Uncategorized – Page 2 – Saltwater Fly Fishing guide. Tauranga, Bay of Plenty

King Tide – A year on

It’s been a solid year since we put our latest boat on the water last December, there have been numerous voyages with clients, family and friends all enjoying the fit out during that time. What strikes me the most is how little I have done to change it, all the hard work and planning over the years showing just what is needed, or in a few cases, not needed onboard. The boys at FC Boats have done a great job on all the custom items, in particular the casting deck. Their ability to turn an idea into a functional item and work within restrictions and other curve balls showcase just how dedicated they are to their craft, the fact that no major work has been needed after purchase highlights this point. As expected with lots of custom work a few required tweaks here and there are always going to show up in the first few runs, thankfully these were facilitated within a tight timeframe.

Since I hate unboxing reviews here’s a quick take on how things have performed over the year to this point.

Mercury 115 CT – this has been a solid workhorse, easily passing 200 hours of service without fault. Often pushing along some bigger loads with more gear and anglers I doubt I’ve heard it complain, it probably just growls a little more.

Minn Kota Talon – I was more than impressed from the minute this was added and have used it far more than I originally thought. Often clients don’t even know it’s deployed, neither do the fish. Being able to pull up to a dead stop at the push of a button is invaluable, especially for novice salt fly anglers trying to work out distance perception on moving targets.

Minn Kota – really glad I went and slightly overspec’d this as we charge around the flats often and the current when fishing markers makes it work that bit harder than most other users in a day. Battery usage has never gone below half the supply voltage and recharge time is negligible between trips.

Humminbird Solix12 – Coming from a background of visually spotting fish these units have lit up my underwater surroundings. Infact they’re so good we put the original one on the bow and added a new Solix12 G2 with MEGA+ imaging to the console then networked them together. Having the bow mounted screen now gives me an extra vantage point and recently highlighted how allowing clients to visualise what they have on offer gives them the extra motivation to keep casting.

The “One Boat Network” that Humminbird is now rolling out is phenomenal, having the ability to control multiple facets of electronics from the screen is huge. Whether I want to operate the Minn Kota from the virtual remote (even steering it with your toes from the bow screen) , deploy/retrieve the Talon, plus the whole host of other compatible components that can be added into the mix.

U-Dek – A year on and it’s still looking good, despite the constant foot traffic its holding up really well. This is probably because its so easy to clean and can take a bit of punishment day in, day out.

JBL stereo – We had wired the boat for sound and only just recently completed this part It’s not only good for cruising and beach parties but will get some serious use alongside the Ocean Led underwater lights to help raise those inquisitive reef dwelling Kingfish to the surface.

FC Boats – this hull is a proven winner, it’s remarkably dry for an open boat, rides exceptionally well in all manor of sea states and has the stability to rival any alloy pontoon boat in the NZ market – with an 8 degree heel test and a survey tolerance of 15 it breezes through MNZ requirements.

Click here to read the original King Tide on water article.

If you would like to be a part of the fishing this Summer now is the time to get out there and into the action, simply drop us a line to secure your spot before Christmas. lucas@kingtidesaltfly.com

Rebel riders

Over the years New Zealand’s salt fly flats have gained huge popularity, and deservingly so. The world class fishery we have right on our doorstep is a great attraction for fly anglers traveling from near or far. With this popularity comes a few points to note in regard to ensuring the longevity of these flats last for generations to come.

The pressure these fish now face is a lot greater than a few years back, it’s not a case of simply rocking up and throwing any bedraggled creation at an easy target. Interestingly so the biggest behavioural trait I have noticed over the last few seasons is not from the kingfish but from the stingrays we often seek. These rays are incredibly clever and have been seen rebelling from the encounters we anglers present. Charging around after them only upsets them and makes them wary of our presence. While it’s hard some days not to harass them for an eat from their counterparts the smart money is on trying to keep them calm and approaching with care. Especially so when wading, those tails are equipped with some heavy artillery [don’t insert Irwin joke here, I’ve heard a lot of them over the years].

