Our mate Al Simson recently had a film crew from an Austraia TV show Hook, Line and Sinker
Al helped them onto some Permit and before long they had him angling as well.  Al said "Last trip I guided a film crew for the week. Both the presenters got Permit. The show will air next week in Australia.  There were hundreds of fish around. The school that I hooked mine out of would have had 200 fish in it all tailing at the same time. What a sight. Lots of fish tailing on one of the flats each day, but were really hard to fool. Here are some photos of  Permit that were tailing at my feet.  I decided to put down the rod and get some shots."

For the complete pictorial click full story below

A new pending record for Mutton Snapper may have been set on June 24th in Cozumel by local resident Nassim Joaquin. The fish of 11lb was weighed and released by Nassim following the  International Game Fish Assocation rules. This was Nassim's first time doing a live release for a world record application. If the submission is accepted by the IGFA this fish beats the current record of 8lb which is also held by Joaquin. 

Had a few emails with our man in Cape York this week. Al sent us some pictures and now a short report to follow up on his Batfish on fly story. Read the whole story to see the photos and report.
Below is Al's latest Batfish on fly

Here is a new way to fish in New Zealand . See the video by clicking Full Story

We invite you to take a fishing trip and discover our magnificent cruising region, all within easy reach of New Zealand’s bustling Auckland city, with our Saltwater Angling Escapes.

We offer all-inclusive angling escapes which cater for both Anglers and Non-anglers and include first class excursions led by expert guides who travel with you and uncover the mysteries of the region’s wildlife.  As well as going on specialised expeditions like trekking, kayaking and panoramic helicopter flights over the area.

Whilst the anglers are enjoying their fishing trip on our guided tender boats, our non-angling guests can luxuriate in a gourmet picnic ashore, relax with a good book in the library or laze on a steamer deck chair in the sun... you decide...

At  the recent Fred Hall Show here in California we were introduced to a new product that I think is first rate. Rod Weichelt and the crew from Cutting Edge Tackle cruised into our  booth brandishing some lethal weapons. The new Safe-T Gaff as it called is a little startling at first, when the button is pushed the high grade stainless steel hook snaps into place and locks in with a clank! The guys demonstrated this "switchblade" feature to us as they have done thousands of times and once you have seen it your sold. This product has just made the deck of any serious fishing boat very much safer. Take it from me and anyone that has worked on the deck, all those sharp and pointy things we use can cause serious injuries with gaffs being in the "most likely to hurt" category The simple locking feature would have prevented me having one puncture through my own thumb many years ago. The gaff comes in a range of sizes and uses high quality marine grade aluminum and stainless steel. The non slip grip gives you the sturdy feel that your ready to take on something substantial. What Cutting Edge Tackle has also opened up is potential to carry a gaff on your person without fear of impaling oneself. For those of us whom travel and fish places where you need to carry all your tools this is an essential. Currently I have one of the larger Safe-T Gaff's but look forward to testing and reviewing a 1ft version for lip gaffing and big fish control both in skiffs and land based situations.
From my observations the Safe-T Gaff requires little maintenance with a fresh water rinse and occasional dab of marine grease doing the job. The internal cabling is solid as is the hook head. Once we get a bit of real life torque testing in we will post a follow up review here on River and Reef but in the interim check out the details HERE.

Nomad Sportsfishing whom you will see featured in the banner directly above or just click nomadsportfishing.com.au  have just released a new Code of Practice for their operation. It includes many great tips for handling fish for catch and release.  The whole list is included in this article by clicking Full Story. Below are some hints I penned some time ago for  Capt Greg Bowdish view it online here. anglers-outlet.com/catch_and_release.htm

• Use a purpose made net or landing device.
• If no net use wet hands or better still wet gloves that will protect fishes slime from human skin oils.
• Support the fishes spine, belly and head. DO NOT HOLD IT VERTICAL.
• Be prepared if you are taking photos. Do not keep the fish out of water for longer than 10 seconds. You can take at least two photos in that time!
• Be realistic some fish will just die when they are be caught and that is a basic fact of fishing. It is not a round of golf, it is hooking and playing a live creature. Think about that and if it does not sit right with you, play golf!
• The above point made. Use appropriate tackle for the fish targeted. Extended fight periods will increase chance of mortality.
• Do not release fish that are bleeding heavily and or in "shivering" state. Treat all fish for keeping with respect by dispatching quickly before icing down for consumption.
• Do not "throw" fish back over the side! Spear tuna species back into the water head first to get a rush of water through gills.
• Do not break spines of stingrays, rockfish and dogfish. Do not break beaks off Needle fish, billfish or shovel nose sharks. Treat all species the same. Vermin species are not disposable because you do not want to catch them.
• Above all use common sense when C&R fishing. Obviously the best method is not to remove the fish from the water at all.
• Do not remove hooks deeply embedded in fishes gills, or stomach. The fish has a better chance of surviving rather than undergoing surgery to remove a hook

Twenty years ago I started taking a camera on fishing trips after realizing that there was a lot more to angling than catching fish. Over the years I have learned to combine these two passions into my life's work.