Kahawai

If you come back to Whitianga you will catch heaps. Before Xmas we couldn't get a line to the bottom because of the bloody Kahawai. We keep them for smoking.

Thanks HT. that’s an interesting but very sad read.

I didn’t realise the issues with Kawahai numbers dated back so many years.

My curiosity is that relatively recently (2012-15) I was catching loads by trolling behind the boat. But last 7-8 years virtually nothing.

I was talking with a friend this morning and we were recalling one day ~2012 when we sailed from Gulf Harbour to the bottom end we had a lure out the back and by the time we reached the Noises we had 6 large Kawahai. At that point we stopped fishing as we had enough for several meals plus a one for the freezer and the last one to my mum & dad. Shortly after that they seemed to disappear!

That’s what I used to do. Bleed out straight away and either fry like snapper - for a meatier experience - or use in a Thai green curry in place of chicken. Held its shape nice and firmly.

Sometime even as sashimi with some wasabi & soy whilst freshly filleting (my youngster loved it).

3 minute Fish Curry

Start cooking the noodles of a 'trident hot n spicy*' 2 minute pot noodle as per instructions BUT ADD AN EXTRA 200ml WATER or more if you like.
When they are 50% done drop in a quantity to suit of fresh chunky cut fish. I aim at 1 full cup there abouts per packet of pot noddle and Kawahai is our go to given the chance.
Finish cooking as per instructions or a very little longer if you want to make sure the fish is done, don't forget it will continue to cook for a bit after you take it off the heat.

Boom a Thai like Fish Curry with some balls if you like or only a little, it is easy as to customise via the separate packet of chilli that comes with the noodles.

Pour down throat after making sure it's not still thermo nuclear. Eat from the pot you cooked it in and save dishes at the same time.


* - It's what I tend to gravitate too but there are other brands and it would pay to experiment as they can vary quite a bit

Kawhai are a fascinating fish. They are either on in plague numbers or they aren't there.
Generally I think they are on during the anchovie run, which is a bit later in summer / autumn. I'd say March / April ish. That would be the time of year you'd be catching 6 fatties in the time it takes to hoist the mainsail.

On my last fishing trip in Mahurangi (mid Jan) kahawai (and mackerel) was all I was catching. Not big ones but very fun to fight. Hooked 8 landed 4. They were working up under the Terns. Still haven't seen what the Terns are feeding on, but a small silver flea was doing the damage. The exact same situation was working gangbusters for rat kings in Army Bay. The small silver flea flicked under working turns - bang, hook up every cast with a rat king charging around like its on meth.

The other thing I've noted is I can't catch kahawai trolling within an hour from the river, so 6 miles from the river. If I'm heading to Tiri or Rakino, its the second half of the trip I start hooking them on trolling. Going to Tiri its in the Tiri channel or along the South Coast if I'm on a fishing mission, and heading to Rakino its that second half of the voyage, around or past the shipping lane (need to check on my chart exactly how far that is).

I think the underlying thing with kahawai is they are where the bait fish are. Commercial are still taking bait fish in huge numbers, either to sell to fisho's via fishing shops, who haven't discovered soft baiting yet and are too lazy to catch their own, OR they export it to the Ivory Coast (and other random places) at $3/kg. Apparently this leads to NZ's economic prosperity?!?

It is the basic problem as per HT's Legasea link. Excessive and inappropriate fishing pressure in the Gulf.

Anyway Fogg, wait till March-ish when the anchovie run starts, and see if you can catch kahawia then. I love that time of year, when it is glassy calm out of the river and off Long Bay, there are boil-ups here, there and everywhere. You can flick almost any lure in and come out with a fish :-)