Alan Bulmer, Fresh Water Fishing, Lure Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Spin Fishing, Tackle

Rod Review – Jackson Ocean Gate Shore Jig JOG-906ML-K SJ

I’ve been looking for a slightly heavier rod suitable for targeting larger fish, especially kingfish, on the flats for some time. My aim was to pair the rod with an IRT 400 spinning reel and have a combination that could stop almost anything I’d encounter relatively quickly. I decided that the rod needed to be 9’6″ long, two piece, have a test curve of around … Continue reading Rod Review – Jackson Ocean Gate Shore Jig JOG-906ML-K SJ

alanbulmerJanuary 19, 2020January 19, 20206 Comments

Alan Bulmer, Blogs, Fly Fishing, Lure Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Spin Fishing, Techniques

FINDING FISH ON THE FLATS

Images: Mark Hoffman & NZ Fishing World Recently I wrote an article which described in detail how to find suitable estuarine flats to fish using Google Earth and marine charts and the signs to look for once you are at your chosen spot which give away where the fish are probably holding. https://activeanglingnz.com/2014/04/21/stalking-the-flats-part-one-the-approach/ Despite what Google Earth and marine charts show estuarine channels are dynamic. They are … Continue reading FINDING FISH ON THE FLATS

alanbulmerDecember 5, 2016March 8, 20202 Comments

Alan Bulmer, Fish Species, Fly Fishing, Lure Fishing, Techniques

DO FISH LEARN TO AVOID LURES?

Article by: Alan Bulmer Photos: Paul Smith Recently I read an excellent article by Neil Wagener in NZ Fisher # 50 entitled “Are we training fish to avoid lures”. Click on the following link to view it:- http://www.nzfisher.co.nz/ The basic premise of the article is that fish become conditioned to lures the more they see them and if they are hooked, landed and released during … Continue reading DO FISH LEARN TO AVOID LURES?

alanbulmerSeptember 17, 2015June 19, 20217 Comments

Alan Bulmer, Fish Species, Fly Fishing, Spin Fishing

WHERE TO FIND FISH IN HARBOURS

In “Stalking the Flats – What to look for” I listed some of the things to look out for which give a clue as to where fish will be holding in estuarine flats. Check it out: http://-https://activeanglingnz.com/2014/04/21/stalking-the-flats-part-2-what-to-look-for/ Over the weekend I happened upon a publication from Mark Morrison et al entitled “Linking marine fisheries species to biogenic habitats in New Zealand: a review and synthesis of … Continue reading WHERE TO FIND FISH IN HARBOURS

alanbulmerSeptember 10, 2015December 13, 20153 Comments

Alan Bulmer, Fly Fishing, Lure Fishing, Techniques

IS DAWN THE BEST TIME TO FISH?

Written By: Alan Bulmer Photos: Paul Smith & Mark Hoffman Recently I received a fascinating e-mail from Dr Mike Ladle in the UK describing his experiment to see whether fish activity increased around dawn. Mike is convinced that fishing at the change of light at dawn is the most productive time of day and designed an experiment to try and prove this. Mike actually recorded the number of … Continue reading IS DAWN THE BEST TIME TO FISH?

alanbulmerAugust 21, 2015August 27, 20151 Comment

Alan Bulmer, Fly Fishing, Trip Report

FLATS KINGFISH

As you probably know I recently reviewed a Kilwell Xantu 9’6” #8 fly rod kindly loaned to me by Kilwell Sports. If you want to read the review then click on: – https://activeanglingnz.com/…/kilwell-xantu-96-8-weight-rod…/ Jeremy Wells was only too keen to see other anglers try the rod so I leant it to my fishing pal, Mark Hoffman. Mark had a few days off early this week … Continue reading FLATS KINGFISH

paulsmithApril 23, 2015February 11, 2016Leave a comment

Alan Bulmer, Trip Report

EARLY MORNING MAYHEM ON THE FLATS

Words Alan Bulmer , Photo’s & Video Mark Hoffman Mark Hoffman and I have been planning for weeks to fly fish a shallow flat we’d discovered on Google Earth close to central Auckland. Our plan was to hit the spot when the weather was settled and a high tide next coincided with dawn. All the stars aligned this Saturday. The weather was perfect. Fine and sunny with a westerly … Continue reading EARLY MORNING MAYHEM ON THE FLATS

paulsmithApril 10, 2015June 5, 2017Leave a comment

Alan Bulmer, Fish Species, Fly Fishing, Trip Report

KINGFISH IN CLOSE

This morning I spent a couple of hours chasing kingfish in the shallows in the Hauraki Gulf. Uncharacteristically they did not start scouring the flats until the sun was well up and the tide started to ebb. This was probably due to the king tide cycle that we are in the midst of. My colleague picked that this would happen as there was no panic … Continue reading KINGFISH IN CLOSE

paulsmithMarch 2, 2015April 9, 20161 Comment

Alan Bulmer, Fish Species, Lure Fishing, Trip Report

SPRING KINGFISH

As the year flashes past and winter steadily progresses into spring it is time to start thinking about the fish that will be entering your favourite estuarine flat following whitebait. Kahawai and trevally make an early appearance but perhaps of more interest is the apex predator that shadows them, Seriola lalandi, the yellow-tailed king of fishes. Last year I started to hook kingfish in amongst … Continue reading SPRING KINGFISH

paulsmithAugust 10, 2014December 18, 20153 Comments

Active Angling New Zealand

For Anglers Who Want to Fish More Actively

Tag: Kingfish