Stella Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 After a couple of random expressions of interest, who would be keen on coming to palmy and going on a few native fish hunting trips with me (and Andrew and Pete)? Just to see some fish/habitat etc, maybe take a few away if you are interested, learn a bit, talk with the obsessed... The hunting trips are great fun, poking through a river catching everything in sight... The idea could be we plan a couple of short trips over a weekend, including a spotlighting trip on the saturday night. We can put a few people up, or point you in the direction of some accommodation if required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 I would come down for a sunday. I work nights and have Sunday off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Forgot to mention,,, i'm away for 2 weeks from tomorrow. Time to have a holiday with huby and our wee one. :bounce: yay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heir Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 weeeeeeeee sounds like fun :bounce: abit busy atm though will def keep that in mind tho thanks Stella :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Yeah stella. What a cool idea. Id be very keen but would have to be on a sunday as i work six days a week (damn people want to buy stuff on saturdays,lol) Let me know please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted February 18, 2008 Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 I'd certainly been interested (depending on work etc). Saturday night would be best - down on Sat, back on Sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 OK, slight change of plan, and this is only in the planning stage: EASTER WEEKEND NATIVE FISHING TRIP: TAUPO AREA I have been talking a little with HaNs and Andrew and Pete about doing a trip to Taupo to do a bit of native fish hunting. Do bit of an overnight trip probably, and visit a few different places. I have heard of a good place for koaro, which I am keen to check out, and I am sure there are many other areas worth investigating. We could organise a (cheap) motel so we were all staying in the same place (yay for socialising!). Who's keen? Who knows some good spots? Who knows a cheap motel? Sleaziness is optional... Who would like to come but could only stay certain nights? We could work around you if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 http://www.silverfernlodges.co.nz/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Wow, I forgot places charge more over the peak times! But the bunk rooms are $25 each per night, or it works out $1 more if five of us got a studio room together. Pretty good really. I could be up for staying two nights if others were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hey, I'm 80% committed to this if it happens. I talked to Pete and he's in a similar boat (as far as I know). He, being the car driver, makes it easier but I can do it on a motorcycle if required. I'm old and sad but have done my time sleeping in 'dorms'. I'd like a room to myself (and my immediate friends) rather than sharing a 'dorm'. I'm OK to pay for this if it's not ridiculous. If it happens, I'm up for it. Catching up with fish-freaks is always fun. Someone should mention it to the Hamilton people. I wouldn't be surprised if the likes of Richard Litten were not interested, in the right circumstances. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 We are aquariaphiles I may be working during the weekend but will have time to go hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Sounds like fun. Might see if we have plans that weekend. If not, Taupo here we come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hmmmmmm. Just did a quick survey...... Lake Taupo and the general vicinity have THREE species of native fish. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, three. Common bullies, smelt and koaro. Ok so the koaro are pretty cool. But three total is pretty sad. It seems the Huka Falls is a pretty poor fish pass Compare that to the Ohau river trip Andrew, Pete and I did in January: Smelt, inanga, torrentfish, longfin eels, redfin bullies, upland bullies. And I know there are supposed to be koaro there too. OK, we will do a trip at easter definitely, but may need a rethink on the site. (I will come up for a visit sometime Hans!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Hmmmmmm. Just did a quick survey...... Lake Taupo and the general vicinity have THREE species of native fish. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, three. Common bullies, smelt and koaro. Ok so the koaro are pretty cool. But three total is pretty sad. It seems the Huka Falls is a pretty poor fish pass Compare that to the Ohau river trip Andrew, Pete and I did in January: Smelt, inanga, torrentfish, longfin eels, redfin bullies, upland bullies. And I know there are supposed to be koaro there too. OK, we will do a trip at easter definitely, but may need a rethink on the site. (I will come up for a visit sometime Hans!) Im willing to drive.... Hydro dam aren't the best on the fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 HaNs, that would be cool I know of some really good spots around here for different species and habitats. I got one of those standard wire mesh small rubbish bins just now to turn into a fish trap, would be interesting to try it out, I can think of two interesting places to leave it while we go hunting elsewhere. Spots I think could be interesting and varied for an easter weekend trip: a certain degraded farm creek - 2 feet wide, few inches deep, cattle crossing...: upland bullies, crayfish, bugs, shows what can live in unlikely places kahuterawa - native bush area, large rocky stream: spotlighting possibly or day trip for redfins, both eels, uplands, koaro, inanga, short jawed kokopu, probably many others. Ohau river - braided river: torrentfish, redfins, uplands, commons, smelt, inanga, koaro Turitea stream - gravel stream, good canopy - spotlighting (nothing visible during the day) various bullies, smelt, inanga, torrentfish, eels. Lake Papaitonga - swampy forest: kokopu Please note I make no promises on species we might find! I merely have seen them there before or know they are there through other means. While the same species are listed over and over, the habitats are all pretty different. Lake Papaitonga is very close to the Ohau river. Turitea stream is on the way to Kahuterawa. How does that sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Can we decide on a date so i can get off work? I need to sort out tank