The winner of $30,000, for the heaviest fish caught at the Far North’s 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza winner was Harley Ra, from Kaitāia
The winner of $30,000, for the heaviest fish caught at the Far North’s 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza winner was Harley Ra, from Kaitāia
It took until the last day, but local knowledge finally proved the winner in the 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza on Ninety Mile Beach Te Oneroa-a-Tohe in the Far North.
Harley Ra, from Kaitāia, took out the $30,000 prize for the heaviest fish landed in thefive-day competition, with a 7.605kg snapper caught on Saturday, the last day of fishing. Ra also took home $2500 for the heaviest fish caught that day.
Ra’s late success on the beach meant disappointment for Bay of Plenty fisher Darin Maxwell, who had been leading the competition until that point with a 7.25kg snapper caught on Wednesday. Maxwell won $2500 for catching the heaviest fish that day and another $2000 for the second heaviest fish caught in the competition. Maxwell previously won the competition in 2012 with a 12.03kg monster that is still the heaviest fish in the history of the snapper surfcasting contest.
The Snapper Bonanza is the biggest snapper surf casting competition in the world, running for five days on Ninety Mile Beach Te-Oneroa-a-Tohe with a huge $200,000-plus prize pool, including $30,000 for the heaviest snapper landed during the comp.
The Snapper Bonanza brings 1200 fishers and supporters from throughout the country to Ninety Mile Beach Te-Oneroa-a-Tohe and puts several million dollars into the local economy as they battle it out over five days on the wild, west coast beach.
The auction of fish caught at the 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza raised $14,295 for the Kaitāia Volunteer Fire Brigade, when they were put under the hammer at Kaitāia Markets on Saturday
The event is in its 15th year after replacing the Snapper Classic, which ended in 2009 after 27 years, and since then it has gone from strength to strength as the country’s largest surfcasting competition. It offers well over $200,000 in prizes, including $30,000 for the heaviest snapper caught and a new Mitsubishi Triton from the $150,000 in spot prizes and the major draw.
But local expertise isn’t a guarantee of success in this gruelling, five-day fishing marathon.
While about a third of the competitors - and thousands more supporters - are from the Far North, that local knowledge didn’t necessarily equate to success, with only three of the previous winners from the Far North, and Ra now making it 4.
And while the main focus on the competition is the action on the beach, the Snapper Bonanza brings millions to the local economy and also benefits charity. Around 120 fish caught on during the competition were auctioned off on Saturday at the Kaitāia Markets, raising $14,295 for the Kaitāia Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Sarah-Jane Harris-Smith won a 2026 Mitsubishi Triton in the lucky prize draw at the Snapper Bonanza
Among other winners were Sarah-Jane Harris-Smith, who scored a 2026 Mitsubishi Triton in the lucky prize draw at the Snapper Bonanza.
The team first prize went to 4 Up, from Kaeo,with second place going to Big Bent Rods from Thames.
Tickets for the 2027 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza will go on sale in June and will likely quickly sell out.
Check out the 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza on social media for full results.
