KINGFISH FISHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15551, 7 March 1914, Page 11

KINGFISH FISHING.

A Sufferer and a Ratepayer. • Queen Street.

Sir,—As kingfish-fishing is certain to become, in lip near future, our most fascinating pastime, and to attract visitors 'fom all over the world, any information 'Plating thereto may be acceptable, hence t" e present !i.-t!er. • The kingtiah (Seviola lalandii), known by [lie Mauris as haku, rnakumaku, or wareV?'6 ;i , is fairly plentiful all round the ■£<<rth Island, but especially so on the r-ast Toast, and the Bay of Plenty in particular. It becomes Jovy numerous in the harbours during the months of November and December, when I have known its fierce onslaught to drive county's' 3 thousands of the horse mackerel P, jti'achtr.us trachuvus) or scad (known by •■ho Maoris as koheriherj, koheru, or hauashore in the Mangonui and Tauratiga Harbours, this fish being its natural $ii food. The Bay of Islands and about Cape Jirett, The Frenchman (Whangarei) Heads, "'iiangaroii Tauranga, and Katikati Heads, all round Motiti or Flat Island, VI hale Island, Porirua Harbour and the 4. north head of Manuka, (Paratutae) are J sure fishing grounds. Hut Schooner Rock, situated midway between Motunau (Slate S| Island, off Mnketu Point) and Motiti is the ftrue home of the kingfish, as its name, Motuhaku or Kingfish Island, implies. ■W i 8 Kma bo found in. vast shoals, at pull seasons. I have been out there with |P Wo 56ft • whale boats and seen over 90 k.

caught in a couple of houre. We used j huge hapuka hooks, window-sash weight com for lines, and horse mackerel, the natural food of the haku, for bait- Only weariness and blistered hands prevented us from overloading our boats. The largest specimens are to be obtained about Paepaeaotea, a pinnacle rock lying a mile or so N, W. of Vf hite Island. My late brother, Major SLiir, and the late Captain Baker, of the Staffa, caught one there in the seventies, weighing over 1201b, and I have frequently seen them hanging in Fernandez shop on Lambton Quay, Wellington, marked from 1001b to 1121b weight, which had been netted in Porirua Harbour. The only rival to this sport is fishing for the Calif ornian tuna or the tarpon of Florida waters, but the late General Hogg and other well-known sportsmen have informed me that these fish are so rarely landed that a man who has caught one is considered a rara avis. Whereas on our coast one need never fail to make a haul of liaku. Before concluding, I should say that the kingfish is not particularly good eating, being somewhat dry. In my opinion the best mode of cooking is as follows :Cut in fairly thick slices, particularly the underneath part, moisten in good vinegar, dredge with flour, pepper and salt, place in an enamel saucepan with tiglit.-litting lid, add a liberal quantity of butter or good lard, and an chopped —and a litMe water or. preferably, milk, and cook for half-an-liour, or to Buit " Gilbert MaIB Auckland, March 4, 1914.