How can a spearo explain the adrenalin generated upon pulling up to a dive spot and witnessing the sight of a distinct weedline cutting clean, white sand? Winter had offered a window, just a single crisp day, and a Saturday at that to have a crack at a wonderful Northland spot. Ross aka "Kina" and I had been plotting a dive for a while and fresh from my 4.30am start, I was feeling good about our dive spot decision. Esther aka "The Executioner" managed to round a ledge and bail up a pretty decent snapper by all accounts, only a split second decision delaying her shot and the ensuing fight lead to a parting of ways between spear and fish. Her guestures and estimations would have had the fish between a 7 and 9kg range. Unlike the fish, she was gutted Kina and I managed to nearly collide on the weedline moving along the shallow edges. Although the winter water was crisp, this location held healthy schools of juvenile kahawai, koheru and mackerel. The weed broke in patches holding large schools of baitfish, surrounded by blue mao mao and drifting butterfly perch and demoiselles. Goatfish in numbers guarded the weedline edge and porae swaggered along oblivious to the world around them This had all the right elements and a work up of kahawai soon set up a group of spearos on a boat fishing behind me - what's up with bringing fishing rods on dive trips? Split loyalties are concerning. I kept an eye out for kingies while breathing up and pulling a few deeper dives. The deepest rewarded me with an opportunity to shoot a decent john dory only for it to go "matrix" on me. Gun to the left, it faded left. Gun to the right ... same story. Righto - righto - running out of patience, time and precious air - a head shot it was. Nice. Hovering over the weed a few renegade squiddies pulled past - grilled squid for dinner tomorrow night. I managed to skillfully miss another goodie from a few hovering away - need to get my eye in on the shooting range. Snooping a section of coast that lent itself to the dark art, a few panny snapper were left to grow, and some bigger models just plain "left" before steel application. This place was going off. Kina picked up a nice JD, then worked a favourite patch of boulders and drew the attention of a few rogue winter kings landing a true street fighter that cruised past at Mach 2. After iki it still fought at the back of the boat on the trip back. Check out the "head shot"... shows the speed this fella was going. - Snoop

I thought they were protected! or How could you shoot something so cute! - Godfather