Big snapper biting for Hukatere Hook
Downgrading tropical cyclone Gita was predicted to make a big impact on the Hukatere Hook fishing contest with the forecast predicting 3m-plus swells on the Far North’s west coast.
Instead the 47 club members and one visitor contesting the last 90 Mile Club Surfcasting Club field day on Sunday, February 18, ended up having to only deal with a moderate 1.5 metre swell dropping as the day progressed, which made for ideal high tide fishing conditions at midday.
A total of 88 snapper, 37 kahawai, three trevally and a parore were eventually weighed in, noted club spokesman Jack Rogers in his update on proceedings; a report expected to be closely monitored by local surfcasters keen to gain any kind of advantage as the Bonanza looms ever closer on the horizon.
“Interesting to note that more snapper and bigger snapper were caught over the high tide than before [ie. previous field days] . . . Big snapper were certainly on the bite making the upcoming Snapper Bonanza tournament a must do competition to be in this year,” Rogers said, before turning his attention to the day’s results.
Skarn Hokai weighed in the heaviest snapper of the day at 8.65kg to take out
"Interesting to note that more snapper and bigger snapper were caught over the high tide than before [ie. previous field days]" Jack Rogers, 90 Mile Beach Surfcasting Club spokesman
first prize and also reeled in a 7.04kg snapper. Runner up place for the heaviest trevally went to junior angler Daithi Parlour for his 2.83kg fish, while third place for heaviest kahawai was taken out by Wairama Snowden with his 2.80kg specimen.
Others to make the leaderboard top 10 were, Matt Becker 8.06kg snapper 4 (4th), Joe Herbert 2.54kg trevally 5, Moira Rogers 2.55kg kahawai 6, Ben Waaka 7.42kg snapper 7, Fiona Rihari 2.43kg kahawai 8, Cody Lloyd 7.28kg snapper 9, Keri Hokai 2.73kg kahawai 10.
The haggle (for a 1.80kg kahawai) was won by Dan Lloyd while the Hukatere Hook Trophy (for the member who weighed in the most variety of fish of legal size excluding nonscale) was won by Skarn Hokai with a combined weight of 10.49kg over two fish species, with Ben Waaka runner up with a total weight over two species of 9.38kg. ■ UPCOMING. The club will hold its annual Northland Auctions Field Day this weekend which will see anglers fishing from 8am to 4pm again over a midday high tide of 3.7m. For further information, contact Jack Rogers in working hours (09) 408-2660.