Nomads of the Tide

Nomads of the Tide - Sea-run Trout

Sea run brown trout are an important and often under-rated fishing resource in the estuarine influenced waters of New Zealand. Zane Mirfin investigates some of the issues, biology, habits, and fishing methods surrounding the mystery of sea runners.

The large silver-sided trout had fought a magnificent battle in the dark estuarine waters of the Waimea River, but was now conceding defeat. The young boy bent his spinning rod in a tight semi-circle as he pulled the mighty fish onto the edge of a steep, muddy bank recently worked by the local catchment board in the name of flood control. Glistening in the torchlight, the trout flapped the mud and water in one last valiant attempt at escape.

The boy’s father eased down the bank to grasp the fish by the gills when suddenly he slipped, skidded, and somersaulted into the fast-flowing dark waters. Rolling over the fish and the nylon, he was thrown into the river and swept downstream. Wet and shaken, he scrambled ashore to be met by a very upset young angler, who at the time would have rather he had drowned. I was that boy and my trophy sea trout was gone.

Sea runners, estuarine trout, sea run brownies, chrome heads, or reel screamers -- call them what you will. They are an enduring enigma of the New Zealand freshwater fishing scene. Ignored, under-rated, and under appreciated by most licenceholders, they provide consistent sport for those prepared to put in the time and effort to learn and understand their habits and behaviours.

To this day, the full extent of the sea run trout resource is unknown and unmapped. Scientific funding of salmonid studies within New Zealand is limited and the influence of the estuarine and tidal components on our modern trout fisheries are woefully inadequate and little understood by fisheries managers. What a tragedy then, that our Government continues to milk millions of dollars per annum from GST spent by recreational anglers, hunters, and tourists on fuel, accommodation, equipment etc in the pursuit of our fish and game resources, but is unwilling to invest even a small portion back into the scientific study, management and improvement of the resource that adds value to our economy and to our lives.

When my great great grandfather, Captain John Walker, became the first white man to successfully cross the Buller River bar into what is now Westport in 1859, there were no trout present. Those on board his cutter, ‘Supply’, chartered by the Nelson Provincial Government to transport the surveyors John and James Rochfort in their exploration of the West Coast, could never have imagined that the Buller River would one day become one of the great trout fisheries of the world. Within decades the rivers of the West Coast, and indeed the whole of New Zealand, were being populated by the efforts of the trout themselves. Repeated releases of trout since 1867 were probably unnecessary as sea run coastal fish would have eventually populated most waterways naturally without human intervention. Take a look at any map of the North and South Islands and the rivers that flow to the sea and you will soon realise the possible extent of the estuarine trout resource.

Anglers and scientists have always debated whether sea run trout are a separate species to brown trout and this debate is still going on within New Zealand. Dr John Hayes (personal comment) noted that “anglers should be careful about jumping to conclusions based on assumptions that may or may not be correct”. Just because a fish is silver and caught near tidal waters may not mean it is a true sea run fish. However, taking another view, it is entirely possible that sea run or estuarine trout have more influence on New Zealand trout populations and fisheries than previously thought. Indeed G. Stokell, in Freshwater Fishes of New Zealand (1955), wrote that “there is ample evidence that both river dwelling fish and migratory fish have been present in New Zealand waters since trout were first introduced”.
Tony Orman, in The Sport in Fishing (1979), asked more questions and devoted an interesting chapter to the question of whether two separate strains exist. His sources, author George Ferris and Dr Donald Scott of the University of Otago, were convinced of it, while others were not. It is an interesting intellectual debate, but most probably of little practical value to most keen anglers just wanting to go fishing.

Bob McDowall’s Trout in New Zealand Waters (1984) is a fabulous book and a must read for every angler. McDowall notes that “a widespread characteristic of salmonids is their habit of spending a phase of their life in the sea -- a characteristic also retained in many of their southern hemisphere counterparts (whitebait and smelt)”. He further notes that “fish that leave the sea to spawn in freshwater are described as anadromous” and that “salmonids are very flexible in their anadromy, and in many species there are anadromous stocks and non-anadromous stocks in which the sea-migration is discarded and the whole lifecycle is completed in freshwater rivers or lakes”.

McDowall confirms that our brown stocks are of very mixed origin. “The habits and habitats of brown trout in New Zealand are as variable as their colouration. Our stocks are a real mixture of European varieties – sea run fish, river fish, lake fish, and from several countries including UK, Germany and Italy. The stock differences that have developed in Europe over the millennia have broken down in New Zealand as these formerly separated stocks have been bought together and shifted around New Zealand at the whim of fisheries managers…The way the various stocks have become blended in the New Zealand environment may be evidence that there is just a single species involved.”

