• Saltwater Fly

    • SWF Blue Maomao

    By on 25/07/2023
    Amazing colour. A jewel from the ocean. SWF Blue Maomao with Dick Marquand
    Amazing colour. A jewel from the ocean. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.

    SWF Blue Maomao with Dick Marquand

    The blue maomao – Scorpis violaceus is one of my favourite fly fishing targets. Although relatively small in size, they punch well above their weight, providing good sport on ultra-light fly fishing gear. A top target species, SWF blue Maomao.
     
    They can be caught by the land-based fly fisher in Northland and the Bay of Plenty, where rock ledges provide access to clear deep blue water.
    The author's krill fly. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    The author’s krill fly. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    The offshore islands in the Bay of Plenty such as White, Motiti and The Mayor interrupt water currents that force food items such as krill to the surface. And this is where you find tight schools of blue maomao feeding on the surface. These patches of brilliant blue on the surface of the sea are in my mind, one of nature’s wonders.
    SWF blue maomao. This guy took a small orange krill fly at Tuhua Reef, Mayor Island. I was using my Echo River Glass 369-3. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    This guy took a small orange krill fly at Tuhua Reef, Mayor Island. I was using my Echo River Glass 369-3. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    Blue maomao have small mouths, so the smaller the fly, the better. I tie some of my krill patterns down to #20. Consequently, a light leader is required.
    Lucas J Allen with a blue maomao caught at Okuparu Reef on my Echo River Glass 6'9" #3. We had taken #12 rods to target yellowtail kingfish, but in the end, the ultra light fly fishing won the day. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    Lucas J. Allen with a blue maomao caught at Okuparu Reef on my Echo River Glass 6’9″ #3. We had taken #12 rods to target yellowtail kingfish, but in the end, the ultra-light fly fishing won the day. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    The smaller the fly, the better. Note the beautiful blue colouration of this blue maomao caught and released while saltwater fly fishing in the Bay of Plenty.
    The smaller the fly the better. Note the beautiful blue colouration of this blue maomao caught and released while saltwater fly fishing in the Bay of Plenty. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    SWF Blue Maomao. My mate Dave Miller with a blue maomao caught from a surface krilling school at Motiti Island. Dave and I have an unwritten rule that they go back home. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
    My mate Dave Miller with a blue maomao caught from a surface krilling school at Motiti Island. Photograph courtesy of Dick Marquand.
     

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