Fishing comp delivers fresh and fruity haul

 

A couple of days heavy rain just before Labour Weekend had old salts stroking their beards in fear of what competition day might bring for the TimberWorld-sponsored Mangawhai Boating & Fishing Club Annual Easter Fishing Competition. Fortunately Good Friday the weather picked up and improved even further on Saturday. Though the wind and swell was dropping, the bar was still marginal for some smaller craft.

On a positive note, entries were up on previous years, catches were up on previous years and weights recorder Paul Batten commented on the size and quality of the fish: “Generally they were in good condition, were all well-iced with the majority coming forward as quality export fish.”

As usual the auction created a lot of interest and raised a healthy $2,000 toward the pontoon fund.

Biggest catch of the day was a 28kg kingi reeled in by Darryl Goosen while Kegan Anderson landed a hefty 9kg snapper. Auckland father and daughter team of Bruce and Emma Fenton, regular competitors, found a very rich vein and snaffled a total of eight prizes between them.

Club secretary Isabel Hollis reported the pre-competition ‘lure lessons’ evening with Ocean Angler’s Paul Senior was a great hit and very well attended. It’s a definite possibility that more evenings like this may be held over winter months to maintain interest and hopefully generate more members for the club.

SPOILS: With a family haul of eight prizes on the day, Aucklander Bruce Fenton has every reason to look pleased.