To some this will need no explanation, the feeling of anticipation eagerly waiting for the new 2023 season to kick off, the excitement of Whitebaiting around the corner which will quickly be followed by the opening of Fishing Season, followed by the Salmon run turning the blood flow in the body to Salmon Fever.
Lets take a look back to find why we feel like we’re in No Mans Land and why this period only increases the passion and determination even more……..
Rewind back to the 2022/2023 Fishing season with many Summer days and evenings spent on the Rivers trying to get on top of Salmon Fever.
The old story regardless if there’s 100 fish around or if there’s 1000 fish around a Salmon is a fish of a thousand casts.
It takes hours upon hours, cast upon cast each with increasing anticipation that this cast is going to be the lucky one.
Early January 2023 I finally spent consecutive days on the Rakaia River from dusk till dawn.
Now I know what your thinking, the wife must’ve been away on holiday to get 5 days in a row of non stop Salmon Fishing, Well your not wrong !!
I managed to find a spectacular piece of water and on a daily basis seemed to have reasonable numbers of fish moving through it.
Day 1, excited todays the day
Day 2, excited todays the day
Day 3, excited has to happen today!
Day 4, excited, surely today right?
Day 5, the lawns are getting a bit long, the wife is due back so Id better tidy the house
No !! All the chores can wait - I have a feeling !!
Arrive at Spot X only to have the good old Nor West howling down the river.
Sand blasting the face and bugger all feel for the gear in the water
Keep going, today is the day…
Just as I cast the Nor West decided to take it up a notch leaving my ambassador reel with a slight overrun.
I cleared the overrun then clicked the handle to start winding in the Zeddy - WHACK - FISH ON !!!
For some its a longtime between drinks but it doesn’t matter if its been days, weeks, months or years as soon as you get that wild salmon on the instincts and feeling all come rushing back.
Fish on the bank - Let out a big Wohoo and see a very happy dog knowing we can now go home and its not another big day on the river.
P.s - I have tried the overrun trick many times since by letting a bit more line out in the current before winding - do you think it worked since - Nope ! Only one Salmon for the season but that's more than I need. I had my fix of being on our magnificent rivers just sitting, watching and taking in everything they have to offer
Once the season is closed here is where I really find myself “at home” If you don’t know, I am extremely passionate about our Rivers and more so the remarkable Salmon that we have the privilege of running up some of our Rivers. Walking the many spawning streams full of optimism and daydreaming that just around the next corner of the stream is a record return of Salmon We know this species is on a knife edge considering the runs we had in the 90’s Its admirable that even with low returning numbers they still show their determination to return to their birthplace doing their part to keep their species alive Nothing but pure determination which I utterly respect Each year the Spawning times are vastly different. One year you could walk the stream at the start of April to find not a single soul then repeat the next year to find this exact same time a year later pools full of fish who are rearing to go. This made me realise how in tune with nature these fish are and how out of tune we as humans have become in our ever so busy lifestyles. From that moment I dedicated my weekends from April to June to walk spawning streams more than once to ensure I become intone with how successful or unsuccessful our season has been and what the outlook is for 4 years time when the next generation of this remarkable species returns.
This same theory of continuing to walk streams several times paid off on another tributary. Not a soul seen right through April, Most of May then early June I decided to give it one last crack and sure enough - impressive numbers spawning right through this tributary. It is disheartening after each walk to see nothing but its just like when we're fishing, just one more cast !! Once you strike the right day, balanced with nature it really does make it all worth while. So thats where we get to No Mans Land. No 1000 hours spent on the river cast after cast. No tired legs of walking kilometre after kilometre counting fish Just time to reflect, wait and recharge the batteries ready to do it all again very soon No Mans Land - Like the All Blacks waiting in the tunnel prior to running out on the field for a World Cup Final - Silence - Appreciation and excitement to do it all too soon I cant bloody wait !!! Remember to keep an eye on our Facebook page, Youtube and other socials as we love the passion from your interactions and responses. You truly keep us doing what we’re doing Cheers Brett
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