Geoff Thomas: Sporting species deserves its day in the sun

Overseas, fish like the kahawai - which is called salmon in Australia - are highly respected for their fighting ability. Photo / Supplied

Kahawai will be the most popular fish in the sea on one Saturday in September when the annual Kahawai King fishing competition is held in the waters around Auckland.

Organised by the Weymouth Cosmopolitan and Sports Club, the contest starts at midnight on Friday, September 16, and contestants must be at the weigh-in at the club's premises in Manurewa by 4pm the following day.

Fishing is allowed on the Manukau and Waitemata Harbours and on the Firth of Thames, and the main prize of $1000 cash plus a rod and reel will go to the average-weight kahawai. The total prize pool is worth $10,000. Entrants can weigh in a maximum of five kahawai, with a minimum length of 300mm (there is no legal minimum limit). Tickets are $30 and go on sale from the club and selected outlets from Monday. All fish weighed are sold and the proceeds go to Kidz First.

Kahawai numbers have bounced back in recent years and the fish is one of our best sporting species. Overseas, fish like the kahawai - which is called salmon in Australia - are highly respected for their fighting ability and while a generation ago they were regarded as being good only for bait or cat food, attitudes have changed. They are also one of the most "user-friendly" of fish, as they can be caught by every method.

Kahawai will be attracted to a berley trail and will eagerly snatch floating baits, and can be hooked all the way from the water's surface to the seabed. Their preferred food is small fish, but they will also feed on plankton, krill and other small organisms. It is this versatility which, like snapper, makes the kahawai so successful and prolific.

Kahawai will take soft plastic lures, spinners cast and retrieved and trolled lures. At times they can be frustrating, particularly when shoaling and feeding on small bait fish. In this situation, the size of the lure used becomes important and should match the size of the prey. One option is to cast or troll trout flies of the smelt variety, which are very successful. A fly rod can be used to cast or troll, and on trout tackle the kahawai put up a magnificent fight. If trolling flies on regular snapper rods, a weight is needed to get the fly under the surface, and a simple ball sinker of half an ounce on top of a swivel with a short trace will do the trick.

Some people like to bleed their kahawai when taking them for eating or smoking, and this is simply done by slashing the throat, but opinion is divided as to whether it is necessary. What is important, as with all fish, is to put the catch on ice to reduce its body temperature quickly.

Fresh kahawai fillets make ideal sashimi or marinated fish dishes, and can also be poached in milk or even baked whole. The dark-red flesh should be cut away before cooking, as it has the strongest flavour.

But for the Kahawai King contest, fish must be weighed whole, and the concept of having the average-weight fish taking the main prize removes the incentive to cheat and gives everybody an equal opportunity to win. This is now common practice in many fishing contests, particularly where large cash prizes are involved.

Fishing reports indicate fluctuating fortunes on the water and cold temperatures certainly don't help. All fish are less active in cold water, which makes them harder to catch.

Midwinter is also a good time to do a little maintenance on the fishing tackle. Old line can be replaced and reels serviced and lubricated. Rods can be checked for damage - one simple way to check the guides on a rod is to run a fine cloth like nylon stocking through them so that any cracks or nicks show up. Such faults will damage monofilament line and result in lost fish and gear. If line starts to fray, it is a sure sign of a damaged rod guide - usually the tip ring. Reels can be removed from rods and reel seats cleaned and sprayed with an anti-corrosion application.

A young broadbill swordfish which turned up in the shallows off Whangaparaoa gave a pair of Auckland fishermen an unusual experience earlier this month. For the full story, see the Outdoors column in tomorrow's Herald on Sunday.

* More fishing action can be found on Rheem Outdoors with Geoff, 5.30pm TV3, and on the new internet television channel www.FishnHunt.Tv