stingray, ray riders, kingfish, salt fly nz, New Zealand, fly rod, fishing guide, flats — Parting ways with a stingray that is absent of Kingfish

ray rider, flats, kingfish, New Zealand, fishing guide, Lucas Allen, fly rod, flies, salt fly — Kingfish are incredibly alert, especially when the water is shallow and this calm

Boats are fast becoming mini game vessels and the amount of electronics onboard are mind blowing. I for one am lucky to be packing some great gear onboard, hence the 150kg of batteries I carry to operate it all. Once again the rays are in the sights here, their electroreceptors are capable of picking up electrical noise in the water and consequently disturbing their day. Upon noticing this we have been shutting off any units not required to successfully hunt the flats if the rays are showing signs of altercation. My Humminbirds are my eyes underwater, and when we’re off the flats they earn their keep then. The ability to distinguish what’s happening under the surface is key to presenting flies efficiently and I’d be stuffed without them.

humminbird, side imaging, mega imaging, kingfish, New Zealand, king tide salt fly — Kingfish as viewed on Humminbird Side Imaging

kingfish, sharks, boat, king tide salt fly, humminbird, solix — Bronze whaler sharks shadowing kingfish, time to move on

Kingfish sign on Humminbird Solix — Active kingfish chasing baitfish up and down some structure seen on Humminbird Side Imaging

salt fly, kingfish, fly rod, fly reel, boat, — The stoke is real when it all comes together

Minn Kotas have opened up so many fishing possibilities for New Zealanders over the last few years, with fly fisherman being some of the early adopters. This time the rays are coping it from over zealous remote control boat drivers. Take it easy, line up the shot with the Minn Kota then try ease into the zone, better yet drift in. Maximum thrusting in close quarters is only going to upset the ray and riders, sending them scattering. If your shot is squandered try shadow the target and let them rest, position your boat in the best visible sight line for the ray and stay as far back as possible, another shot should line up shortly. If you loose them you’ll find they track in a pretty straight line if undisturbed, take a bearing or landmark they were last on and stick to that, you should find them again when the light allows, the whole time thinking of the best lay up for the boat and caster to take their shot when it comes.

kingfish, fly rod, fishing guide, salt fly, New Zealand, boat, flats fishing — Sitting back and waiting for a show on the surface gave us a point of reference to catch back up with this fish.

salt fly kingfish, flats, New Zealand, Tauranga, Collingwood, — The result of a patient game of cat and mouse.

With the addition of a Minn Kota Talon on our new build there has been a lot of time just staked out in prime fishy “real estate”, hanging about waiting for passing stingrays and fish. Picking up the composite shaft and sneaking over to intercept their path when the time arises. Another prime example of its many uses is pulling up to a stop without the need to reverse hard on our Minn Kota as the gap closes quickly. This also gives more novice anglers one less moving part to the equation and aids their perception of distance when presenting flies.

Minn Kota Talon, king tide salt fly, flats fishing, shallow water anchor, fc boats, mercury marine — Minn Kota Talon, a shallow water handbrake for your boat

Good luck out there this season, just remember to respect the fishery and most important of all have fun.

King Tide joins the Scott family

Lucas Allen - Scott Pro Staff

Recently King Tide got onboard the Scott roster alongside some bloody great fly fishos. I love a good bit of kit and these rods are no exception, constantly delivering cast upon cast and making most of our clients look good! Check the link below for the line up and a sweet range of fly sticks.

https://www.scottflyrod.com/pros/search?type=region&country=NZ

Tauranga Harbour – Salt water fly set up and tips

If you want some info on what we use in Tauranga Harbour chasing Ray rider kingfish on salt water fly gear then peep the video below. Our season here is nearly done, don’t forget to secure your space for next year by flicking a message to the link here.

Leftys Loop Knot instructional video

We recently teamed up with the good buggers at Manic Tackle Project for a weekend of fishing. In-between all that I sat down and went over some basic set ups and preferred knots. Take a quick look at one of the strongest salt water fly fishing loop knots and a few tips to tie it crispy clean every time.

For a few other loop knot options jump back to a test we ran a few years back here.