Tom Kroos, a Nelson-based freshwater fisheries and environmental expert (also formerly of Otago Fish & Game) is adamant that there are different strains of fish in some rivers. Kroos uses the example of the Pomahaka, which he drift dived for Fish & Game on a number of occasions. “The sea run fish were much larger than the residents and arrived late summer and autumn,” he told me recently.

There is clear evidence of brown trout being caught at sea off the New Zealand coast. McDowall states that “some brown trout wander far and wide at sea, but how many do is unknown”. He goes on to mention a published case (1983) of illegally caught and sold trout that appeared to involve sea run browns caught by trawlers at rivermouths along the West Coast.

Type the words ‘sea run trout’ into the internet search engines and you can read about the rich history and value of sea run fish internationally. Any number of specialist fishing travel agencies can organise lavish trips in pursuit of the noble sea run brown. Exotic locales such as Tierra del Fuego and Rio Grande in Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia have become all the rage, with South America offering the best sea run brown trout fishing in the world today, largely because they manage their resource so well. With better management New Zealand could have a far better resource for local and tourist anglers. Type ‘sea run trout New Zealand’ into the search engines and it is more difficult to find anyone advertising significant commercial guiding services here for sea run trout, other than a mention here and there.

There is clearly an obsession with local and overseas anglers for fishing the clear-watered headwater fisheries of New Zealand. For example, in the book, New Zealand’s Top Trout Fishing Waters, by John Kent and Patti Magnano Madsen (1997), sea trout and estuarine fishing barely rate a mention. Clearly, the estuarine waters are not highly rated nationally, yet this stands in contrast to other historical fisheries studies by NIWA and others showing some of the South Island’s lower river reaches, such as the Waimakariri, Waitaki, Rangitata, and Rakaia are statistically very important for recreational anglers. Sea trout may be the poor cousin of salmon, but they are an important part of the angling catch.
Sea runners can grow to some impressive sizes with 20kg fish possible. South American sea run fish at Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina are regularly caught in the 10-15kg range. One of best photos of a big New Zealand estuarine fish is from Rex Forrester’s 1979 book, Trout Fishing in New Zealand, with a fish very close to 9kg (20lb) from Southland. McDowall (1984) features an 11.25kg brown caught in the Oreti River, Southland. If my memory is correct, the same angler tragically drowned while setting flounder nets in the Oreti estuary some years later.

John Hayes and Les Hill, noted Fish & Game magazine contributors, in their recent book, The Artful Science of Trout Fishing, note that “much of the best sea run brown trout fishing is to be had in New Zealand’s most southern rivers, such as the Oreti”. This is because “in colder climes the fish forsake the cold rivers for the relatively warm ocean and its greater food resources”. As Hayes notes: “One thing is certain: while at sea or in the estuary, they grow extremely fast.”
Hayes (2005) also tells us that trout motivation to “migrate to the sea is hard to ascertain because they can’t tell us”. “However, some form of migration at some stage in the lifecycle is a common feature in salmonid populations. It can be thought of as occurring in response to some shortage of a resource necessary for survival. For example, juvenile trout outgrow the small nursery streams they occupy as fry and need to find deeper, faster water with sufficient space, cover, and food. Depending on the availability of these resources, the trout may need to migrate to the deeper, lower reaches of rivers, to lakes or even the ocean. Many of the rivers on the east coast of the South Island suffer from periodic summer droughts, and the snow fed, braided rivers are flood-prone and fairly lean trout habitats. It may be more than coincidental that some of the best sea run brown trout fisheries in the country occur along this part of the coastline. Perhaps trout from these rivers escape the seasonally unfavourable freshwater habitat by taking refuge in the ocean?”

Forrester noted that the rivers of Westland are “under-fished because the rivers travel only a short distance to the sea, with a fast dropoff. They rise quickly and are susceptible to flooding and scouring.” Herein, perhaps, lies an explanation for the prevalence of many rivers to carry most trout in their lower reaches due to hostile habitat, heavy sediment loads, and limited food resources.

