Marc is heading towards “The Bay of Plenty”, which also features the White Island active volcano and the world’s largest Yellowtail Kingfish.
Before the tackle busting challenge of the Kingfish Marc gets some basic training with Wayne Wordsworth, fishing for Kahawai on his boat “Orsum”
“The Bay of Plenty” is noted for its rich sea life and soon Wayne is trolling through boiling schools of Kahawai. Fishing with light tackle the Kahawai provide a great fight, but they are only baitfish and a warm-up for the main event, the Yellowtail Kingfish.
Marc flies to White Island on a helicopter for a reconnaissance mission and walks around this remarkable landscape. White Island is an active volcano, which has a history of eruptions in the 20th century.
Marc then joins Rick Pollock at Whakatane Harbour to begin his Kingfish adventure. Rick’s charters leave at dusk and he steams 3-4 hours into the night to reach White Island. Once at White Island Marc is put to work with the deckhand Matty to catch baitfish, including netting flying fish.
As the sun rises Marc realises he is fishing at the base of White Island, which looms ominously over the boat. Rick begins training Marc up as they only have a four-hour window in which to land a mighty Kingfish.
Pressure begins to mount as Marc manages to hook one and then loses it. Just as Marc is cursing his luck he gets another hit and this time there is no mistake that he has a big Kingfish, well and truly on.
The Kingfish pulls so hard the rod seems to be about to snap and Marc seems to be at his absolute limit as he wrestles the big fish to the surface. Matty the deck hand proves to be very innovative when he leans over the side of the boat and hauls in a very big Yellowtail Kingfish by hand.
There is only enough time for Marc to cradle the impressive fish for one photo before it is returned to the fertile waters surrounding White Island volcano. Marc is left spent, yet exhilarated, and as Ri
