Testimonials

Wed, 05/05/2010 - 10:39 — jetskifishing

25/3/2010

Hey Andrew, I have just been out in big seas with my new ULTIMATE ROD HOLDER and just wanted to thank you so much for such a well designed product.

Three months ago I chose to buy an identical looking product from one of your competitors, it was $200 cheaper and I couldn't see the benefit in paying more for yours when they both looked the same.. My first BIG MISTAKE!

The first two times I went out in mild seas and all went well. The third time I went out (it wasn't even that rough) I went to move location and after a few minutes glanced over my shoulder, and couldn't believe my eyes.. where the heck was my rod holder? Gone. Completely. Heart racing, I spun the ski around and about 500 metres back toward where I had come from, there it was, bobbing in the water! My fish had all gone but thank heavens I had clipped in my two rods and fishing net and they were all there, attached. Total value if I had lost it all? $1200!!!

I scooped it up and resting it on my knee, limped to a nearby island to re-attach it. It turns out the vastly inferior front mounting mechanism had allowed it to come off the ski, then the drag in the water snapped the two rear bungees. I had some spare bungees and re-fitted it as tightly as I could, and carried on. The front mount came off my jetski two more times that day, though because I was being cautious I managed to stop before it pulled off completely.

But it doesn't end there.

When I had cooled down I emailed the manufacturer and to be fair he was very apologetic, and he created a different clip fitting and sent it up to me immediately. So off I went fishing again.

This time the rod holder definitely stayed on, no problem there. But because the front clip fitting has not been tested and we are the guinea pigs, the whole assembly was able to move around and in doing so it ripped the matting and took several chunks out of the fibreglass on the back of my ski. Again the manufacturer was very apologetic and asked me to send photos etc. But after sleeping on it I decided enough is enough, I am sick of being the guinea pig and getting my ski wrecked, I just wanted my money back and to move on. (I have since heard of another competitors rod holder kit came off the back of another jetski during the recent local jetskifishing competition)

I am now the proud owner of the ULTIMATE ROD HOLDER and all I can say is if you go cheap and buy anyone elses copy, it may look the same but there are subtle differences which will cause you grief and cost you money.

As my mate Neil said as he proudly pointed to his Genuine ULTIMATE ROD HOLDER, "Long after price is forgotten, quality remains."

Thanks again so much Andrew for an amazing product, I am very grateful to you!

Cheers, Lincoln Cobham - Auckland, N.Z

15/3/2010

Hi Andrew, just wanted to flick you an email to say how great yesterday was. You really did an awesome job organizing that whole event and I think from there it will grow huge. A lot went into what you did, and I think everyone really appreciated it. They all seem like such a good bunch of guys.

Vicki and I had so much fun, even though we didn’t have much clue of what we were doing, and poor Vicki got bucked off the ski and took a swim. We are still laughing about that one. We both ended up toast last night. To much celebrating I think.

Small world that Kristy grew up knowing Vic.

I have some photos that we took yesterday of my fish. Not sure if you want them. Just let me know.

Again, thanks from us two girls. We are going shopping at Top Catch and both going to get a cute pick fishing rod each with the prize money.

Cheers Sharlene - South Auckland, N.Z

3/3/2010

HI ANDREW, good morning just a quick message to say we have received ONE of the two esky set-ups. Everyone is impressed , it looks great. Thank you for your help so far. Lets hope we need MANY more.

REGARDS

PAUL DENBOER - Estuary Marine, Perth, Australia

22/2/2010

Hi Andrew

Great weekend in Coromandel testing my new Ultimate Rod Holder and fishing gear. Saturday Morning enough snapper to feed our family reunion of 13 people that night….and 5 Kahwai on the smoker for Sunday lunch!!! Sunday morning took my Son out to show him what it is all about…….caught his first ever fish in 30 seconds!!! Not much else for rest of morning…but great fun!

Cheers Trevor Cox - Auckland, N.Z

Hi Andrew, I did well, received the two rod holder kits and it is really a good job. I'll send you some pictures from here as soon as I catch something. Here we fish tigerfish in rivers. We don't have any sea this side of Congo.

