Stewart Island tips and info

Hey guys I'm doing an early plan for a stuart island trip . I have never been I normally hunt ruahines kawekas and chase tahr on South Westland so I'm really keen to get down and hunt on Stuart and even go fishing if possible . I love my kayak fishing so would be even more amazing if I could take them down and have a go . I've been trying to practice my bush hunting skills on sika so I can hopefully have a chance on white tail down there.
I'm really just after a starting point . What time of the year do people find best to go down there and what are your experiences with going by boat vs plane . I've heard that getting the maori blocks might be better than getting doc blocks? Any help would be much appreciated cheers

Phill

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Well if you want to take your kayak that rules out the western side blocks and flying, you will need to ferry over from Bluff and then water taxi to an Eastern block unless there’s a big group of you then you can charter a boat straight to your block.

I’d avoid springtime as it can get pretty windy!

The deer like coming out onto the beaches at night.
Pack warm clothes, we had snow in February! Had some wet, windy days as well, but also some real beautiful days.

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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

Well if you want to take your kayak that rules out the western side blocks and flying, you will need to ferry over from Bluff and then water taxi to an Eastern block unless there’s a big group of you then you can charter a boat straight to your block.

I’d avoid springtime as it can get pretty windy!

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Cheers yea its a maybe with the kayaks as I know there are lots of sharks there and my Mrs is terrified of sharks on the kayak haha. Saw a 4 meter great white at waihau bay and I'm sure the kayak got up on a plane and had a rooster tail coming out the back haha was the fastest I seen it move . But thanks yea I will keep that in mind.

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Yea Patterson’s is a great place to get a feel for the island & the easiest to get to , the blocks don’t look very big on the map but they are pretty big , first time I went over a few years back went to Abraham’s bay for a week , hunted every day & probably only covered 1/3 of the block , you don’t have to go too far to get a feed of cod either & the water taxi will get your kayak over easy enough, that said if you get a group of 4 you mayswell higher a 4m stabi , boats pretty handy down there for accessing different parts of the block , I forget what water taxi we used but either of them will hook you up .

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Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Yea Patterson’s is a great place to get a feel for the island & the easiest to get to , the blocks don’t look very big on the map but they are pretty big , first time I went over a few years back went to Abraham’s bay for a week , hunted every day & probably only covered 1/3 of the block , you don’t have to go too far to get a feed of cod either & the water taxi will get your kayak over easy enough, that said if you get a group of 4 you mayswell higher a 4m stabi , boats pretty handy down there for accessing different parts of the block , I forget what water taxi we used but either of them will hook you up .

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Be aware if you take a boat (that’s bigger than your kayak) to Abrahams Bay it would pay you to make a running line to take the boat out into the water below the low tide last line.
Otherwise you could end up with (a) the boat left high and dry if you landed at high tide or (b) the boat in about six feet of water if you landed at low tide. (If you know what I mean!)

Thanks all for you info . I really can't wait to get down there and see the place . I think it will be a big group of us so boat hire sounds like a good idea .

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If it’s a big group then charter a boat and go from Bluff direct to a East side block, then you can take whatever you want!

+1 for Steve Gooding. We hired an outboard motor and life jackets off him. Motor was excellent. Started first pull every time. I have been to Abrahams Bay and Little Glory. I preferred Abrahams but as already said the tide goes a long way out. A kayak would be fine though. At Little Glory we had a massive great white longer than our tinny swim under the boat while we were fishing. No way I would get I the water there.