The two lucky anglers who walked away with $20,500 each at the Bay Bonanza prizegiving were Robert Gomm, left, and Ryan Kirkland. Photo / Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club
The two lucky anglers who walked away with $20,500 each at the Bay Bonanza prizegiving were Robert Gomm, left, and Ryan Kirkland. Photo / Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club
The Bay Bonanza fishing competition delivered some impressive prize-winning catches over the weekend, despite an early finish because of rough conditions and a lack of marlin.
The lucky angler winners drawn on Sunday evening were Ryan Kirkland and Robert Gomm, who opted to share the $40,000 prize, with the $1000 second-place prize, as the last two standing for $20,500 each.
In the end, 550 anglers across 140 boats took part in the 41st Enterprise Cars Autosure New Zealand Bay Bonanza fishing competition.
It was scheduled to run for three days from Friday to Sunday, but Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club president Roger Faber said fishing was cancelled on Sunday because of the rough ocean conditions.
“All in all it went well. We did have to cancel Sunday’s fishing due to the weather, which was a good decision at the end of the day because it got up very rough very early in the morning,” Faber said.
The number of yellowfin tuna weighed in was a highlight.
Father son duo Heath and Kyle Tupara with Kyle's 59.8kg Yellowfin tuna catch. Yellowfin have been abundant for Gisborne anglers this season. Photo / Gisborne-Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club
“It’s like we haven’t seen in 20 years and that was both days, the Friday and the Saturday that we fished,” Faber said. “The yellowfin are definitely there in huge numbers.”
The water temperature had cooled a bit, which he put down to recent southerlies, and he was a little surprised no marlin were caught during the event.
“The water is down under 20 degrees when normally this time of year you would expect it to be well over 20 degrees, and it is probably having an effect on the marlin.”
All of the prize-winning catches were “excellent sizes”, including an impressive 46.6kg hāpuku reeled in by Warren Veall off his boat Gizzy Gold.
An enormous hāpuku, which won its category, was caught by Warren Veall, centre, on day one of the Bay Bonanza fishing competition. It weighed in at 46.6kg. With Veall are his mother Ruth and Steve Watson. Photo / Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club
Category winners
Tag and release draw: Kurtis Michie, swordfish.
Tuna: Kyle Tupara, yellowfin off the boat Nicko, 59.8kg.