Thanks Best regards Fred From Fred Garcao Location - Congo, Africa Date 29/9/2009 Time - 10.52pm

Hi Andrew we got them Wednesday, had Thursday and Friday off and went away with the skis.. they were great! Even managed to catch a few fish for lunch !!! Worked a treat. Had a lot of comments also..i think they may take off here. Thanks :)

From DG, LOCATION - Tasmania, Australia Date 21/10/2009 Time - 1.41am

Hi Andrew,The kit for my Yamaha fitted great, went out Sunday and hooked into a few fish. Keep in touch

From Michael, LOCATION - Tairua, N.Z Date 19/10/2009 Time - 7.02 pm

Congratulations Andrew. You tru ly have designed the "Ultimate Jetski fishing kit" Today was my first outing and an absolutely awesome day with a great bunch of people. What else can i say. If you own a personal watercraft this is perfect way to discover versatile fishing, combined with all the usual fun. Some people I have talked to are reluctant to spend the money on a quality fishing rig. To those who may be considering trying this relatively new craze, DONT HOLD BACK !!! The "Ultimate Rod Holder" is worth every cent. I cant wait to get back out there. The entire trip including fuel and bait $48.50 ,Clean up took me half an hour tops (still had time to mow the lawns)

Thanks again mate.

Stevo at Woodbine Marine. From Steve Anson, Location - Auckland, N.Z Date 12/10/2008 Time - 8.44 pm

Hi Andrew, I first had a ride go on a jet ski about 14 years ago on lake Taupo, I had been out sailing my Paper Tiger catamaran when I guy on a jet ski asked if we would like to swap for a while,so we did, well after about 10 mins I was getting bored, speeding along, spinning around and doing, donuts etc did not do it for me, I was thinking I would never want to own one!. Anyway he capsized my cat and I was glad to get off the ski and re-right my cat and get back to sailing. Although I was not impressed with Jet skis I do like fishing, and over about the last 6 years of kayak fishing ( and fishing from a 14ft 50Hp Fireball which I have ) had been increasingly pondering the idea of using a jet ski. About 6 months ago I finally decided to get one. My Jet ski is a Turbo 1200 cc Honda 3 seater, It now is kitted out with a depth sounder, small hand held VHF radio, hand held gps ( both mounted on the handle bar on some gutter guard ) a sea anchor, and chilly bin. It is the best fishing option I have ever used, (no more sore bottoms) and very stable, the Fireball and Kayaks are now not getting much use.

Regards from David From David Stewart, Location - Tauranga, N.Z Date - 29/8/2008 Time - 8.03 am

Hi Andrew,Thanks heaps for the rod holder kit, it looks great and fits straight on to our ski. It arrived yesterday so we are very happy. We need to get some rods now and some nice weather on the weekend so we can get out and try it. Hope the fishing here is as good as you seem to have it where you are. Thanks again. Will keep you posted on our fishing trips. Ken Parsons

From The Parsons Family, Location - Taranaki, N.Z Date - 27/8/2008 Time - 7.02 pm

Jetskifishing - thanks for the link , great site. Lots of good info for for someone starting out in this sport, I found the section on rigging out a PWC very useful. I've more or less decided on a Yamaha FXHO160.(unless someone can persuade me there's anything better out there for my needs) Its nearly the end of summer here so I'll hang on and see if I can get an end of season bargain!! Regards Elton From Elton, Location - Wales Date - 14/8/2008 Time 6.51 am Aloha Andrew, I just want to commend you on your wonderful website. I really enjoyed the tons of info that you provided. While surfing the web I hardly found any useful sites that related to jetski fishing. Yours provided the much needed info that made me want to get a jetski and fish with it. Keep up the excellent work. I am seriously thinking of getting into it. I have kind of got my sights set on the new Yamaha FX SHO or the HO.The next thing that I wanna focus on is the fishing setups. I wanna do nearshore / offshore fishing. Locally the skis that I see here have make shift setups and few manufactured setups that do not look as good as the ones you have got on your website. If you could help me, in finding out how I can purchase some of the fishing systems that you featured and or getting me more info I would really appreciate it.

Thank-you Mahalo Eric From Eric, Location - Kona, Hawaii Date - 20/7/2008 Time 2.10 pm

Hi Andrew, I am in Christchurch and have a Yamaha FX140. Whilst launching at Lyttleton one day, an employee of the Coastguard approached me and mentioned that the glovebox isn't the best place to stow VHF Radio's and cellphones, as the glovebox tends to open easily when a ski flips. He said that the Coastguard had owned both Seadoos and Yamahas and the glovebox was unreliable in both models. He also pointed out the importance of carrying a VHF Radio as well as a cellphone, and you can pick up a waterproof VHF radio for $180 from Dick Smith. This guy was experienced with jet skis and I think your readers will benefit from his advice.

