Deep Sea Fishing
An 11 hour drive or two hour flight gets me to the sea from Indiana. I’ve been to the coast many times in my life and have done many activities on and around the ocean. Fishing is a common pastime in Indiana, which is usually done by sitting on a dock or in a small fishing boat. Deep sea fishing is something I’ve never really thought about doing, but when Mike, from Sunfish Charters, offered to take me along for a day, I jumped at the chance. I envisioned reeling in huge marlin, maybe even a shark or two. I figured that the chance of seeing whales and dolphins was pretty high, and that it was going to be a very exciting day on the water.
Mike was waiting for me at the pier a little before 9 am. There was a group that was supposed to join us, but plans changed and Mike and I were accompanied by his daughter and a friend. We headed out onto the water hoping for nice weather, but by the looks of the forecast, we weren’t going to get that lucky.
While passing by Mauao, we actually saw two dolphins swim by, which was a very exciting moment for me. Trying to find the best spot to stop and fish was our next mission. The rain moved in and according to our radar- there seemed to be no fish in the ocean that day. Patience combined with a positive attitude resulted in the rain subsiding, and allowed us to get to work. Mike assured us that fishing in the Bay of Plenty is the best in the country, as well as a year-round activity. He also mentioned that there are great charter options from trailer boats to bigger, overnight game fish trips.
To be very honest, I was really nervous that a huge fish was going to get a hold of my hook and I would lose my pole or fall in the water. Well, the first bite wasn’t quite that bad, but I did catch a barracuda on the first cast, and trying to reel it in was quite the task. After we all got warmed up, we were continually pulling in snapper, and were lucky enough to pull in a John Dory.
For a fun activity on a cool winter’s day, and leaving with some fresh fish for dinner, this was a great way to spend the day. I’ll definitely be hitting the water again in hope of pulling in marlin or a shark when the weather warms up a bit.
Sunfish Charters Limited
Main phone: +64 (7) 579-3816
Website: http://www.sunfish.co.nz
Activities offered:
- Bottom Fishing and Sports Fishing
- Big Game Fishing
- Dive the Bay of Plenty
- Fishing Tournaments
- Sightseeing
- Corporate Functions
At the Harbour Bridge Marina, you will find ample and safe free parking or we can arrange a pickup and drop-off at Salisbury Wharf, Mt Maunganui.
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