BlueWater Issue 142
BlueWater Boats & Game Fishing - Issue 142
Discover three of the world’s most amazing game fishing hotspots, where marlin, sailfish, tuna, wahoo and other gamefish swarm. You’ll also learn what Capt Rick Pollock taught many of New Zealand’s game fishing elite. Dr Pepperell then explains why some years boom with extraordinary numbers of fish, and the AFMA reveals why we can expect more striped marlin in the years ahead.
You’ll also find two detailed boat tests, Chef Green’s secret to crispy-skin fish, plus a lure review, fishing predictions from the world’s best hotspots and a whole lot more…
THE FULL MONTE
Western Australia’s remote Montebello Islands hold the stain of a tragic injustice brought upon the nation, yet today shine again with the discovery of untapped riches in sailfish, mackerel, giant trevally and more reef species than you can count. BlueWater’s Tim and Trish Simpson explored this fascinating region with Blue Lightning Charters, discovering a wonderland that left them yearning for more.
STRIPED MARLIN STOCK ASSESSMENT
A recent stock assessment of striped marlin in the south-western Pacific Ocean revealed insights into why the stock is now officially regarded as overfished, but also gives the optimistic promise of far healthier numbers in future if current trends continue. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) says there are more spawning fish in the south-western Pacific now than there were five to 10 years ago.
BLITZED ON THE GRATTAN SEAMOUNT
Situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 2000 nautical miles off Africa, the Grattan seamount is as remote and unspoilt as you can imagine. The masses of gamefish clustered in the upwelling over its peak are the stuff of dreams, as the crew of Ocean Hunter discovered en route to Ascension Island.
SMOKE & MIRRORS
Halco ‘Slidog 150’
The stealthy approach of a cast lure works wonders on surface-feeding gamefish and reef species, and the erratic action of Halco’s finely-tuned new stickbait, the ‘Slidog 150’, makes it a deadly effective lure for big tuna and Spanish mackerel to giant trevally and coral trout.
BOOM OR BUST – PREDICTING GAMEFISH ABUNDANCE
Why is game fishing so good in some years, like the brilliant 2017/18 billfish season off south-eastern Australia, and terrible in others? What causes the peaks and troughs in gamefish catches, and is it possible to predict such phenomena? Dr Julian Pepperell delves into these age-old questions, providing much food for thought.
BLUEWATER GOURMET
The secret to crisp fish skin
As Chef James Green details, creating crispy-skinned fish is enticingly simple yet relies on a few key steps that most home cooks are not familiar with. However, by following these instructions you’ll easily achieve a glass-like crisp skin with meltingly tender flesh underneath.
THEY CALL THE SHOTS
Capt Rick Pollock – A lifetime in pursuit of gamefish
Captain Rick Pollock is a remarkable gamefishing charter skipper, with a long and distinguished career spanning three countries, although most has been spent in New Zealand’s North Island. There he has guided his clients to numerous world records, and his innovations and skills have significantly influenced the Kiwi game fishing scene. Rick is also a master angler in his own right, with catches the envy of gamefishermen worldwide.
AUSTRALIA’S CORAL SEA ISLANDS & MARINE PARK
If you’re attracted to pristine coral waters teeming with fish from exquisite tropicals to the largest gamefish predators, an expedition to Australia’s 10th official Territory should be high on your must-do list. After a lifetime spent exploring its wonders, Capt Peter Sayre shares his insights and guidance in a new book detailing the Coral Sea region.
BOATING FEATURES
BOAT TEST: NORMAN R WRIGHT & SONS – AURA
Aura of grandeur
In Australian’s boat-building industry, the name Norman R Wright & Sons in Brisbane is legendary. For more than 100 years the Wright family have been building high-quality vessels of all shapes and sizes, from commercial trawlers and passenger ferries to police and pilot boats. As John Ashley describes, they also build superb game fishing vessels, such as their latest creation, the majestic 19-metre Aura.
BOAT TEST: TIDAL FLARE 24
Ready for your artistic flare
With a refined yet affordable hull that presents a blank canvas ready for your personal customisation, Western Australian shipwright Nick Davys designed the new Tidal Flare 24 as a serious sea-taming game fishing rig that maximises your offshore potential while also remaining economical to run and conveniently towable.
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