Koi bait

The fishermen at Lake Ngaroto were very successful because they use special bait with a bait bomb as shown here.

Many secret ingredients were mixed together with oils and compacted around numerous hooks attached below a big bait bomb which function similar to berlie. The oils in the mixture send out as a signal to all the Kois in the lake to come and have a feast. It worked every time. Other fishermen nearby also benefitted. Some Chinese fishermen from Auckland came all the way to fish at this lake regularly. They use a different rig; just a simple rod and use frozen peas or corn as bait on a single hook at the end of a long slim rod. They also used a float to indicate a hook up.

A kiwi bach

Many people in NZ own a bach like the one shown here above. It can be a small one bedroom holiday home near the beach or it can be an elaborate 5 brm mansion.

The main attraction is the beach; not the house.

For some people, just a walk on the beach is enough. Others prefer to swim, surf or fish, like this lone surf caster:

I have been told that it is not important to get a fish when you go fishing in NZ. In fact many Kiwis practise catch and release and they don't even like eating fish!

Others go for short walks, enjoying nature and the scenery along the way:

At Whangamata, a popular surf beach, Coromandel, the attractions are the surf and sandy beaches. With temperatures in the low 20's (degrees C); swimming in the sea is one of the many Christmas holiday past-times. Many others enjoy tramping on well maintained tracks all over NZ. On our way out, we stopped at the Kerangahake Gorge for a picnic lunch and walked on a short one hour track through the old gold mine, tunnels and suspension bridges. Tramping is a very popular activity in NZ because it is healthy, free and full of fun for the whole family.

gold mine

An old gold mine on the side of the Kerangahake  gorge, near Waihi, easily reached by road from Hamilton.

Feeding fish in China

You have to take your hat off to the Chinese. They cross breed Koi with some Amazon fish and produce this feeding bottle sucking fish. They start training them to take bottle feedings at 1 year old. By 2 they are on exhibition in places like parks etc. Each feeding bottle is sold for RMB 10. Most parents and young couples are happy to pay to feed the fish. It is claimed that they suckle like babies and are very cute.

(contributed by Paul)

fishing

The mullets and kahawai were biting today!

big fish

Other visitors prefer to go fishing. Here, Shou Shan from Kuantan got a big fish!