Just a quick evening trip

Fishing on the full moon can be frustrating, but I've noticed it seems to affect species like snapper far more than king fish. Jase had been in touch before Xmas to line a day up... and with the aftermath of Cyclone Evan which devastated Fiji still hanging around leaving dull leaden sodden air (humidity this week has been staggering) we at least had a lull in the wind so decided to get into it. Was quite looking forward to getting out as I'd put the casting platform back in the boat and was anticipating what the new transducer would reveal. Quick launch at Torpedo Bay and then across to Okahu to pick Jase up. We headed out and up to Rough Rock and got Jase in position to lay out a cast. The current was surging in; perfect for kingis and it didn't take long before he had a hit - fish on!

We landed his fish and then it was my turn and a kingi obliged fairly smartly and was duly caught and released. I think we took 4 fish before heading off to visit the channel markers. There were plenty of fish home under most of the markers, mostly in the 2 - 4kg range.

We probably landed a dozen or so before heading off for a snapper drift. Bait balls galore showed on the sounder, but the snapper were few and far between and pretty reticent. I had a few taps then Jase hooked up solid on a real rod bender. After 10 mins of hard out pumping he got the foul hooked ray up to the surface and as I went to gaff it the line broke - not only that but the tip section sprang out and disappeared into the depths. We stoically fished on, Jase using my spare outfit and catching the only snapper of the trip.

Having had a couple of long and unsuccessful drifts watching the sounder as snapper unbitingly moved under us we decided on a final assault on the fly rods.

We hit several more fish and I got dealt to by one small fish that had the heart of a lion, he rubbed the leader on the buoy chain - ping! Finally the tide began to slow and so did the fish... not before I had a "Holy mother of god" moment when a good 8kg model cruised in behind the fly before veering off.

Back at Okahu by 9pm and under nav lights I crossed the harbour to Torpedo to retrieve. Lovely evening's fishing.