New format for Wanganui Manawatu Sea Fishing Club annual competition

Wanganui Manawatu Sea Fishing Club treasurer Darrell Healey and secretary Jane Laugesen, with Ms Laugesen's daughter Ava Higgins, are gearing up for the club's annual competition.

The Wanganui Manawatu Sea Fishing Club is anticipating a good turnout for its annual competition, with early bird entries selling fast.

The club has changed the format of its traditional three-day competition held over Wellington Anniversary Weekend. This year, the 29th year of the competition, it will be for two days only on Saturday, January 20, and Sunday, January 21.

Club secretary Jane Laugesen said it was hoped the new format would encourage more people from outside the region to take part.

"It will allow Taranaki people to come for the whole competition as Wellington Anniversary Weekend isn't a long weekend for them," Ms Laugesen said.

"We are aiming to get the same number of competitors as last year, or more, as it may be more appealing with only being two days."

Last year's event attracted 221 competitors in 79 boats.

Treasurer Darrell Healey said other changes were the cancellation of the fish auction for the public and an earlier start time of 5.30am.

"We can't run the auction anymore because of changes in regulations.

"We usually start the competition at 6am but we're starting at 5.30am this year to allow for the tide and they'll be back in by 3pm to weigh in.

"There'll also be a catch and release section for snapper only. We're encouraging people to put the big ones back in because they are the breeding fish."

Ms Laugesen said competition was expected to be fierce with club members catching good-sized fish recently.

"It's a good amount too and a good range - kingfish, hapuka, snapper and tarakihi," she said.

Mr Healey said the prize pool of $30,000 would be allocated, even if the competition had to be cancelled due to poor conditions.

"Before we make a call about whether to start the competition, we go out over the bar to make sure conditions are safe because we're catering for small boats as well as big ones."

The competition was a busy time for Coastguard Wanganui with every boat having to call in its trip report and confirm when it had returned from fishing, Ms Laugesen said.

Off the water, the event is based at the Castlecliff Club with social events on Friday and Saturday nights and the Sunday evening prizegiving.

Early bird entries close on Friday, January 5. Entry forms and more information are available at www.wanganuimanawatuseafishingclub.co.nz