LANDMARK FISHING TOURNEY....THE LAST OF THE YEAR
THIS YEAR’S BAY OF ISLANDS-BASED Truckers&LoggersFishingTournament will go down in history as a landmark event. In its 18th year, as NewZealandTruck&Driver publisher and tournament organiser Trevor Woolston says, “we were hit fair and square by the COVID-19 virus.
“In the preceding week, the Government announced the banning of all events with an attendance of 500 or more people. In consultation with the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club, the decision was made to proceed with the event – as we were far short of the 500 cutoff.
“However we did instigate strict protocols in informing attendees of their personal responsibilities if attending.”
By the beginning of the briefing on Thursday (March 19) 40 teams, with 152 anglers, were registered and in attendance. Despite the issues soon to confront the industry, there was a complete turnout of all who’d registered – except for one team that had withdrawn earlier on, due to other commitments.
On display – on a three-tier stage, thanks to Bay of Islands Scaffolding and Hire – were prizes worth more than $70,000.
The weather forecasts were great, so all the teams were out fishing for all three days of the tournament. However, game fishing was slow – with low numbers of marlin showing up.
That wasn’t the case however with snapper and kingfish, with teams catching very good numbers and quality fish.
There were plenty of stories of overnight (appropriately distanced) socialising amongst crews, with many complaining of serious hangovers following nights of getting together at their moorings.
On day two of the tournament, the Government instigated its next stage of restrictions brought about by the virus emergency – with the banning of all indoor events of over 100 people. As Trevor Woolston says: “Time for a serious rethink of our plans for prizegiving.
“Our land-based team (Olivia and Sue) kicked into gear and put together an alternative plan, working alongside Swordfish Club manager James to accommodate a prizegiving that would meet the required levels set by the Government.
“With assistance from Zane Greys Bar, which operates an outdoor venue across the road from the BOISC in Paihia, they were able to accommodate all of the teams for prizegiving.”
After socialising at Zane Greys, the attendees went over to the club for the buffet dinner in two shifts – ensuring that attendance levels in the clubhouse remained below 100.
Several teams chose not to attend, due to aged members isolating or just wanting to get away home early – so this reduced the numbers significantly, to the point where the prizegiving could be held in the clubhouse as planned after the dinner…while still meeting the Government’s COVID-19 requirements.
Strict controls were imposed by the club on numbers in the
Team DAF, on El Torito, trolling lures
Team TRP on Harlequin, partying up
Forty teams competed in what turned out to be the last tournament of the season clubhouse with door counts checked constantly.
Says Woolston: “We were able to meet our full commitment to the club for diners – and the tournament put $3000 on the club bar for anglers to enjoy. So all in all the event achieved all its original goals and the club was well looked after.
“SouthpacTruckers&LoggersFishingTournament will be the last major fishing tournament this season in NZ – with all currently organised tournaments and major events now being put on hold until the COVID-19 virus emergency is downgraded from a pandemic.
“Who knows where we’ll be next year – but at this stage it’s forward planning as usual for next year’s event.”
Getting back to the fishing: One of the snapper and kingfish teams took out the tournament. Team Car Haulaways, on the boat Animal, claimed the major honours (and prizes) with a mix of measure and release and weighed fish.
The team’s Shayne Halloway took the heaviest snapper prize with a 9.95kg fish, while team-mate Mark Douglas claimed longest measured and released snapper honours with a 78.5cm fish…and Mark Thorburn and Dave Lee (also from Team Car Haulaways) were second and third.
Their team-mate Alan Syne landed the heaviest kingfish (at 17.9kg) – and Halloway was first and second places for the largest measured and released kingfish (the winner a 110cm fish).
All of this earned the team the prize for the most points….along with the best skipper and deckie honours.
The heaviest billfish of the tournament was a 212.8kg blue marlin landed by Greg Burgess, on Totally Stoked II. Brent Butler, on Harlequin, won the tag and release billfish division (he was also the angler with the most points) – and Greg Cornes (on Family Jewels) landed the heaviest tuna, a 24.2kg fish. T&D