Hearty winter Chowder

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 chilies, finely diced

3 rashers bacon, chopped 

3 large waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

2 cups water 

2 cups milk 

700-800g of fresh fish

200g shelled prawns
½ cup cream 

2 tbsp chopped coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a saucepan, add oil, onion and bacon and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and water and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to cook potatoes.

2. Add milk, fresh fish and prawns and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and coriander and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in deep soup bowls. Serves 6.

Tip: Most fish works in this dish, But for this dish I used the belly flaps, wings and throat from some nice snapper we got over the weekend, I baked them in tinfoil for 20 - 25 minutes depending on the thickness. Let them cool and fork the flesh from the skin and away from the bones. Add to the chowder at the last minute. I also added in chunks of Gem fish which has allot of fat and flavor.

From the deep to the shallows

It felt like forever, but finally got out on Ecstacy with my mates Ray and James, "james james" Lloyd for the weekend to fish the TGFC tile depot snapper sweepstake.

With the weather looking mint, a plan was hatched to head to mayor and do some drifting over the knolls for some deep water critters.
A nice 6 kilo Gem fish hit the deck on the first drift. But then the wind picked up more then expected so we hit the shallow water for some stray lining for mayor island reds, Burley was set as we struggled with the wind and current in opposite directions, we got a few snapper, and loaded up on Kohera for the change of light.
Sun went down behind mayor island and the reds came out to play, nothing massive but it produced some great fish up to eleven pound, was an awesome bite time with the fresh bait getting smashed in the shallows.

We moved up in the bay for the evening and were back up early to fish the same spot,
but we couldn't even beg for a bite, I think it had something to do with the moon being so high but is was dead.
So we moved on out to the knolls again, it was slow as well with only one small gem for our efforts, We headed back to the mount around late afternoon.

Winning fish went  to a 12.2 kg of the boat free flow, plus there was an awesome 204.6 kilo broadbill weighed in which was a top effort from a woman angler.

Leather holster oil lamp.

Vintage style leather holster oil lamp by Wolfard lamp, made in the U.S.A for the Japanese markets. If in japan look out for the light, or get to HOBO. 

All I know is that I want one for a winter rock mission to Spirits Bay.