Regards Keir Mac Donald

Send us your feedback to andrew@jetskifishing.co.nz

THIS WEEK SPOTTED FISHING

Mon, 26/04/2010 - 10:55 — jetskifishing

Discuss (0 comments)

Rigging a PWC

Thu, 11/02/2010 - 00:25 — jetskifishing

Once your ideal PWC has been purchased,you'll want to get it rigged out for fishing. It is such a versatile craft that your equipment must not be a "permanent" fixture. By that I mean if you want to play in the surf, or take your ski to the lake for the day,your extras ie. rod holders, fish finder, down rigger, safety equipment etc. should not hamper your movement or cause any injury. Fish Finders are a must for the serious jet ski fisherman. They will help determine whether you are fishing over a reef, holes,sand etc. Generally when targeting snapper on a PWC in New Zealand using a soft bait fishing rig, it is beneficial to fish close to a reef or in the shallows. Most fish finders come with a water temperature gauge and voltage meter which will give you additional luxuries to fish with confidence. GPS Handheld Receivers are handy to store hot spots for fishing ie. holes and pinnacles on the sea floor. Most quality hand held GPS plotters range from $249.00 NZ Dollars and are also available at the jetskifishing online shop. Rod Holders and Chilli Bin Rigs, this is a fine example of a user friendly system that is installed within 1 minute. This has a great idea of have clips with lengthy cables for rougher conditions to prevent any gear loss. Ideally like this system, it will be easily removed, so your PWC can have used for other leisure activities. Safety Equipment is a must! As you need to prepared for anything when on the water.Most large PWC's have plenty of storage space so you will have many areas to carry more than necessary. A first aid kit is a vital, floatation vest for each person on the PWC, wetsuit, goggles, extra warm clothing, a tow rope, emergency flare, cellphone and a VHF Radio if possible. Fishing Equipment is down to personal preference, soft bait rigs seem to work well on PWC's, as the majority of your fishing will be done while drifting. There is many different soft baits available, to date,the Gulps range have given us the best results. If you are using soft baits you won't have the mess you get with frozen bait and the unnecessary preparation time required, to bait your lines. It is definetly worthwhile to also carry a net on board so you reduce the chance of not landing your fish. Another handy equipment option is a medium sized gaf, for those larger fish that will be difficult to land in your net. Sea Anchor will often be required while drift fishing,when needing to slow the drift of the PWC, in faster currents. Temporary Parking options are available such as crane cradle systems to park your PWC on land, floating docks and hydraulic docks to lift your PWC out of the water. More tips coming soon

What Type Of PWC?

Thu, 11/02/2010 - 00:02 — zadmin

We personally use the Kawasaki LX-X ,this is the big 3 seater, with a 78 litre petrol tank. Kawasaki is the industry's innovation leader introducing the concept in 1973. This therefore goes with out saying, as to which engines you would want to entrust your life with when it comes to tackling the mighty ocean.

Finding the right craft.

When looking for a suitable water vehicle, two important factors need to be taken into consideration - stability and fuel consumption. Listed below is an excellent example of a complete set up on the jetskifishing PWC.

The new Jetskifishing Kawasaki LX - X (2009)

PWC 1,498cc 4-stroke Naturally Aspirated

This was chosen because of my past experience of hundreds of accumulated hours on the water. Also for the renowned Kawasaki reliability and service agents throughout the country should there be a fault. The huge 78 litre fuel tank is a bonus, as I get around 5 hours riding on a good day. Also with the fibreglass hull, it is extremely stable when drift fishing or in rough weather. I looked at options for fishing accessories for personal water crafts and found nothing practical available. This prompted me to develop the "Ultimate Rod Holder" kit, this is practical and could allow other people interested, to enjoy this style of PWC fishing.

The PWC

Is a 2009 Kawasaki LX -X, 1498cc, stock standard 3 seater model, this comes with plenty of storage up front and also under the back seat. After much discussion with the team at Kawasaki NZ, I decided to go with the luxury model, achieving the additional back support with the padded seats. The LX - X is very fuel efficient, with sufficient power being 160 horsepower to accomplish my out wide trips. In fact I find it rides a lot softer than a boat and I would go out in weather, that I would not feel confident to take a small size boat out. Power is instant!

