b'SPEARFISHINGThe kelp offers good cover to approach fish.Stewart Island is known for its amazing fish life but with the rich abundance of food also comes the predators, were they really a problem? I was soon to find out.Beginning my trip at the local pub I spun some yarns with a few of the locals over a cold handle of Speights. Trading stories of my north island adventures about diving deep pinnacles and dropLarge paua are everywhere to be found.offs they all shared the same view.If I think it looks like a good spot to dive, dont. It didnt take long to figure outstory. Stay in the shallows, get yourSaying farewell, I was halfway out the what they meant, great white sharks.fish out of the water and avoid anydoor when old mate yelled out, oh and Stewart Island is a great white mecca,open ocean and currents I was toldby the way watch out for the sealions the cold currents, deep water, andoften.Listening to the stories of bigthey are probably more dangerous than abundance of food make it the perfectwhites, chewing on the back of boats,the sharks, not knowing whether he was environment for white pointers to livemotors, and the story of the sealionjoking or not (turns out he was not).I left and feed, something I wouldnt normallywith an enormous chunk taken out ofthe pub with invaluable local intel and a worry about in the north island. it hobbling around the beach just theplan to explore the stunning coastline in Down here however, it was a differentother day, I didnt need to be told twice!the coming days.54FISHING IN GODZONE JULY/AUGUST 2022'