McDowall (1984) backs up this statement by noting: “In addition to their movements in and out of rivermouths seeking food, sea-living browns move into rivers and upstream to spawn. Like all other trout, they are tied to freshwater for reproduction and have to return there to lay their eggs. How these sea run fish relate to freshwater resident populations, whether they interbreed, or maintain discrete breeding stocks isn’t known. Many anglers consider that the populations in the upstream waters are part of the same populations and possibly they are.”
Taking these comments further, as a professional fishing guide I have always wondered where some of the trophy fish come from that turn up in marginal water. Many of these fish are fresh, bright fish in beautiful condition that have come from somewhere. Some you could swear still have sea lice marks on the fins.
Let’s just hope the trout don’t face the same problems the salmon have had with poor sea conditions and habitat degradation. I wonder sometimes how many young trout end up spread on irrigator’s paddocks along with the salmon fry?

Are there true sea run rainbows in New Zealand? Taupo rainbows are often described as steelhead, but in my opinion are secondary to the true steelhead runs I have fished in the United States and Canada. Two trips to British Columbia, catching large sea run steelhead (some 8-10kg), was some of the best fishing of my life. Normal trout fishing has never been the same since and steelhead fever has fuelled my interest in sea run browns ever since.

Rainbows are definitely caught in estuarine areas at times, with Mirfin et al in Brown Trout Heaven – Fly Fishing New Zealand’s South Island, (2000) noting: “Rainbows aren’t known for their sea run behaviour in New Zealand, although it is possible to catch smaller school rainbows in estuarine tidal-influenced stretches of the Pelorus River in Marlborough.” Since that time, I have caught rainbows in the tidal reaches of the Waitaki and wondered how much saltwater they can actually handle. The past few seasons have seen some nice rainbows, including one double figure fish, turning up in rivers not previously associated with rainbow trout. How did they get there? I don’t know, but a coastal migration is always a possibility.

Brown trout are numerous around rivermouths, estuaries, lagoons, and the lower tidal-influenced reaches of rivers. The best time to encounter them in these places is always during the spring and summer when seasonal food sources, such as whitebait, mullet, bullies, smelt, crabs, immature flounder, and other small crustaceans, are in abundance. Trout will live in estuarine waters all year, but they are most common when food is in abundance. Smelt and whitebait can be prolific as they congregate on their annual spawning runs and enable trout to put on significant weight and condition in a short space of time. Trout from estuarine areas, to be known henceforth as sea runners, can be great fish to eat. Prodigious girths, orange fillets, and clean, hard flesh characterise sea trout. Baked, grilled, fried, or smoked, it can be delicious. Be responsible with your killing, some areas I fish are popular with anglers and certain individuals can easily kill more than their share, especially if they fish night after night. The sea runner resource is not unlimited. Indeed in many parts of the world, catch and release is mandatory.

Most fish are not huge and are commonly 1-3kg. Anything larger than this is a real trophy from my experience. Such fish are silvery, firm, and covered in fine black spots, although colouration varies between rivers. McDowall notes the prevalence of an olive back on sea runners. When these fish migrate upstream, they will often travel in pods and can be diabolical fish to spot against the clear gravel bottoms of alluvial waterways. One time in a West Coast river, I observed a school of several hundred large fish moving en masse. Sea runners? I thought so.

Many of these fish will also have a dark caudal fin (tail) in the water, which can be a distinguishing feature before capture. These fish can be exceptional fighters, ripping out line with explosive downstream runs -- reel screamers in every sense of the word!

Fishing for sea trout has historically been heavily influenced by British writings. I own some, but am considering extending my mortgage to buy more classics editions someday! One of the best books on the topic, The Book of the Sea Trout, was written by Hamish Stuart (1917), who coined the phrase “Sea trout are estuary fish -- nomads of the tides to whom all watery ways are familiar”.

Written in a pompous, arrogant, and absolutely opinionated style, it is a great read and I just love some of his descriptions of the act of fishing for these noble fish. “The charm of the tidal waters is their glorious uncertainty; you never know the moment when there will be a sudden change in your luck and in the moods of the fish.” Or how about this…“A long-arrayed battalion of grey clouds gathered to guard the sun in his going down, and from under the shadow of their shields he sent long shafts of light until Ben Koinnich blazed with a vivid and tremulous yellow, changing as the shafts bit deep, to a lurid red -- a hill of blood in a dark-blue sky, a hill of blood in a purple sea”

Stuart’s passion for sea trout is evident and he certainly caught and butchered thousands of them in his lifetime, mostly fishing from a rowboat with a long rod and a team of flies on Scottish and Irish lochs that were stocked with tidal pulses of mostly smaller sea trout under 2kg, but sometimes larger. I’ve always wondered about whether this technique would work here. Three or four flies are attached to a leader and cast across a rippling stretch of water, always with the wind, and then drawn back to create a wake. Irishman George Ferris, of Fly Fishing in New Zealand fame (1954), recounted fishing successfully in Ireland with these techniques but noted that “ …methods with the wet fly, which if practiced here, would, I fear, be completely useless for any other purpose than the putting down of the trout for the rest of the day”.
In the early days of New Zealand sea runner fishing, 19th century British fly patterns reigned supreme, while the early 20th century saw Kiwi innovation click into gear.