cooling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxglove Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 The revised locations sound amazing! I used to help with the Waitohu Stream wetland (north side of Otaki beach) and we had a fish list from the regional council - around twenty species known to be there. Not sure what's there now, but it has been cleaned up heaps and the wetland was fenced off. After enjoying seeing inanga and bullies in a stream recently, I'd be interested in the Easter trip. :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Ok, Andrew and I had bit of a nut out last night and came up with this: FRIDAY 21st March People descend on Palmerston North. Gathering at my place as you get here, look at my fish, meet, mingle and wait for others to arrive. Go to the farm creek (I passed another one just now which may or may not be interesting, I will check it out) Do dinner together somehow, wait for it to get dark then go spotlighting up the Turitea stream. Hopefully today, if we are lucky, we will see: redfins, uplands, commons, crays, inanga, eels. SATURDAY 22nd March Hopefully I will have convinced a friend to drop a trap in a swampy part of the Lake Papaitonga forest to catch kokopu last night... We could either go to the lake first or go to the Ohau River, not sure yet. Check the trap at Papaitonga, possibly also try using a stop net on one of the swampy creeks if the trap hasn't got anything. At Ohau we will use the whitebait net and hand nets, was very successful last time, this river is very alive! Depending on timing etc we could find dinner on the way back or take some sort of picnic up to the Kahuterawa Stream. Wait for it to get dark then go spotlighting and hopefully catch a few interesting things. Hopefully today we will see: torrentfish, inanga, smelt, redfins, uplands, eels, crays, giant/banded kokopu, and if we are very lucky we will see koaro and shortjaw kokopu! SUNDAY 23rd March People depart, having seen some wonderful sights, caught some interesting fish, learned a lot and generally become more rounded and wiser individuals :lol: And you get the rest of the long weekend for other things. Accommodation I will have a quick look around shortly for accommodation near my end of town. Bearing in mind I have no personal experience of any of them... Stuff to Bring For your own comfort and ability to participate fully, I strongly recommend people bring: A strong torch each (check batteries!) Non-leaky tall gumboots (waders if you have them) Rubber-soled beach shoes (good for the day trips, saves falling over or slicing feet on submerged glass) Wide-mouthed hand nets, butterfly nets etc Sunscreen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I guess the water will not be the nice temperature like that in the Molly Hunt? :lol: How definite is this trip? We need to book ferries. Some of us will get very more rounded depending on the food :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Sounds like fun, I'm in. Hopefully by then my garage will have cooled down enough to keep the fish happily after quarantine inside. So where's everyone staying? I'm up for a hostel as they're always fun, pretty inexpensive and good for socializing. If foxglove or anyone else wants to carpool I don't see a problem but not sure if I'll be staying the entire weekend - depends on what's breeding in the fish room as if there's just one pair spawning it's easy to set up auto water changes but more than that and it's gonna take some nutting out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Caryl said... > How definite is this trip? Stella is here at the moment and says "it's definitely happening". I'll be there. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 sounds like a fun trip,without wanting to pour cold water on it too much,do not condone the catching of Giant kokopu in your area where their survival is not exactly gauranteed?not sure of the legalities of it either but morally think it should be questioned?I have been in awe of this species for years but even when the oportunity of captive bred specimens arose could not gaurantee confident keeping of it here so flagged the idea.just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hi Repto, The point of the trip is to explore various habitats and see what we can spotlight and catch. A learning expedition. Some may want to take some home, should they be wishing to keep natives, but mostly it is a catch-and-release thing. I am after some upland bullies myself, and will have a tank set up for quarantine should anyone (Blueandkim ) require a temporary holding place. With the kokopu, I agree that taking kokopu from the Manawatu area is a bad idea, they are locally rare or threatened here. The lake we are going to is somewhat south (below Levin). Looking at the distribution maps for banded and giants, that area and further south is thick with dots indicating populations. I know of this spot because I know someone who caught a fish there (with his hands I think!) which he suspected was a kokopu. We went down and had a look, saw fish but could not ID them, that is why I am not sure if they are bandeds or giants as the distribution maps overlap. This is why I am keen to actually catch some and find out what they are (releasing immediately). I would agree in that I would discourage people from taking kokopu from this lake, particularly non-juveniles. Whitebait season is the most ethical time to take galaxiids, for a multitude of reasons. I would strongly discourage people from taking kokopu anyway unless they had a good idea of how to look after native fish to begin with. (Oh legally you can take and keep all native fish, there are various instances where you can't, mostly about where from) I have four small 'captive bred' giants. They are cool fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 ACCOMMODATION I have been having a bit of a look on the AA site for places people could stay. The camp ground does cabins, could be the cheapest way to go, range $35-70 for two people, but you need to provide your own bedding and towels. I have emailed them for more details, will post when they arrive. http://www.jasons.com/New-Zealand/Palme ... liday-Park For cheaper motel style accommodation, this one has units for up to three and five people: http://www.acaciacourtmotel.co.nz/index.html and this one can do up to six: http://www.mid-city.co.nz/ Bear in mind that I have never been to any of them before... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Any decent backpackers around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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