b'ROCK FISHING The Goldmine and descended the cliff Leaving school and heading to Aucklandusing an old rope to assist our descent.to study and then work in the financeWe set up the gear and I got to puttingIt got me into the kelp, industry, I never lost my passion forout berley.This was key, so I had read fishing.It was in my early twenties afterin the articles with attracting fish intoit must be a snapper I reading all the stories about rock fishingyour area. thought. It took some time for moocher snapper and kings that IWe had been fishing all morning and decided to try it. only landed a couple of kahawai onand care to get it out, but I recall doing the research (no internetpilchards and not a snapper in sight.Ionce I did, I had a fat 3-4kg or FB fishing groups back then) andcast an unweighted pillie way out and decided on a road trip over Easter upsuddenly it took off at speed, I pulledsnapper on the rocks!to the top of the Coromandel with aback and hooked up to a good fish.It got few mates.They were all good friendsme into the kelp, it must be a snapperstepped up and clumsily secured the big from Dargaville who I still kept in touchI thought. It took some time and caresnapper at our feet with the gaff.Plenty with, and the plan was to stay at theto get it out, but once I did, I had a fatof yahooing followed with a solid 5-6kg campground at Fletchers Bay. 3-4kg snapper on the rocks!I was prettysnapper in the bag.We convoyed up in vehicles and hadchuffed with that as my first rock- We didnt catch anymore fish after that rock fishing gear, bait, berley, tents, anbased snapper. action, and we decided to head back to inflatable boat, and dive gear!We set upI rebaited and cast to the same spot,camp after midday and chill out with a the tents at Fletchers Bay and enjoyedand I was soon hooked up to an evenfew beers.Arriving back at the campsite, beers as the sun was setting.The placebigger fish. As I got it near the rocks anda local asked how we got on, so we was busy with campers and boatiessaw it, the anxiety went up as I yelled forshowed him the fish in the bin. He said everywhere, it was a popular place. someone to gaff it.The boys could seegood job and suggested we should enter In the morning we awoke early to headmy energised state and werent too keenthe fishing contest that was happening down the cliffs to a spot the locals calledin fear of losing the fish.Scott Bibbythat day as the weigh-in wasnt till 4pm.Scott, Kelly, and Matt Bridge on the rocks fishing along from Fletchers Bay.The writer with the Fletchers Bay camp winning trophy for heaviest snapper. /FISHINGINGODZONE69'