New Zealand flytiers have a rich tradition of imitating baitfish. Two excellent books that highlight this flytying heritage are Keith Draper’s Trout Flies in New Zealand (1971) and Derek Quilliam’s The Complete Guide to New Zealand Trout Lures (1999). If you are a history buff who likes to read about the regional development of fly patterns, then these are good places to start. Perhaps the most specific sea run trout patterns were developed in Canterbury for use on Lake Ellesmere, a huge coastal lagoon and tributaries where once huge quantities of large trout were caught. Unfortunately, the lower reaches of our valued waterways and estuaries have borne the brunt of human devastation, development, and pollution over recent decades and many once great fisheries have imploded into mere shadows of their former glory.
Since the 1980s, American patterns have become more prevalent, as overseas companies began marketing and dominating the local fly scene. What most local anglers probably don’t realise is that the strength of the American dollar even dictates how much fishing pressure is applied on New Zealand waters by overseas anglers each year. The high New Zealand dollar has depressed tourism fishing effort over recent years, resulting in halcyon fishing for recreational anglers in most districts.

I have never been as successful on sea runners as I would have liked, but, hey, isn’t that always the way. I’ve fished for them all over the South Island, in Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast, North Canterbury, Central South Island, and even Fiordland. During this time, I have had moments of glory and days of dismal failure. Often, this is because of the nature of the beast, but also what makes fishing for sea runners so much fun. Part of the challenge is their unpredictable nature, the environment they inhabit, and patiently waiting for that next savage hit to send the adrenaline levels soaring into the stratosphere.

Sea runners are an arrogant, savage, and predatory creature, best pursued during the change of light, or the hours of darkness. It is a good idea to have prior daylight knowledge of where you are fishing, especially where river crossings and tidal flows are involved. A good flashlight, preferably a headlight for hands-free operation, is an essential item for any serious angler. High river flows, especially when falling after a flood, are great times to fish and trout will likely be active all day in discoloured waters. I view fishing for sea runners as a social sport and like to fish with other anglers, for cameraderie and for safety. Always try to avoid full moon periods and target dark nights with no wind.

Eels are an occupational hazard of night fishing. Toughen up, they won’t hurt you, but also make sure you don’t turn on your headlight when you feel them bumping into your waders either.

Sea runners are active fish and can turn up pretty much anywhere, especially after dark. On larger rivers, you will have to fish wherever you can get at the river. Where the first major rapid around or above the tidal push occurs is always a great place to encounter sea runners, as this is a natural trapping area for ascending baitfish, such as smelt, whitebait, and mullet. Trout will also be present near heavy cover, such as willows, snags, or holding in deeper channels and undercuts. In smaller rivers, certain pools will always hold more fish than others due to any number of factors, including depth, current, inflowing creeks, or springs. There is no substitute for experience and time spent on the water.

Estuarine fish are fickle creatures that are always there because of the food. If there are limited quantities of baitfish around, then it is unlikely that there will be large quantities of trout present. Sea runners are notorious for being present one week and gone the next. You can be doing everything right, but if no fish are present then the catching will be lean. Don’t give up, try again next week. Water temperatures are very important for baitfish, with smelt and whitebait staying at sea until river temperatures are optimum. Spring and early summer are always the best time, but each year can be different.

Some areas can be quite popular, so you may have to share the fishing. Etiquette differs around the country, so if in doubt, ask before you wade in and upset another angler. Some rivalry can exist between whitebaiters and anglers, but most of the time relations are rosy and good information can be gained from grizzled oldtimers frequenting riverbanks in their caravans. Some even combine whitebaiting with fishing when the ‘bait are slow. I remember one evening this spring in my local river, moving aside because it was getting a bit crowded in the pool we had started fishing. Wading upstream, I occupied a pool that another angler was just departing. Starting at the top of the run, I had a few casts, before the water suddenly came alive, like someone was throwing bowling balls into the water all around me in the half light. I just knew I was going to hook fish and I was not disappointed -- seven lovely sea runners hooked before the river became still and it was time to go. Interestingly, nothing happened in the pool below where my companions and other anglers were fishing. I’d rather have luck than skill anytime!

