If you follow the logic of my previous column, since the fishing over the weekend was poor, this coming weekend it should be much better.
Certainly my Maori calendar would concur with this view, though some of the poor fishing recorded during the previous week or so doesn't always fit this
predictive model. There are some who reckon the worse the weather, the better the fishing. Ever noticed how the cat gets excited when a squall comes through and tosses those leaves about?
Maybe it's a bit like that underwater. Wave action stimulates activity. And if you consider the energy equation involved, fish will have to swim harder to stay over their favoured reef when the upper water column is in a state of excitement.
So it follows that they will have to eat more food just to maintain their body weight. Another matter to consider too is that worked up water is oxygen rich, so maybe storm driven oxygenation enables a more efficient use of energy.
For those who would fish foul weather, land-based is safer than getting out on the water.
While you may be at risk from the occasional rogue wave, at least your boat will never sink.
If boat fishing remains your choice, anchoring in open water can be a major challenge.
When the anchor eventually takes hold, since it's been wedged in so tight by lift and current it can take a lot to dislodge.
The risk of becoming a bit of a submarine is high under these conditions, especially when you place tension on a lodged anchor and the bow is held firm against a decent lift.
Drift fishing can be a solution. A fast drift isn't such a bad thing, but to slow down, some form of drogue or sea anchor is necessary.
While they certainly work, they do need to be well secured. The pressures on a sea anchor under storm conditions can be pretty substantial. When all else fails, a feed of shellfish can turn a base trip into gold. Cockles, pipis and oysters at low tide are always well worth the effort. While the scallops are currently very skinny, good numbers suggest another bonanza when spring arrives. And the mussels of the Bay are in great condition right now.
