Weighmaster Neville Raethel is one of the characters who make the the Ray White Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament so popular. Photo / Stephen Parker
Weighmaster Neville Raethel is one of the characters who make the the Ray White Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament so popular. Photo / Stephen Parker
If you have attended a trout fishing weigh-in at the Rotorua Citizens Club in the last 14 yearsyou have probably heard the voice of Neville Raethel booming across the outdoor area as he cracks jokes and heckles the fishermen.
The 12th annual Ray White Clubs New Zealand National Trout FishingTournament, which attracts anglers from all over New Zealand, was held in Rotorua this week and Raethel was again the weigh master. If you want an example of someone who loves their work, he is your man.
His job is to weigh the proud entrants' catches and collate the results during the three-day tournament, a job he approaches with pure eagerness as he greets each angler with equal enthusiasm. He also runs the smoked trout segment of the tournament, which he has won himself twice.
"I've placed second seven times, but I want to win it today," Raethel said.
Weighmaster Neville Raethel is one of the characters who make the the Ray White Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament so popular. Photo / Stephen Parker
"The secret to a good smoked trout is the condition of the fish. Basically, the more orange the fish, the better the quality and the better the end product.
"I'm just a volunteer, a member of the club. I was asked to fill in one year when the former weigh master was a bit sick, I was thrown into it. I enjoy the social aspect of it, meeting other fishermen from around New Zealand, learning new tricks.
"We have a great bunch of guys who organise this competition and it's getting better every year. The numbers are well-up on previous years and hopefully next year we'll have 150 competitors, we've got about 100 this year."
The grand prize for heaviest rainbow trout, weighing in at 4.35kg and caught in Lake Rotoiti, went to Rotorua's Darrell Black.
Rotorua's Darrell Black displays his tournament-winning 4.35kg rainbow trout. Photo / Supplied
He said catching the big one took a mixture of luck and skill.
"It felt good to pull it in, I beat my other big one I caught in 2010. It's up there with the biggest I've caught. It was a good battle, definitely, it stayed down deep.
"I've come to this every year since it started, full commitment. It's well organised and good fun, even if you don't catch a big one. There are a lot of new people here this year, which is good for the club," Black said.
Clubs New Zealand vice president Terry Ray said he had attended the tournament for the last nine years.
"These boys have made it grow and grow, to the point that it's a world class event in my opinion. It's a feather in the cap for Clubs NZ - I've just confirmed hosting rights for these guys for the next two years because they're doing such a good job," Ray said.
The tournament is held on four lakes; Rotoiti, Okataina, Tarawera and Rotorua.
"Trout fishing is just relaxing and the scenery here is so beautiful. It's the only place in New Zealand you've got three different climates in one day at different lakes," he said.
2017 Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament results
Heaviest Rainbow trout and competition winners: 1st Darrell Black 4.35kg 2nd Taylor Kingi 3.73kg 3rd Stan Hayman 3.275kg
Heaviest Brown Trout: 1st Gordon Price 2.895kg 2nd Ian Dromgool 2.49kg