The estuarine areas of our lowland rivers are perhaps some of our most accessible freshwater fisheries, close to civilisation, and mostly having excellent public access provisions. Such areas may not have the visual appeal of some of our better known headwater fisheries, but can offer some fabulous angling opportunities with glorious sunrises and sunsets within a short drive from our homes.

Sea run trout can be caught by all manner of methods. Gill nets and spear-gunning are probably some of the most successful methods and are a serious problem in many estuarine areas. Set netting is a significant problem for trout and Fish & Game recommends all nets flow with the current, instead of perpendicular to the current flow to minimise salmonid by-catch. All accidentally net caught trout must be returned to the water, dead or alive. Don’t be afraid to call the authorities if you observe illegal behaviour. It’s your resource they are plundering.

By legal means, fly fishing, spinning, trolling, bait fishing, even jigging will all work, given the right application in the right situation. Being adaptable is the key to success, especially if introducing young anglers to the sport.

Standard fly gear will work fine, although on larger waterways heavier gear can be best. I commonly use 10ft rods in six and eight weight configurations, but friend, Dave Heine of Dobson, has gone one better by routinely using a 15ft double-handed spey rod to improve distance and casting efficiency.

Floating lines will often work well, especially if you can hear or see fish working the surface. Bow waves, swirling, and jumping fish are sure signs to fish the surface. This past season, Clayton Nicholl, and I had some epic fishing on the falling tide from a boat. The brownies were in full sight herding bait fish into tight bait balls, then charging through the middle, savaging the small fish. Showering clusters of bait were throwing themselves up on the shore and some charging trout even managed to beach themselves in the feeding frenzy. It was difficult to strip the fly fast enough to feel some hits, as the trout charged and chewed the fly, often veering off to take a real fish. Using a 200 grain sink tip with a 3ft leader worked best, slapping the water hard, to get their attention, and then strippingas fast as we could. It was sight fishing at its best with well-conditioned, hook-jawed specimens, arrogantly and superbly going about their business, as only sea run browns can.

When the fish are deeper, as they frequently are in larger and deeper waterways, you will need to go down after them. This is where sinking and sink tip lines work well. I’ve found 200-300 grain lines very useful in many circumstances, but also like using a slow sinking intermediate line at times, depending on what I’m trying to achieve. I’ve even been field testing a glow-in-the-dark flyline for Jim Vincent of RIO Flylines recently, fishing flies dead-drift.

Trout will take a swinging fly, but I prefer an active fishing method, giving the streamer fly plenty of movement. However you fish the fly, be prepared for some savage hits and screaming reels -- the closest thing we have to real steelheading in many rivers throughout the country. Lowland rivers have plenty of snags in the form of willow trees, old cars, and gorse bushes bought down with the last flood, so be prepared to lose lots of terminal tackle. I like to use flies that are fast and easy to tie to avoid tears when the inevitable snag occurs. Deep nymphing likely ripples and currents with Hare & Copper and beadhead nymphs can also be effective during quiet daytime periods.

Perennial fly pattern favourites are the Matuka series with black, olive and yellow Matukas (Parsons’ Glory / Dorothy/ etc) being favourites, but rabbit lures, killer style lures, woolly buggers, bucktails, or whatever you want to throw at them, will all work. Try streamer flies, using plenty of krystal flash, weight, dumbbell eyes, even glass rattles, if the fishing is slow. It can make a difference. Large black lures are very popular for fishing in eastern waters with a milky glacial tinge, as they present a strong silhouette underwater.

Use strong tippet, the fish don’t care! I prefer 4-6kg Maxima nylon when streamer fishing. With heavy line, you can often pull the snag out of the river, or even straighten your hook. But at least you will still have your fly. Strong line gives you a margin of error too, when fighting a heavy fish in snag-prone waters after dark.

Canterbury Lure Rods for salmon and trout are the way to go for serious sea runner action in many fast flowing, alluvial rivers. Such equipment and methods are mentioned in Draper’s Angling in New Zealand (1978), Jack Bryne’s Salmon Country (1980), and a John Morton article in Trout & Salmon Sport in New Zealand (1980). Morton wrote: “Not only is it effective on salmon, but on sea run trout as well. This last season two small Grey Ghost lures on a deep run under the willows took two trout together. The lure rod also came into its own in the Waimakariri this season in no small way, and proved so effective that there was a run on large Black Prince lures in the sporting shops.”

