b"FeatureThe writer scored the first kingfish of the day on a mackerel live bait.The Aldermen Islands are a smallTheir combined area is 133.5 hajoin me and fish abord Epic and off group of rocky islets to the southeast(330 acres). The islands are athe Aldermens for the first time.of Mercury Bay in the Northforested nature reserve hosting rareSkipper Owen briefed us on some Island, located off the coast ofspecies including the tuatara, withof the great fishing they had since the Coromandel Peninsula, 20km (12no access allowed to people onJanuary and with such warm water in miles) east of the mouth of the Tairuarecreational boats (or by permit only). late March, the weekend before they River.The islands were originallyhad schools of mahimahi hiding under named 'the Court of Aldermen' byMID-WEEK TRIP the boats when fishing out deep over Captain Cook and his crew on 3We had arranged a trip with Bazthe pins.Anglers were dropping their November 1769 after previouslyin mid-March but with strongmackerel livies meant for kings to naming nearby Mayor Island. winds hitting the Coromandel atthe mahimahi and hooking up!The The Aldermen group consists ofthis time, we pushed this out tostunning cover photo taken by Owen four main islands: Hongiora, Middle,late March.We met Owen andwas one such dorado landed that day.Ruamahuanui, and Ruamahuaiti.Baz on Wednesday at 7am to loadUpon hearing of such fish, we The smaller islands include: Bigour gear on Kaos at the Whitiangaeagerly left the Whitianga wharf Hump, Little Hump, Nga Horo Island,wharf.A good client from Auckland,to load up the live bait tanks with Half Island and The Spire. Warren Smith had come along tomackerel in the bay as the sun was 14FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE"