b'THREE KINGSFishing LocationTHREE KINGS ISLANDSSkipper Andrew setting the gear as a glorious sunrise unfolded on the way to the Kings.The prospect of my first trip to the Three Kings had been waved in front of my nose and I was super keen.It was just a matter of the stars aligning for a space to open on the charter T hen the call finallyfishing legend Bill Hall and has caughtSteaming out of the harbour with our so I could accompany Andrew Grant on board the famous game fishing boat, Te Ariki Nui.came, a last-minuteall kinds of giants in Godzone but alsobow turning towards North Cape, it was change of plansAustralia and around the South Pacific.only 10 minutes before the game gear meant his regularNow owned by skipper Andrew Grant, Tewas deployed for a marlin hopefully deckhand couldntAriki Nui is still in the business of huntingon the cards. Off Doubtless Bay birds be on a charter ingiants of the deep.were feeding with skippies below and a three days time andAn early start from Whangaroa sawcouple of small tuna were boated before could I fill in andus meeting the charter party mademoving on. Trolling over a seabed rise bring my cameraup of old school friends travellingfurther north suddenly had three Tiagra with me to captureup from Wellington and the South80s screaming in succession, and we some of the action? I had crewed withIsland.Spirits were high as the sunwere into our first fish. Unfortunately, Andrew before in the Hauraki Gulf androse over Whangaroa Harbour and wenot beakies but a gang of kingfish had I was able to move my commitmentsset to filling the live bait tank. An hourjumped our marlin lures. A fun warm up around, so it was finally happening! or so later we had a good supply offor the lads on the game gear, another Te Ariki Nui (The Big Chief) is a 56ftmackerel, with a couple of kahawai forpass had all five rods loaded with kingfish Salt House vessel, designed by gamegood measure. with a couple kept for dinner.10FISHING IN GODZONE JUL/AUG 2021'