Ross Millichamp, in Almost Flyfishing!, a chapter in Bob South’s recent book Masters on Flyfishing (2004), discusses flyfishing on the east coast for anadromous fish and notes: “The problem with flyfishing is the method of delivery, rather than the fly itself. Canterbury anglers have developed a very pragmatic way of getting down.” This method works best in narrow fast guts and is a great way to combat deep, fast, milky water, and howling nor’west winds. Sometimes standard flyfishing can become a chore and you need to use techniques that are going to work, saving time, energy, and frustration by getting you to the bottom fast and efficiently.

Millichamp, in Salmon Fever (1997), devotes a small section to sea run trout. “One of the pleasant aspects of lure fishing is the chance of catching the sea run trout that are common in the lower reaches of most salmon rivers over the summer months. Change to a smaller fly and you are in business.”

Spin fishing is a great way to cover a lot of water, especially in larger rivers. It can save a lot of frustration with casting woes and is a great way to get younger anglers keen on the sport. Any number of lures will work, but lures with black and gold probably out-fish everything else. I also like to use a Silver Toby, Rapala lure, or a small silver ticer with a red plastic tag when in tidal waters to imitate small silveries and other baitfish.

Trolling from a boat works well on larger waterways, especially when the tide is pushing. Large lagoons and inaccessible channels often need to be fished in this manner, but check local angling regulations to see what the rules are first. Lead lines, or standard spinning gear work just fine. Even a sinker and swivel, with a metre long trace and streamer fly will work. This rig is a great way to cast and fish from shore too.

Smaller motors work best for trolling and I like a small electric positioning motor I own for a silent assault. Putting in some muscle by rowing is always a great option, putting plenty of motion into trolled lures and flies. Whitebaiters on Golden Bay’s Aorere this past October noted that most of the sea runners were caught by youngsters using rowboats because there was no motor to scare the flighty trout.

Drifting downstream, or with the tide, using soft plastic jigs and/or bait is certainly worth a go in the larger waterways like the Waimakariri, Buller, or any number of North Island rivers.

If you are ever fishing near the surf, boating or wading, be very wary of surging waves, currents, and undertow. Make sure you are wearing some form of flotation device.

Baits worth trying include whole pilchards, smelt, bullies, mullet, and the ever-reliable worm. Fish right on the bottom and use multiple hook rigs, but be sure to check your local regulations first. Fishing from shore with bait can be great evening sport, reclining in a deck chair with a cold beer waiting for a nibble. Use a small sinker, swivel, and trace with a #6-10 hook. Fish will cruise the bottom and will pick up your dead baitfish headfirst, or a gob of worms, usually hooking themselves in the process. This is a great method for getting youngsters into a fish or two, but doesn’t work so well getting close to dark when the eels come out to play.

The great thing about fishing tidal areas for trout is that kahawai are often present, especially during the summer.
Kahawai are a great fighting saltwater pelagic fish species that travel in shoals and are voracious feeders. They can be caught by any method and can often brighten up a tough trout day. They will take on the incoming or outgoing tide and are great fun on light tackle, being very tasty bled when first caught and either smoked, or made into fish cakes and pies. Some kahawai grow to prodigious sizes, commonly 2-4kg, and are a great recreational asset for anglers. Kahawai fight differently to most trout and sometimes can become a curse when in large numbers.

Zane Grey, when he penned these timeless words in 1928, was describing an Oregon steelhead, but could well have been writing about a sea run brown: “(The trout) lay flat on the gravel. I stared longing for the art of the painter, so as to perpetuate the exquisite hues and contours of that fish. All trout are beautiful. But this one of sea species seemed more than beautiful. He gaped, he quivered. What a long broad shape! He was all muscle. He looked exactly what he was, a fish spirit incarnate, fresh run from the sea, with opal and pearl hues of such delicate loveliness that no pen or brush could portray them. He bought the sea with him and had taken on the beauty of the river. He had a wild savage head, game as that of an eagle, jaws of a wolf, eyes of black jewel, full of mystic fire”

After close to 30 years on angling for sea runners, I’m still waiting for my first double figure fish. I won’t be able to blame my father next time, but the time, effort, and dedication required will make success all the more sweet. Regardless of size, getting up close and personal with a reel screamer is undoubtedly one of angling’s most intimate and electric moments.

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