Big one that didn’t get away
A teenage girl from Inglewood was blown away when she reeled in the biggest snapper ever to feature on TV fishing show Addicted to Fishing.
Mackenzie ‘Macka’ Stewart, 16, was fishing off New Plymouth with host and presenter of the show, Nicky Sinden, when she landed a whopping snapper weighing 11.7kg. It was her first snapper over 9kg, and the biggest she has caught to date.
Mackenzie — who is a big fan of the show which she watches with her dad — says watching the episode air on Prime TV was pretty exciting.
“I was really happy with how the whole thing went and pretty surprised to catch such a big fish.”
Nicky says she enjoyed the trip out with Mackenzie.
“I met Macka when I was down in Taranaki a month before we made the show.”
“She said ‘I really want to catch a 20 pounder. I’ve caught fish up to 19 pounds, and I really, really want to try and nail a big one’ so I said let’s go out!”
Nicky is passionate about getting women out on the water and featuring female anglers on her show, so she was happy to oblige.
“We managed to nail her the biggest snapper we’ve ever had on the show.
“It was a really special moment that I will never forget. I’m humbled that I got to be part of that moment with her.”
Mackenzie, who has been fishing since she was three and caught her first marlin at 13, says her biggest snapper was 8.6kg.
“I’ve been fishing with my dad for eight years trying to get one bigger, so to get this one was amazing.
“I just love being out and sea and the outdoors.”
Nicky says featuring female anglers meant there was a point of difference on the show,
“But it’s not making a stand or anything, it’s just what we do. We love fishing, and we just want to be out there having fun — same as the boys.” When she’s not fishing, Mackenzie plays rugby for Inglewood High and Clifton women’s team, and represented Taranaki in the U18 team.
■ Watch the episode on Addicted to Fishing’s Facebook page.