Back to the Graveyard

A few days before the Kaipara tragedy, at 5-45 I joined skipper Wayne Kostanich on AliKat for a trip to the entrance, at 24 Knots about 75 minutes on a flat calm harbour.
With a light SWesterly forecast and sunshine all day. There were 8 on board, (up to 10 anglers)  a good day was expected. We had a look at the South channel but decided it was too messy to cross, so stopped just before the white water. A bit slow, but after 10 minutes my first bite and a good 6lb snapper. The bites dried up, so NW to the main channel and the Graveyard. after a few stops with only bait stealers, with the current slowing, in to 70ft needing 30 oz to hold bottom at first. A steady stream of just over legal 25cm snapper plus the odd trevally and the odd snapper similar to my first.
A good bite led to me loosing 18kg line in a hurry, after a bit of backwards and forewards a large Tope surfaced wrapped in at least 4 other lines, the last few yards were hard work. It had to be pulled in, so Wayne asked to keep it for a friend who likes shark. A few more sharks lost, and a move up the harbour saw some kahawai and gurnard caught plus a few more snapper.
A good day out, and back to the wharf by 4 pm. The tope was about 60lb

Nice shark! 30oz of lead would be hard enough to bring in without a fish.

Sounds like a great trip

Blimey, 30oz of lead



I'd want one of those electric reels