For the last 12 years or so a bunch of Queenstown Kunts have gone over to the West Coast on a fishing trip. I was part of the original trip, I have missed a couple recently, but as I’m back in this neck of the woods, I was lucky enough to get an invitation to join the lads. They love it…. because now they had someone to tease (they like teasing Aussies).
For those of you who aren’t a red neck from the South Island of New Zealand, this time of year we fish for whitebait. It is a tiny little fish that most people on the planet don’t like to eat, but down here it is a delicacy and goes for about $80/kg.
Here are a few photos from the trip.
Hunting down the whitebait can be a lonely business. Mush then Vince in the 2nd photo.
When the lads took a breath from teasing me about being an Aussie, they would tease each other about their trucks. Scotty’s drives a Holden so it is OK if he is alone because he’ll never get stuck.
I am just kidding you, West Coast Whitebaiting is rather social. When the sun came out we setup at our camp.
These are all action photos….. lots of action when it comes to this trip.
During the trip I had a secret mission. I was chosen for the mission because I’m an Aussie which makes me a better fisherman than everyone else (of course). It might have really been because I could play dumb if I got caught.
Grant had to drop me off in the jetboat for the mission. He is cool as a cucumber isn’t he?
The super secret mission took me into the depths of the West Coast wilderness…. I love it that there is nothing out here that can bite you; such as bears or snakes, like where I’ve been hanging out recently.
Being the only person under 60yo on the trip, I got in trouble for taking a selfie when the jetboat was stuck. As if I can help, I’m a computer nerd!!!
On the final day of the trip the weather cleared and we had a chance to take Dave’s boat out deep sea fishing… I think he still feels sorry for me because last time I saw him, my jetboat had just drowned.
It was a gorgeous morning on the water.
And we caught a bunch of fish!!!
I don’t know who caught the biggest or most fish but Scotty didn’t catch as big a fish or as many as I did and this is how he felt about it…..
Walk of shame back down the Jackson’s Bay wharf for Scotty. Being beaten at anything for a Kiwi is a big deal, hope they don’t take his residency, wife and kids off him.
I’ve got a few days in Queenstown catching up on work and playing golf before I head back to Aussie for some more of this…..
