Beatson plays a mean bass

Rodger Beatson remained tight-lipped about the exact location where he hooked up a monstrous fish last Friday.

The former Ahipara Chief Fire Officer did admit he caught this 80lb bass somewhere "out east" but said it was even more remarkable for being caught on his new electric reel and rod gear.

"My wife's has been insisting I get a new rod and reel and this was the first fish I pulled up on my brand new rod. A lot of people say electric reels are for sissies but I'm 68 and it takes a lot of effort when you're fishing in very deep water."

The new equipment certainly earned its keep for Beatson, chasing bluenose with good mate Vince Lendich out east last Friday, and the pair reporting a lot of double strikes. His first hook-up only took about 20 minutes after the first cast of the day but quickly broke off before the big bass was hit on the very next drop, about 10 minutes later. It took around 20 minutes to pull up in what became a very memorable day's fishing.

Fillets from the sizeable fish had already done the rounds by the time the Age called Rodger on Tuesday morning.

"It's gone all over the place. Can't say how many people I've given some to. A lot of elderly people, like older ladies who can't go fishing, you know," he said, adding bass was very nice eating, a bit like hapuku, i.e. "a lot of fat in it".

And that was all he was prepared to give away. However, prodded again about the location, Beatson did admit the fish was caught in the general Snapper 1 vicinity, e.g. "somewhere between North Cape and the Coromandel."