Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament co-ordinator Alan Macfarlane (left) and Rotorua Citizens Club president Thomas Hulton are organising this year's event. Photo / Stephen Parker
Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament co-ordinator Alan Macfarlane (left) and Rotorua Citizens Club president Thomas Hulton are organising this year's event. Photo / Stephen Parker
"It was this big!"
"It only just got away!"
"The secret to the best smoked trout is ..."
Every fisherman has a story.
Next weekend, anglers from all over New Zealand will have the opportunity to let their rods do the talking when they descend on Rotorua for the 14thannual Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Competition.
The event, hosted by the Rotorua Citizens Club, runs from November 14-16 and entries are rolling in already.
"We're hoping to have 90-100 people, you never know but we've got 65 entries so far with a week to go and a lot register on the last night. So, we definitely have a viable competition in front of us," tournament co-ordinator Alan Macfarlane said.
"We have strict rules, as any trout fishing tournament does, and there will be daily prizes on each lake. We then have a big prizegiving and social gathering at the club on the Saturday night.
"We've come up with a pretty great prize pool. The last prize on the night is a six horsepower, four-stroke Yamaha outboard motor. Yamaha, O'Keefe's Anglers Depot and Telfer Marine are the key sponsors in terms of giving us assistance because they deal with fishing and boating type products. Without them, we're stuffed."
Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament co-ordinator Alan Macfarlane (left) and Rotorua Citizens Club president Thomas Hulton are organising this year's event. Photo / Stephen Parker
The tournament's registration and opening night will be held at the Citizens Club on Wednesday night next week. During the next three days, keen fishermen will then take to four lakes, Rotorua, Rotoiti, Okataina and Tarawera, in search of the winning catch.
Macfarlane said the beauty of the tournament was anyone could have a go and anyone could come out on top.
"For example; on October 6 we ran a little in-house competition with the Rotorua Citizens Club Fishing Club and all these guys with all their knowledge of trout fishing were there. In the end, it was a 6-year-old, one of the club member's grandsons, who won it with a 3.2kg rainbow trout.
"The thing is you just never know and that's the good fun about it. Sure there's skill but there's also a lot of luck in who's going to get the big one on the day."
Weighmaster Neville Raethel during a previous New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament. Photo / File
Macfarlane said there were few places in New Zealand which lend themselves to this type of competition as well as Rotorua.
"It's a beautiful spot Rotorua, we've got the four lakes we can use and people come from far and wide. We've got entries from Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Auckland, Hamilton, Tokoroa, Tauranga.
"Of course, there's all the locals as well. There's always a nice bit of rivalry and banter between the locals as well. It is competitive because people really love their trout fishing and this is their opportunity to not only have a few good days in the water but also turn around and mix with people who are all in the same boat, with the same interests."
Rotorua Citizens Club president Thomas Hulton said it was great for the club to be able to hold such a popular event every year.
"It's good PR for the club overall, not only the advertising part of it but also the possible membership growth and promoting that. Hopefully we can keep going with it, it's good for the club and gets everyone involved in the club itself - we run raffles and raise a bit of funds and try some smoked trout on Sunday perhaps."
2019 Clubs New Zealand National Trout Fishing Tournament Final night prizes: Heaviest rainbow trout overall 2nd heaviest rainbow trout overall 3rd heaviest rainbow trout overall Heaviest brown trout Heaviest rainbow trout caught by a female angler Best condition factor Best smoked fish • Each day there will be a prize for the heaviest rainbow trout caught in each of the four lakes (Rotorua, Rotoiti, Okataina and Tarawera).
