[edshuck]

Do you fish in NZ?

In California we do all manner of fishing.

Commercial is something I have not done and cannot write of. But in the bay there are party boats that take you for Rock fish.

Rock Fishing Boats.

These are a form of cod usually. There are 57 different types including ling, a big ugly looking thing, whose roe is poison, but in a bit of garlic and butter. Wow. There are skate (regular and electric). The electric has two cells near the tail that will give you a good shock. Caution is used with them. Shark can be caught from boat or from shore.

Salmon boats. They go into the ocean and troll with a 5 pound weight and 40 to 60 feet of line. I think 22 inches is a keeper but they do go as hig as 60 pounds. I have caught a 25 pounder. Over 30 is uncommon.

Bass boats. There is a striped bass. They are not native to the coast. About a hundred years ago, some fool thought they would make agreat game fish and brought some from the East Coast. Now there are many.

other stories if interested.

[kall]

We sure do fish in NZ.

In fact, the Maori legend of NZ is that a group of Men were out fishing one day...

Maui (the hero) had no bait, or something, and smashed himself in the face to use his blood to attract something to catch.

What he caught was a massive fish. It is now the North Island of NZ, Te Ika o Maui (The fish of Maui), while the South Island is his Boat.

As for real fishing, oh yeah! Because we are a relatively small island, the sea is within driving distance for everyone, so if you want to chuck a line in the water, you can.

There are also lots of sucessful deep-water fishing operations, and sportfish and the like.

I would definitely recommend the seafood if you ever happen to be over this way man.

[Penny]

How come Maui is always the hero?? I always wondered that, I thought it was unfair on everyone else that it was always maui, I'd be jealous if I was them... and I bet maui had a real big head too!

[Sparklechick]

Our family had a boat in the Bay of Island (a wondrous fishing spot). Every chance we could get we would go out in it. Fishing was my father's religion. When people asked why we didn't go to church (not that too many did ask) he would reply that it got in the way of his fishing.

Attached is a photo of my brother (he's the one holding the big snapper) and a friend of his from Melbourne. This is when they went fishing up in the Bay of Islands