The big ones in the Bay Bonanza

LUCKY DRAW BONANZA: Gisborne electrician Craig Sutton had plenty to celebrate on Sunday night after winning the $20,000 lucky angler draw at Gisborne Tatapouri Sport Fishing Club’s Enterprise Motor Group Autosure New Zealand Bay Bonanza. He is pictured with $1000 runner-up Wiremu Davies after hearing he had won the draw from 40 anglers. Picture by Paul Rickard

GISBORNE electrician Craig Sutton had plenty to celebrate on Sunday night after winning the $20,000 lucky angler draw at Gisborne Tatapouri Sport Fishing Club’s Enterprise Motor Group Autosure New Zealand Bay Bonanza.

The winner was selected through a process of elimination. Club junior Jimmy Moore, fishing off Scrap Metal, won $5000 for the only marlin caught in the competition. He landed his 123kg marlin on the first day of the contest.

On Sunday a fisherman played a decent-sized marlin for three hours before losing it near the boat, club president Roger Faber said.

There were plenty of good fish caught during the three-day annual competition, with a club record taken by another junior, 11-year-old Elly Lincoln, fishing off Awanui, who landed a 4.2kg tarakihi.

Mr Faber said it was a hugely successful fishing competition.

“There were record entries, three days of beautiful weather. All in all it was fabulous. With game fish caught, everything is looking great for the four-day Liquorland Marlin and Tuna Hunt on February 15.”