30kg Kingfish arrive!  A day of Big snapper too!

Photos and Report from Capt Tobes aboard Sanity

I was looking forward to meeting this legendary fisherwomen, Wilma Robinson, mother of All Black and Cheifs forward coach, Keith Robinson her fishing exploits on the bluefin off Greymouth are well known. The team gathered on the Whitanga wharf, Wilma, Aussie John, Marty and Lyle. Sanity kranked into life and we made our way in the morning air out to the bait grounds to fill the livie tank. The Raymarine C120 filled with bait balls of maccas and slimies and the team went to work catching livies by the bucket full. Ten minutes later I pointed sanity to the pins and she ploughed her way through the sloppy conditions at a steady 18knts. The wind dropped out the further we got and in no time we were all itching to get into it.

Wilma was first up on the livies while the rest of the gang opted for jigs - to hard wilma rekons - seconds later the Stella was screeming and wilam was into a great fish - a lot of coaching to get her to short stroke the fish and she was making some good headway. The Power Spell 400 was heaving under the load and wilma was in her element - then the worst happened, the fish popped off- she was gutted, a quick check of the gear and the hook had snapped below the barb.

A quick shift to another pin did the deed and the Stella was howling again, they make such a great noise when the line is ripping off the spool - Wilma the master set about her work and in ten minutes s the fish was along side - it was a horse! and man was it heavy, as it came over the side it was clear the the weight of this fish was spectacular.

Wilma was shattered - I was shattered just watching her and she had the fish in the bin - a few piccies with the fish on her lap as there was no way she was gonna lift it. It was time for cold quarter pounder and some wine gums to get her energy back.

She decided it was time for soft plastics, this kingfish fishing is a bit to easy!  I flicked out a nuke chook on the jigstar jig head and said "hold this luv"..a few minutes later the little stella started singing!..this lady is had the touch allright -and up popped a nice snapper of 4kg.

On the other sid eof the boat aussie john had hooked into a real good fish and the JM reel was loosing a bit of line
a nice fish of 14kg - in the bin for his kiwi rellies at opito.

She was at it again and the stella on the synit hellbent indiacated that there was something a little more substantial comeing up from the depths - 7kg of prime aldi pins snapper - well done wilma on fire!

Not to be outdone Lyle hooks into something very large and his little twin power was squeeling with delight - the Offshore was heaving and this fish was a goodie - you'll never guess who hooked up again! double up time - 10 mins into it the braid parted and lyle was spewing. Wilma landed another 4kg fish. On the other side of the boat John was throwing down half slimy macs and filling the bin steadily with 2-3kg snapper. The 160l icy teck was sarting to get full.

Marty, the quiet achiever wasn't having much luck on the larger kings and it was all to much for him - out came the Curado 200 and a quick change to lumo head and pink shine and his little reel was singing - a great fight ensued and up popped a damm fine snapper of 8kg - great fish mate!

The bin was chokka and it was time for one last effort on the jigs - lyles Jm 400 doubled over and the saltiga was loosing line faster than phar lap and it was time to apply extra force - "better slow that fish down mate" and extra pressure was applied and bang, the braid broke on the guide - it wasnt lyles day. More rats and finally he made one stick a 10kg model to finish the day off.

A warm glow covered us and it was a effortless steam back to whitianga to weigh Wilmas fish - what a day.

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