Fishing: Tutukaka's top prizes go to women, youth

By GEOFF THOMAS

Junior and women anglers won the main prizes at the annual Tutukaka one-base tournament this week.

It got off to a slow start at the weekend, when rough weather restricted the fishing.

"But it went crazy on Tuesday," said Hilton Polkinghorne, the manager of the Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers' Club. "They were popping the line, jumping over lines and breaking off. It was awesome."

Most of the action was in the area off Whangamumu and Whangaruru, north of Tutukaka.

Fifteen-year-old Simon Campbell, of Auckland, beat 244 other anglers in 73 teams to win the tag-and-release section, catching a blue marlin and a striped marlin from his father's boat, Reel Obsession.

He also took second place in the section for marlin landed with a 183.8kg blue marlin.

But the largest fish, a huge blue marlin of 304.4kg, fell to Karen Paterson, of Silverdale, fishing on Indica. The catch is a pending club and national record.

A total of 10 blue, two black and 11 striped marlin (with most being released), six mako sharks, 36 yellowfin tuna and one kingfish were recorded in five days.

"It is great to see women and juniors leading the way," Polkinghorne said.

Big snapper will be the target next week as thousands of anglers make the pilgrimage to Kawau Island for an annual tournament.

The event, which has become an institution, attracts 3000 anglers from as far away as Invercargill. They will be fishing for prizes in six categories, with snapper and kingfish the main targets followed by John Dory, kahawai, gurnard and trevally.

The tournament has evolved from a temporary base on Motuihe Island to a purpose-built facility on Kawau Island, the Pah Farm Fishing Lodge, which incorporates a research station where kingfish and snapper are bred and studied.

Proceeds from the Lion Red Furuno tournament go to conservation work in the Hauraki Gulf.

As well as the $95,000 in prizes, the Snapper World Cup will be won during the three days of fishing - Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The tournament record snapper is a monster of 13.02kg caught by Peter Read in 1998 while live-bait fishing at the Mokohinau Islands.

It is not just the fishing which is on a large scale in the tournament. The catering team will serve a tonne of steak, two pigs, 3000 hotdogs 500 frankfurters, 1500 sausages and more.

Popular fishing spots include Flat Rock, which can produce large snapper and kingfish, Fairchild Reef, Leigh Reef, Takatu Pt and Omaha Bay north of Kawau, the channel between Motu-ketekete and Motukareka Islands to the south, the Mokohinau Islands, Horn Rock, Little Barrier and the water around Great Barrier Island.

Some anglers prefer to fish from the shore, using a small tender from a large boat to reach remote rocky ledges on Great Barrier.

The best fishing will often be found close to the rocks, and a large boat can not only scare the fish in clear water but also restricts access.

Other keen anglers will have been researching favourite spots and laying large amounts of berley in advance to attract fish.

The most popular bait for big snapper will be whole fillets of fresh kahawai, as well as fish like fresh koheru and slimy mackerel, bunches of pilchards threaded on to a large hook, and tuna heads.