BEN STARNS Marketing Manager

Topwater. There is something really rewarding about raising a fish on top, then tricking it into biting a well-presented bait. I love nothing more than putting in countless casts over the course of a day in the search for a good fish. While watching my lure sliding over the surface, I am emersed in the moment patiently waiting for a follow and there isn’t a care in the world. When everything comes together, and all the effort finally culminates in a big fish inhaling the lure on the surface, that is something truly special.

It goes without saying that my favourite species to target in New Zealand is the Yellowtail Kingfish. Kingfish have an incredible amount of sheer power which results in some absolutely explosive battles using heavy topwater equipment and high drag settings, often in very shallow water. When combined with stunning visual bites on the surface, they offer a unique and exciting challenge that keeps me coming back for more time and time again.

Being Auckland based my favourite fishing location is without a doubt Great Barrier Island. Surrounded with several smaller islands and kilometers of vast and contrasting coastlines, Barrier has an incredibly diverse marine environment that offers an abundance of angling opportunities. Situated in the outer Hauraki Gulf, it is a relatively remote destination and deserves the utmost respect from all visiting anglers. I am very conscious about practicing catch and release when fishing here in an effort to act sustainably and help preserve the fishery.

I have always loved fishing, ever since I was old enough to hold a fishing rod – I was obsessed with catching fish. That’s never changed, only now the fish are a bit bigger. For me fishing is something really hard to explain, it is engaging and rewarding yet at times can also be incredibly frustrating. There is something satisfying about searching for fish, trying to understand where they are, why they are there, and identifying the recurring patterns. Over and above this, it is my escape. When I’m out on the water I don’t think about anything else – I have a singular focus and objective. I think there is something really special in both the simplicity and complexity of fishing.