Snapper Bonanza prizegiving: The $32,000 fish in pictures

Dickson Hohaia of South Taranaki celebrates his win in the Ngāi Takoto 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza with a 9.060kg fish that earned him a whopping $32,000. Photo / Peter de Graaf

It was tough fishing on the last two days but that did nothing to dampen the enjoyment of 1000 dedicated anglers competing in the 2021 Ngāi Takoto 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza — if anything it just heightened the challenge and camaraderie. These photos capture the final prizegiving at Waipapakauri Domain on Saturday, when Dickson Hohaia of South Taranaki claimed the $30,000 prize for biggest fish overall plus $2000 for the biggest snapper of day two.

Graeme Newlands of Whakatāne at the weighing station with Saturday's biggest fish. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Garry "Radar" Hodges weighs a snapper brought in by Pera Matchitt of Te Kao. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Eleven-year-old Mekhi Heka of Kaimaumau with a 2.65kg snapper. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kaitaia fire chief Craig Rogers thanks the anglers for their support. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Official bonanza photographer Louise Strong reacts as MC James Tattersall tells her she's won a chainsaw in the lucky prizedraw. Strong promptly donated it back for a redraw. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Graeme Newlands of Whakatāne, with MC James Tattersall, wins the prize for biggest fish caught on Saturday. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A big crowd cheers the winners during the final day's prizegiving at Waipapakauri Domain. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Dickson Hohaia of South Taranaki celebrates his win in the Ngāi Takoto 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza with a 9.060kg fish worth a whopping $32,000. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Dickson Hohaia of South Taranaki celebrates winning $32,000 cash in the Ngāi Takoto 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza with event organiser John Stewart. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Nadine Boynton of Kaitaia won the prize for ladies' heaviest fish overall (5.985kg). Photo / Peter de Graaf

Kaitaia's Tony Brown took home $10,000 for the overall average weight fish (2.235kg). Photo / Peter de Graaf

Graeme Newlands of Whakatāne reacts as he wins a $50,000 Mitsubishi Triton ute in the prize draw. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The overall winning team, the Bounty Hunters, won $4000 in cash and another $1000 in vouchers for a week's tally of 41kg. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Snapper Bonanza winner 2021 Dickson Hohaia with event organisers Dave Collard, left, and John Stewart. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Wairoa's Myra Grace, centre, won a torpedo as the top spot prize from Thursday's poker run in Kaitaia. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Dickson Hohaia celebrates winning the $30,000 biggest snapper prize with the Rameka whanau of Waipapakauri. Photo / Peter de Graaf