Mixed luck and lots of fun

There were plenty of big fish caught at the Aupouri Rugby Club's Great Exhibition Bay Parengarenga Harbour Snapper Hit, and there were plenty of hard luck stories too.

The heaviest snapper was a 6.81kg monster caught by John Collings, of Takahue, and John Slade was awarded the official hard luck story after having to signal by sky rocket to get his car towed to safety after it got stuck.

He wasn't the only car towed out by the tractor at the event, which started on Friday and finished with a cut-off at 3pm on Saturday, but he was the only fisherman who, when he resumed fishing, found his luck had gone cold.

"He couldn't work out why everyone all around him was catching heaps of fish and he was getting nothing until he finally pulled in his line and found out he'd forgotten to put a trace on," his mother and contest organiser Ngaire Slade said.

At least he was lucky enough to get a 'hard luck' prize - another couple's luck was even worse. They missed the weigh-in completely after their quad-bike got stranded by the incoming tide after falling asleep on the trailer.

There were more than 90 contestants and 60 kids attracted by the rugby club fundraiser but, as Slade said, everyone else in the Te Kao community was invited to take their piece of the pie.

The oldest contestant was 94-year-old Apikaira Matiu.

Heta Everitt did a great job of auctioning off the 153 fish caught, speeding through proceedings, with bags of snapper going for as low as $10.

Many of the contestants hoped the Parengarenga contest would become an annual event.

Results: Petricevich Buses Junior Early Bird Draw: Paea Slade, Robert Everitt Generator senior Early Bird: Dennis Clarke, The $1000 Senior Average Weight Prize donated by Richard Wiki, Doug and Pani Foster went to Richard Job (Lake Ngatu) with 2.36kg, The Ross Bellingham Junior Average Weight prize went to Quaylen Wikitere (Kaitaia) with 2.16kg, Junior: Kayden Kingi (Te Kao) 4.95kg, 1; Tegan Kaka (Australia) 4.04kg, 2; Tamala Ukusia (Te Kao) 3.76kg, 3; Adult: John Collings (Kaitaia) 6.81kg, 1; Lupe Ukusia (Te Kao) 6.77kg, 2; Mark Frost (Kaitaia) 6.71kg, 3; Women: Gloria Larkins (Kaitaia) 4.07kg; Lucky Junior draw sponsored by Chance Wi-McQueen - Meinata Wiki; Senior Lucky Draw of a CBEC Healthy Homes Solar Panel Heating System: Steve Maisey.