Trailer

DMW single axle multi roller with winch and the optional jockey wheel.

Fish finder / GPS

Raymarine A50D, (supplied by Lusty & Blundell) this was chosen because of its clarity, ease of use and the fact that it is semi water protected. The transducer is fitted in hull of the ski and display on the custom stainless bracket above the steering column, so no additional screws have been fitted. It also has a trip meter etc so one can quickly check fuel usage and distance traveled. I will be installing another battery, to be fitted near the original. This so the fish finder has a dedicated battery to ensure the Kawasaki will start and not run the main battery flat.

Ultimate Rod Holder

From measuring the fall away from the back of the ski to where I intended to sit while fishing, this is a product available online and also through associated retailers. With two angled rod holders and three extra straight up and down, being used for a net or gaf. The "Ultimate Rod Holder" and fittings where designed so they can be easily removed within 1 minute, for general PWC fun. You will have no fish smell associated with your PWC, as the Igloo 68 litre marine white chilly bin is removable for washing etc.

Tackle

I use mainly Daiwa Rods & reels with soft plastic baits, but when targeting King fish or large Snapper I have a Daiwa Monster Mesh with the Saltist 30T reel. I also use a Berkley accessories for tackle, along with the Gulp soft bait range . Top Catch supply the terminal tackle and the tackle box is stored under the rear seat. Still I have ideas for improving and other projects are in the making at present.

Extras

Also under the hatch is a standard Fire extinguisher tube, a Raymarine VHF, flares for safety are stored in the forward compartment. There is also an Eveready Dolphin lantern stored in the forward hatch. My drogue sea anchor is stored just under the rear seat and normally out of the way, this is clipped onto the ski rope loop by a stainless steel caribbean clip, to reduce drift speed. My Cell phone is stored in a waterproof Dive bag specifically designed to withstand depths to 30 metres, (I hope I never need it that far down) and is usually stored where it can be accessed if need be in the glove compartment. As you can see I have done just about all I can with the Kawasaki to make my fishing experience comfortable and safe, I chose a Kawasaki PWC as I like the solitude of the water after a busy week, I can launch and retrieve it by myself, use it for small game fishing and hunting snapper kingfish etc. The beauty of my Kawasaki is I can very quickly convert it to tow Wake boards, water-skiers, or just go out and cruise or have fun wave jumping. It is versatile, very economical and fun as well as multi purpose. The whole family will enjoy your fishing tool. It comes into its own when fishing soft baits and white water, why spend hours getting to where you want to go by paddling a Kayak, when with a Kawasaki you can get there first and be home with a feed of fish while the others are still thinking about the long journey ahead. Enjoy the Kawasaki fishing experience as I have, with the easy life of jetskifishing.
Check out the full range at the Kawasaki Website www.kawasaki.co.nz

Why Fish From A PWC?

Wed, 10/02/2010 - 23:26 — zadmin

There are many factors that make a jet ski a successful fishing craft. Firstly,the turbulence and noise in the water while trawling is minimal. This is possible because the propeller,which is in a housing (impeller) and the exhaust are only a foot below the waters surface. Where as with an outboard motor, the propeller and exhaust are about a metre below the waters surface, which enhances additional noise. A personal water craft is very easy to manoeuvre in and out of the surf, which makes fishing a pleasure. Fishing trips can go ahead even when conditions are to bad for a boat, as the jet ski is designed to ride the swells with ease. Frequently we have ventured in 35 knots plus to areas that are sheltered, to enjoy great fishing. If you have an hour free in your day, you can go fishing,as there is no crew required. With the 3 Seater versions, it is no problem to comfortably fish with two people at once. A personal water craft is quicker to clean rather than a boat and easier to store while not in use. With fuel being so expensive at the moment it is definetly more economical to fuel a jet ski, especially with the performance achieved by the efficient engines in late model skis. When the PWC is not being used for fishing, you can also have its additional uses,such as skiiing, biscuiting, cruising, picnics etc. Most important when fishing on your jet ski you will catch many fish in good time, with out all the additional time needed for boat maintenance at the end of your trip.