Thread: Sea shore fishing

Hello everyone, I'm planning a hunting and fishing trip to New Zealand, South Island from the UK for a month next February, I know you need a licence for freshwater fishing in the backcountry and will be buying one soon, but do you need a separate licence for sea fishing from the land, beaches or rocks? I've seen so many Youtube films of beach fishing down there and can't believe the size of fish you have, over here in Cornwall, England I'd be very pleased with a 3kg fish, probably bait sized for you guys. Also I'm a great fan of light tackle and light line fishing, would you consider 8lb breaking strain too light for your conditions? If so what would you consider as light?
Many thanks,
Nick

No permits required to fish in the sea. Just be sure to check the daily catch limits and sizes for each species.
Light tackle - depends on what you are targeting and where. 8lb will probably ensure you end up losing some fish, due to being dragged through kelp and rocks, but will be a blast. If chasing Kahawai on spinning gear, 8lb will be perfect.

You might need a freshwater licence if targeting kahawai in one of the river mouths where salmon are present

Originally Posted by quentin

No permits required to fish in the sea. Just be sure to check the daily catch limits and sizes for each species.
Light tackle - depends on what you are targeting and where. 8lb will probably ensure you end up losing some fish, due to being dragged through kelp and rocks, but will be a blast. If chasing Kahawai on spinning gear, 8lb will be perfect.

Hi quentin, thanks for that, I should have said, 100% light tackle spinning for me in both sea and fresh, for sea mainly with metal spoons around 20 grams, also with what we call plugs, floating divers like Rapala's, I think over there they may be called stick baits.
Over here for shore based sea fishing I use 8lb mono on a 2500 reel and 8 foot rod, hopefully that will work on your big fish over clean ground.
Nick

Originally Posted by stug

You might need a freshwater licence if targeting kahawai in one of the river mouths where salmon are present

Thanks, stug, I wonder whether a back country licence for trout would cover that, I'll check out the fish and game website.

Originally Posted by Nick-UK

I should have said, 100% light tackle spinning for me in both sea and fresh, for sea mainly with metal spoons around 20 grams, also with what we call plugs, floating divers like Rapala's, I think over there they may be called stick baits.
Over here for shore based sea fishing I use 8lb mono on a 2500 reel, hopefully that will work on your big fish over clean ground.
Nick

You're in for a fun time! I was just about to recommend that kind of gear. Perfect. YouTube can make it look too easy sometimes. I would manage your expectations and target kahawai in estuarine areas. Why estuaries? Because they are often clean ground, at least in part and the fish are somewhat contained in a small area. You might get lucky and hook a kingfish. You would stand a close to zero chance of landing even a small, legal kingfish (75cm) on that gear in a rocky area. Other species are present, but I'm not that familiar with fishing in the south.

You might want to consider adding some paddle tail softbaits to your arsenal. They are cheap, cast well, relatively snag resistant and are absolute dynamite for catching kahawai. You can buy these locally (natural colours, 3/0 hook):

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/z-man...it-7-6cm-qty-6

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/tt-lu...ads-1-0-to-3-0

If you were coming north I would be happy to show you the ropes.

Would you believe I caught lunch from my front garden today!

Originally Posted by MB

You're in for a fun time! I was just about to recommend that kind of gear. Perfect. YouTube can make it look too easy sometimes. I would manage your expectations and target kahawai in estuarine areas. Why estuaries? Because they are often clean ground, at least in part and the fish are somewhat contained in a small area. You might get lucky and hook a kingfish. You would stand a close to zero chance of landing even a small, legal kingfish (75cm) on that gear in a rocky area. Other species are present, but I'm not that familiar with fishing in the south.

You might want to consider adding some paddle tail softbaits to your arsenal. They are cheap, cast well, relatively snag resistant and are absolute dynamite for catching kahawai. You can buy these locally (natural colours, 3/0 hook):

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/z-man...it-7-6cm-qty-6

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/tt-lu...ads-1-0-to-3-0

If you were coming north I would be happy to show you the ropes.

Would you believe I caught lunch from my front garden today!

Thanks MB, some good info there, I see Kahawai caught as bait a lot on Youtube for targeting Kingfish, but the Kahawai would be big enough for me, are they good eating?

Originally Posted by Nick-UK

Thanks MB, some good info there, I see Kahawai caught as bait a lot on Youtube for targeting Kingfish, but the Kahawai would be big enough for me, are they good eating?

A question that could start a war! First up, they have to be well looked after. Bled and iced ASAP. I like to gut them quickly too. Eat fresh rather than after freezing. Also, do yourself a favour and cut out the dark red meat (blood line) unless you like really fishy tasting fish. Seems like a waste, but better to really enjoy eating your fish to my mind.

Some people rate them highly for sashimi (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9SGN2q_0MY). Personally, I can't stand it raw, but eat a lot of raw fish mainly kingfish and trevally. It's not that kahawai tastes bad, but they have a very distinctive tase which I don't like. I'll happily eat it cooked, either pan fried, charcoal grilled or breaded and deep fried. When deep fried, it's hard to differentiate from snapper (or anything else!).

Someone will post that kahawai is only good for bait. I used to be of that mindset until I educated myself which happened surprisingly recently!

Originally Posted by stug

You might need a freshwater licence if targeting kahawai in one of the river mouths where salmon are present

So you need a licence just in case you catch a non target species, just because there might be one there?

@7mmwsm https://fishingmag.co.nz/kahawai/kah...ver-mouths?amp

Clear as mud: https://fishingmag.co.nz/kahawai/kah...fish%20licence.

Dude may as well buy a licence and enjoy the trout fishing as well!

Originally Posted by stug

@7mmwsm https://fishingmag.co.nz/kahawai/kah...ver-mouths?amp

Cheers Stug.
Interesting. I'd like to see the results of a court case if no salmon were involved. And my interpretation would be if the angler released any sport fish a licence shouldn't be required.

Kahawai are fine eating.

8kg is pretty light line for most of the surf/rock casting I do (qutie a bit of a ways north!), and with a short rod you're going to have trouble casting out behind the breakers in many places. Though being such light line it will "cut through" the waves be less prone to drag/drift.

I run 25lb, about 12kg main on my shore rods, and usually throw out a "west coast pulley rig" of 40+ lb line.



spoons, plugs, poppers and sticks are more suited to boat fishing IMO.

Turn up, be keen, you'll probably find a few invites. Most kiwis are still decent.

Yep I agree with above , nothing wrong with fresh Kahawai but as already said you need to look after it , smoked Kahawai is also right up there as good Tucker , it’s probably going to be the most common fish you will catch from river mouth / off the rocks etc .
Good luck , have fun , you will find pound for pound a trout is a wet blanket in the fight department in comparison as well .

Thanks for all of your replies guys, some good tips and info there, I will have a game fishing licence so should be ok. The fishing over there looks bloody awesome, I can't wait to get there now, 2 months to go. When people over here, hear of my forth coming trip, those that have been to NZ always say the same thing, that the Kiwis are the nicest most helpful people you could hope to meet, I think the advice I've got from this forum proves that fact.
Is there a difference in the species of fish you would find on the different coasts of the South Island or are the same fish present all around the coast?

Nick