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This month’s cover is one of the most spectacular we have run for some time. A big snapper, a mighty bluefin tuna, a huge trout or hapuku perhaps?

None of the above. It is a humble gurnard, captured by surfcaster Kane Wrigglesworth and originally submitted to illustrate his ‘Spring Carrots’ story this month.

Apart from being great table fare, gurnard are a spectacular fish with their pretty ‘wings’ and unusual body form and skin patterns. Kane has captured the fish as he retrieves it through the shallows, the glassy reflections off the sand and water adding to the image’s appeal.

Complementing Kane’s surfcasting article is one from Sam Mossman, this time with a boat and harbour fishing for gurnard ‘how to’ theme.

For those who want their target species a little more likely to pull string, new contributor Josh Morrison starts off a new series of the basics of speed jigging for kingfish and the like. Over the next few issues Josh will cover off all you need to know to get you started in this successful sportfishing technique.

Ever wondered how the colour of lures and baits might affect the bite? Adam Clancey explains how colours can influence angling success in his ‘True Colours’ feature while in another ‘how to’ style article mark Kitteridge offers the second of his three-part series on targeting snapper off the rocks.

For the ‘yak fishers, Herb Spannagl looks at kahawai, the people’s fish, from both and angling and political perspective while John Eichelsheim took to water on another less than conventional craft, a jet ski, for some ‘fast fishing’.

While on politics, Derrick Paul reports on the recent NZ Recreational Fishing Council’s annual meeting in Nelson, outlining the direction this representative body intends taking in the near future.

As soft-bait fishing becomes more and more popular, the ethics of the technique have come into the spotlight.

Berkley Gulp! is the bait brand that kicked it all off and probably enjoys the majority of sales. The company’s scientists have been looking into the effect their product has on fish and came up with some interesting results. While remembering the study was conducted by people with a vested interest, it does add fuel to the ‘are they or aren’t they safe’ debate. Read it and make up your own mind.

Freshwater anglers in the greater Waikato region have a fantastic resource running through their backyard in the mighty Waikato River. John Murphy has written about a section of it, Lake Karapiro, sharing some of the more productive spots as it meanders among the farmlands.

Add to the above all the regular columnists and area reports and you have plenty to read while the last of the winter weather passes through.

- © Fairfax NZ News