b'Editorial July 2024 Issue 54FISHING IN GODZONE Issue #54COVER PHOTO A 90cm kingfish caught at Motiti Island on a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ Nuked Chicken. Photo: Mathew HewetsonEDITOR AT LARGE Mathew HewetsonWRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS Scott Cushman, Fish & Game NZ, Drone Fishing NZDESIGN Blockstart www.blockstart.co.nzThis kingfish landed onPUBLISHER softbaiting gear in under 5m wasMarlin Marketing Limited a great result for the editor whenMathew Hewetson fishing off Motiti Island in June. 022 355 0588 mathew@marlinmarketing.co.nzC atching a good fish on lightbaits that are swallowed down, and theFishing In Godzone is subject softbaiting gear in the shallowshooks are caught in gills or the back ofto copyright in its entirety.is one of fishings best daysthe throat which means certain deathThe contents may not be on the water.Tricking, thenfor fish. reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written hooking and battling a big fishLure fishing therefore enables anglerspermission of the publishers. All in under 5m of water will not only testhigher chances of returning fishcopy, photos or other material your gear, knots, and angling skills, butrelatively unharmed, especially fishforwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for also involves a heap of luck! taken in the shallows that havent beenpublication unless clearly labelled I had one such experience recentlypulled from deeper water.It is not onlynot for publication.Opinions expressed from such content over winter when softbaiting at Motitia good buzz catching fish on lures, butare not necessarily those of Island in the Bay of Plenty on a kingfish. then releasing them (if you choose) tothe publisher.There is an article about this trip andlive another day. ISSN 23821655shallow water lure fishing which I haveWe all have our favourite go-tofishingingodzone.co.nzwritten in this issue for you to readmethods we revert to when fishing/fishingingodzonemore about. to catch them, it could be straylining, The thing to remember about hookinglive baiting, softbaiting, or slow jigging.bigger fish in shallow water is thatMost anglers I know use a combination they only have one option and that isof these over the day but when the to run laterally.They will try and keepfishing is tough, they will go to their going until they reach deeper waterproven method they have confidence or take cover in the foul, so extractingwith to hook fish.them from the weed or stopping themFor myself, I would rather persevere becomes the key goal in the initial startwith lure fishing throughout the day of the fight. until the fish come on the chew as I Fighting a good fish that pulls stringknow having used lures predominately is the reason many anglers go fishing,for over 15 years now, that the fish while eating the fish is secondary andwill turn up, so remember to just is a top result to enjoy at the end of thekeep casting.day.Using lures means most fish areMathew Hewetson Editor at largetypically hooked in the mouth, unlike 8FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE'