lives in Fiji so I thought the cool minus 2 temperature would be a bit of fun
Very scenic and no wind! We went about 30kms to the top of the lake. Even had a fish, but not a lot of fish action. Anyway, here’s a few pics from the day.
After the lake, I took Vishal to the Salmon Farm to feed some fish. I think he enjoyed that – here’s a vid:
Ben Viv and I took off to the Rakaia for the morning to chase Salmon. We didn’t catch any but was fun trying to drive the jet-kayaks up the gorge in 100km winds!
On Monday Ben Viv and I decided to take a fishing day at Motenau. It’s true offshore Canterbury fishing, and has a tricky shallow bar you need to cross in only certain conditions within a tight timeframe either side of the low tide. Our boat sits about 60cm deep in the water and the whole way down the river and out the water was averaging 50-70cm – so man she was tight!
Over the bar’s waves and into the open ocean it was ver clear that the 2 metre swell was here to stay. It was confused sea, coming from two direction in a motion that made us pretty green.
Once over the bar, we are unable to come back for 4hrs til the tide is right, so we decided that we’d get out to the spot. I had marked the fishing spots on the GPS so we drove about 6kms up the coast and 3kms out and got within a few metres of the spot!
The fish were biting, but our lunch was coming up. We both spent about 3hrs vomiting over the side and attempting to fish in between chucks!
We both caught plenty of fish, but Ben caught the ‘keepers’ and also hooked into something huge that fought hard for 10 mins before breaking off. We think it was a huge shark!
As soon as the tide was right, we got ourselves together and got back in over the bar. Land sweet land!! I think I like Motenau – not a 1st choice spot but I would do it again… Just never again on a 2 metre confused sea!
Some shots above of the river going out to the bar. Very shallow and tricky but doable if careful.
Ben hooking into a massive fish! I wish we could have see what it was! We suspect he had either a shark or a Mack Truck.
The pictures don’t show it but Ben’s looking serious as we were getting into some decent waves ahead.
The Bar is by the rock. This is about 1/2 way to the spot we fished.
I took the day off today and took my Dad out to Akaroa for a day boating and fishing. Nice and calm and no wind at all. We caught a few cod and a pile of dogfish, but have a nice relaxing day!
I started back at work today. Got bored, looked at the lack of wind and decided to head out fishing. I called Graeme Evans (mate of my dads) and took off with him to Lake Coleridge for the day. It was about 30 degrees and the water was like glass. Plenty of fish in the lake but they weren’t very obliging! However, he caught this nice Salmon…
Oh! and this little one below. He went back though as he was too small.
We woke up today and the weather looked just perfect for a wee backcountry jaunt. So I told the family “We’re going!”, we packed the boat and took off to Lake Coleridge.
It was the first time that only Sarah, Jackson and I had put the boat in with just us. The wind was fairly non-existant, and it was a great morning. We got the boat in ok and took off around the lake. After a bit of sightseeing, I showed Sarah how to troll for trout.
We saw fish and they weren’t biting, so scooted back to the South side of Ryton Bay and Sarah took over as Skipper. She drove the boat and kept us over the fish. We hooked up! I landed a small (but very eatable) salmon.
It was great to be with Sarah and Jackson when I caught the fish – and even better because Jackson now knows what fishing is! A great day was had by all!
I spent a relaxing day fishing at Akaroa today with Lee and Ben Viv. Apart from throwing up a few time (Have been sick lately) it was a great day. Bit nippy, but it’s not summer yet – it’ll warm up! The boat ran like a charm!
We were fishing just out from the Salmon hatchery close up by the heads. 15 meters and the water was a bit cloudy. Not a lot of action – too early in the season, but we did catch a Skate and the world’s smallest Dogfish!
My mate Ben Vivian and I took off for a boy’s day off to Mackenzie Country (Central South Island, NZ). We left about 4am on the Friday morning and came back the next evening in a snowstorm. Great break away – first 8hr continuous sleep I’ve had for years!
Even though the wind was gale force and predicted to get to 150km’s we got out in the boat on Lake Aviemore in a sheltered bay behind a hill The old Seagull went well! Did a bit of trolling – no fish though…
Ben looking like a pirate!
Julian pretending to be a real southern man!
The Top10 Holiday Park in Omarama.
This was what they put us in! Both Ben and I took one look, got severely depressed and walked straight back to the office to upgrade to a decent room with kitchen, bathroom, lounge & TV. Better than getting stuck in a garden shed!
Ahhh! Thats more like it! Decent digs!
Yay! a kitchen!
And a lounge and TV!
Chilling to watch American Idol!
This is the bridge over the Ahuriri river. We stopped to spot a trout. I saw a fat one under the bridge.
There it is! Was about 10lbs. Shame the season is closed so I can’t fish for it! Buggar!
Tekapo Canal on dusk!
And the other side…
Ben having a flick in the Tekapo canal
We got caught in a decent snowstorm on the drive back to Christchurch. Heaps of fun and a really relaxing few days!
I decided work was getting a little stressful so took a day off last week to go fishing up the Opihi river With a mate – Ben Vivian. It was good and I hooked two fish, but we thought there was better water upstream.
We took off to a gorge just below Fairlie which was absolutely beautiful. Walking up the ridge looking down to the crystal clear pools below we spotted a number of trophy trout. Fished to a few of them, but they were spooked easily. Great day though! Here’s some photos…
I decided to take a break from being a dad and headed out fishing with a mate Ben Vivian. We headed down to ‘Pendarves’ just South of the Rakaia. It was a long shingle beach recommended by a mate. It was relaxing, but as the photos show, all we caught were sharks. Still… Better that a day in the office!
