Waitarere Beach Fishing Club July 2010 meeting.
About 110 members attended a fish cook-up, presented by various club members. This proved to be a very interesting evening.
Joe Gardiner and Whenua Lewis cooked and demonstrated the preparation of eels.
Ted Tutt smoked eels.
Pete “Yeti” Hume demonstrated his preparation of kawhai for deep frying etc. (thin small pieces with the blood meat removed)
Chris Judd deep fried gurnard in batter using Granny Faye’s Commercial batter No. 3.
Gordon Whitlock prepared a fish pie and groper pate.
I am sure everyone enjoyed the very tasty and various fish dishes.
Paul Sellars (tutor for Levin Learning Centre cooking school and ex head chef and principal of Rick Stein’s Cooking School) who had earlier in the year demonstrated various fish dishes with some of his pupils, was most impressed with the quality of the food and was seeking some of the recipes! It was good to see you again Paul and we are looking forward to your cooking classes for us later in the year when your time permits.
A number of members demonstrated Kontiki fishing to 15 members and their tutors from the youth instructional group ‘Life to the Max’. Fishing conditions were marginal however we managed to catch a few fish which were filleted and they were able to have a taste of fresh fish.
This proved to be an enjoyable experience for club members who are willing to repeat the experience in the warmer summer weather.
The weather has improved considerably over the past week. Good catches of gurnard and terakihi have been taken from the boats while the Kontiki fishermen are getting large numbers of red cod and tope – spiny dogs have been at a minimum.
A reminder to fishermen setting nets – it is illegal to use stakes (wooden or waratah standards). Nets must have named floats at each end and be anchored. A staked net was found at low tide the other day – unmarked. The waratahs are a danger to boats, surfies and Kontiki fishermen.
Fish of the month for July is red cod.
Next meeting is at the Surf Club 7.00pm 12 August.
DOC officer - fishing regulations and reminder to whitebaiters.
Whitebait season starts Sunday 15 August 2010.
