Mojo Returns – HLD
After being severely humbled by Mentals cracking fish (and my lack of 
) I had to get back out onto the water to reassure myself, at least that was the excuse to Mrs. Dwarf 
The snotty weather forecast hadn’t arrived by this morning with the exception of a few skiffs of rain, but definitely wasn’t far away, so a hasty pack ‘n go tactical strike trip out to the Keri Inlet was in order. Surprisingly few trailers at the ramp given the long weekend, but the fact the the western half of the North island appeared to have vanished into a wall of cold-looking grey water may have had something to do with it 
Was greeted by a couple of pairs of bleary eyes at the window of a Hiace camper next to me as I thumped and crashed around setting up the yak 
Well, it was after seven anyway – ’bout time they got up and admired the view before it disappeared…
I still had the kingy rig setup from Toots, so snaffled a wee KY as I went out through the moorings – whacked a deepish-running bridle onto it and started to troll out to where a couple of terns and gannets were having a scoff in the channel. Plenty of sign on the sounder, but the only things down there seemed to be tail nipper goldfish, so continued across the inlet to where the current runs on the incoming tide.
Passing through a gap in the reefs in about 1m of water, I spooked something that took off with a couple of big tail beats, dunno what it was as I was looking the other way at the time, but was a promising sign – lots of baitfish and bigger things a-lurking.
Got away from the reef and into a shallow sandy bay and flicked the SP out to bottom bounce while I checked and setup the trolling rig for a shallow run along the edge of the ecklonia reef – First snapper of the day took the blood shad and was soon heading back to tell his mates about his latest adventure 
By now the wind was just starting to pickup in front of the rain, and for once it coincided with my intended drift line past Slaines and out to the Brothers 
(although I was fairly sure I would have to pull the pin before I reached there) Casting back onto the edge of the Ecklonia gave a steady stream of 35 – 40cm pannies, with this many at my usual cutoff, I decided to up the limit after the first two to 40cm as there must be better fish given the numbers on the feed.
A few minutes later, and another cast onto the edge of the current, flicked the bail arm as soon as the SP hit the water and take up the slack – solid! Bugger! Must’ve cast straight onto the surface raft of weed! Leaned into the rod…it was moving. No resistance at all, but a definite weight 
No fishy moves, nothing… Branch maybe? Kept working it back towards the yak against the current, the little SP noodle at a full 90 degree bend, but still no fight and no action at all…
After a minute or so I saw a flash of orange, good sized snapper, but the complete lack of fight was puzzling – The it saw the yak, or maybe just woke up and took off like a steamtrain 
If I had accepted it was a branch and locked up the drag it would have all been over on the 8lb mono, but fortunately I had been clamping the drag with my finger as I heaved it in – So there I was with the wee drag whistling away as Muggins tried to get back to the weed – THIS was more like it A touch and go battle followed for the next 5 minutes or so until he was at grabbing distance, then, I don’t know why, I decided to get an “arty” shot of him underwater.
The flash went off, and so did he…Another two minutes before he was once again within reach – no messing around and I had a nice 60-odd cm Snapper in my lap.
So, with a nice few snaps in the bag, and the wind going around to push me home, I just drifted back up the channel dabbling the SP on the way. Picked up another couple of 40′s to repay some debts then as the COLD rain and southerly arrived, I pulled the kit in and headed home.
On arrival back at the beach an hour and a half after I left, the tourists had finally woken up and were sorting out what to have for breakfast as they sheltered under the tailgate of their Hiace – at least I think that’s what they were discussing as the frying pan was sitting empty on the cooker and I don’t speak whatever middle European language they did What the heck, it’s persisting down, and I enjoy the expressions on tourists faces so I offer them a (smaller) snapper. Blank faces. Universal sign language comes into play which they probably interpreted as ” I have a broken wrist and am very wet, would you take this dead animal from me?” but the smiles make me think they understood what to do with it . As I was driving away, they were taking a photo of it! 
Debts and favours have been repaid in fresh fillets, and I still have the big fella (which clocked in at a smidge over 11lb) brining down for the smoker tomorrow.
Mojo replenished
