The sun hasn’t even peaked over the horizon, yet you find yourself rolling over to silence that obnoxious alarm. Exhausted from a restless night, plagued by anticipation of the day to come. Despite this you spring out of bed and slip into those old clothes tucked away in your bottom draw, that musty, fishy smell is all too familiar.

You sneak out the front door while going through the checklist in your head, you don’t want to be the guy who left the bait behind. Hop in the car and off you go, picking up your mates on the way, they have the same look of exhausted excitement.

Back to your favourite spot, it’s a rush to get the line in first. That dream fish may just be waiting there. The day goes by, a series of adrenaline-filled battles, disappointment as some get away, pure elation as someone lands a monster and the serenity of being away from everything in between. Also, a chance to catch up on your mate’s busy lives and possibly a few philosophical talks. 90% of the world’s problems could be fixed from the conversations had on the water, right?

The day comes to a close, but that’s not the end. By the time the clean-up is done the barbeque is ready to go and the hungry guest are all arriving. It’s one of those warm summer nights where the sun never seems to set. Everyone is talking and laughing and enjoying a great feed. They even listen to the exaggerated stories about the one that got away, some of them even believe it.

Good food, good friends and family and a great day out on the water, this is what being a Kiwi is all about. For us, this isn’t just a hobby, it’s a ritual, a way of life. It’s about going out and enjoying the incredible resource we have available to us, while also getting to come home and put food on the table for our whanau. This is such a big part of who we are. To lose this is to lose a part of ourselves.

LegaSea wants abundant fish stocks so this way of life can continue long into the future. Our kids and their kids after them all deserve a quality fishing experience and a healthy marine environment for all to enjoy.