When I was young and starting out on my shore based fishing journey all of the focus was on hooking the fish. The process of fighting fish once they were hooked was almost an afterthought. My father really only had four pieces of advice and when I did hook up on my first trout he pretty much left me to my own devices which, unfortunately, often … Continue reading FIGHTING FISH FROM THE SHORE
Recently I’ve been reading some articles written by Tony Hayter about the high priest of dry fly purism, Frederic Halford. The following passage in particular piqued my interest. “Once upon a time there was a Jewish businessman called Fred Hyam. He made his pile, as did many others, from the “rag trade”. He worked hard, and in his spare time fished the Thames for bream, barbel … Continue reading FREDERIC HALFORD – THE HIGH PRIEST OF DRY FLY PURISM
Smooth hound cruising the shallows on a perfect Manukau Morning….. Continue reading VIDEO – SMOOTH HOUND IN THE SHALLOWS
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Predators are very skilled at using shade to ambush prey. Whether it be hiding in wait under a moored boat or wharf, attacking prey in the margins at dawn when the light angle is low and the prey is staring directly into the rising sun or hiding behind a sunken obstruction in a river, predators regularly use shade to improve their chances of success when feeding. … Continue reading WHY PREDATORY FISH USE SHADE TO AMBUSH PREY
In this article Dr Mike Ladle looks at what the fish species around the UK feed on. Many of the food sources mentioned are actually present in New Zealand, even the lugworms and sandeels. The interesting thing however, is that they are rarely sighted or used as bait. This is perhaps an exciting opportunity for surfcasters and bait fishermen to exploit. Remember that NZ is six months out of … Continue reading WHAT FISH EAT AND WHEN
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Getting down to the bottom of the river is critical for success when fishing weighted nymphs. Fly fishermen use a variety of techniques to do this, mainly by adding lead split shot to the trace or incorporating brass or tungsten beads into their nymph patterns. Common logic is that materials with high bulk densities, such as Tungsten, sink fastest and that the heavier the bead … Continue reading SINK RATES OF FLIES TIED WITH TUNGSTEN AND BRASS BEADS
Alan talking about Stalking the Flats to the AFAC……. Continue reading VIDEO – STALKING THE FLATS PRESENTATION
A dreamy piece of casting on the banks of the Waikato River. “Flying The Long White Cloud” Video filmed and produced by Paul Smith Continue reading VIDEO – FLYING THE LONG WHITE CLOUD
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Hook penetration is one of the most important aspects of fishing and probably the least well understood. The aim of this article is to help clear up some of the confusion. The sharpness, length and profile of the point all govern how far the hook point will penetrate into the flesh in and around the mouth of a fish. The barb is the projection extending backwards … Continue reading HOOK PENETRATION
Let me say from the outset that this article is not intended to denigrate those who use bait to catch fish in any way. It is a time honoured, effective and legal way to fish and I have the utmost respect for those fishermen who can seemingly catch fish at will using bait. The aim of the article is to show just how much bait … Continue reading BAIT – THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Active Angling New Zealand 