lunatic fisherman in Weiti River

[Romany 162]

Just a word of warning to anybody using the Weiti - today I came into the river at

about 4pm when the tide was still pretty low. I draw 1.9m and so I was crawling alongat a knot or 2 at most.

Madly gesticulating Asian fisherman on north side just past the cable marker drew my

attention to his fishing line that had been cast across my path, and so astern I went

while telling him politely he'd better wind it in because I could not turn around -

he did so but didn't seem too enthralled..

I had gone ahead again and within a few seconds heard the distinctive noise a sinker makes when it hits the water, I looked at the source of the noise to find a yellow

braided fishing line with hook bait and sinker had been cast between my topping lift and mast. I tried to get it out of the water and back through but had no chance and ended up breaking the line from the end of the guys rod to my boat - I guess a distance of 30meters.

 

Then I noticed the bloody sinker and thought about it! 40mm long tapering from 5 to

15mm in diameter.

 

If you are navigating this area beware - these people have no regard for your safety.

 

There was a bunch of other fishing people witnessing this - if anybody knows the

identity of the Asian guy (not the same one) let me know. I'd like to get somebody

dressed in blue to speak to him. If I'd taken a direct hit the feckin nutcase could

have killed me.

[Black Panther 1,584]

I am on the first mooring west of the wharf. Every time I go to the boat I find a collection of fishing hardware on my foredeck. Haven't had to buy any since I moved.

 

I'm also worried about the people I see taking undersized fish from the river.

[Island Time 1,235]

Report Illegal Fishing Activity - phone 0800 4 Poacher (0800 4 76224)

 

I'm sure they would also be interested in dangerous activity....

[Black Panther 1,584]

Thanks IT, I was on the verge yesterday but didn't have the number.

[funlovincriminal 162]

I've come smoking in there before, at night in an easterly blow surfing through the markers only to find a tinny with about 3 inches of freeboard anchored smack in the middle of the channel fishing. Cocks!

[wheels 543]

I used to regularly see people with undersized catches at Hobsonville. I caught up with a Fisheries officer and said, hey you guys need to come pay a visit to Hobsonville. Undersize catching is rampant there. Oh yeah will do. Never seen a sole and people still catch undersize.
The thing is that many of those rivers are actually spawning grounds and thus most fish to be caught are going to be small with the odd large fish that will have or going to spawn. I reckon that those rivers should be made places that you can not fish.

    Speaking of people throwing tackle at boats, there was a mighty argument and I think maybe a punch up at one stage at Herald Island a couple of years back. Club Boaties were having problem with fishermen obstructing the the new wharf facility and telling them to have sex and travel and the fishermen were purposely casting sinkers at the yachts. The club wanted to ban non club members from the facility, but as I understand it, the Council said no, under resource consent, everyone has to be allowed to use it. That's as I was told anyway. Please correct the story of you have other info.

[Fish 0]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11590445

 

Fishing sinker embedded in kayakers arm....

[Island Time 1,235]

Nasty. Amazing pic of the wound. Hell of a cast if it was 100m! I would think the fisherman could be done for reckless endangerment?

[Fish 0]

From the story, sounds like it was another kayak fisher, who actually assisted the guy to shore. So more like a legit accident rather than agro loonies on a wharf. Either way, it demonstrates the major risk of casting fishing sinkers, not to mention hooks etc behind the caster...

[Black Panther 1,584]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11590445

[Fish 0]

catch up BP

[Black Panther 1,584]