b'The daily limit for hapuka and/or bass is two per person per day.H puka or groperwith silvery white bellies.mature at about 10-13large size and cavernous (as named in theHowever, as with all fishyears old and can live upmouths to tackle anything South Island)species, colours can varyto around 60 years.Theysmaller than themselves.are a type ofslightly depending oncan reach over 60kg andDropping a live bait down wreckfish,their environment and180cm in length, typicallyto the bottom, mackerel, similar to bassjuveniles can appear totheyre mostly caughtcod, or perch as a live bait and are usually foundbe more blue than grey. around the 20-30kg class. to target puka can be a top at depths of 200m orThey have ten dorsalThe Godzone recordmethod, but again they will more.They were oncefins running along theirpuka is a massive 68kgtake almost any bait, alive often caught in shallowerback and a large powerful,fish caught in 2005 in theor dead that is lowered waters (under 100m),square shaped tail.AHawkes Bay. However,down to them.Fresh baits and I myself caught akey difference over thethere are claims of a 74kgare still best, and we have small 4-5kg pup at justsimilar looking bass tohpuka caught off thecaught some our best puka 50ft fishing at the Mokesdetermine if it is a puka, isCoromandel coastline. using freshly caught squid, about 20 years ago. Duetheir lower jaw protrudeslarge strips of kahawai, or to heavy fishing pressurelike an under bite.TheyBAITS filleted sides of mackerel.on their stocks, they arehave large eyes whichHpuka are voraciousBarracouta is also now an uncommon catchare adapted for living andpredators that feed onsurprisingly a good puka in shallow inshore waters. hunting in the low lightmackerel, tarakihi, bluebait, and if you hook a few Hpuka have a large,conditions of deepwater. and red cod, gurnard, hoki,of these dreaded tackle stocky body, which isHpuka are a slowperch, crabs, and crayfish. destroying fish, whack off usually grey/brownishgrowing species, theyThey basically use theira few fillets to keep as bait. /FISHINGINGODZONE45'