Plenty of snapper on 90 Mile Beach

With the Snapper Bonanza less than a week away, signs are looking good that it will be one of the most successful competitions in the event’s history.

Noting it was officially now a sell-out, local commentator Jack Rogers said the long range forecast was looking good with easterly winds on the first couple of days — next Tuesday and Wednesday — and most importantly, big snapper were in abundance.

Rogers was basing that last aspect on the number of fish reeled in in the Northland Auctions Field Day on Sunday, March 4. The annual 90 Mile Beach Surfcasting Club contest attracted 43 club members and three visitors who fished over a mild sea in ideal weather conditions, eventually reeling in 123 snapper, four trevally and 47 kahawai.

Heaviest snapper and first prize went to Stephen Heka’s 7.37kg, second prize for heaviest trevally went to Keri Hokai with a 4.56kg specimen, while catching the third place prize for heaviest kahawai at 2.90kg was Ben Waaka. Other prize winners included Gareth McKenzie 7.33kg snapper 4, (junior) Arli Hokai 2.74kg trevally 5, Dave Hallett 2.13kg kahawai 6, Skarn Hokai 6.44kg snapper 7, Quaylin Wikitera 2.11kg trevally 8, Mark Frost 2.07kg kahawai 9, Matt Becker 5.75kg snapper 10.

The haggle of a 3kg snapper was won by Hokai with a 3.02kg snapper. The sponsored prizes were won by drawn tickets, giving the opportunity for all club members present to win a prize. Organisers thanked Logan and Eileen for providing a barbecue treat.

Coming up this Sunday is the Kaitaia College 1st XV fishing contest, open to west and east coast beaches to fished from 7.30am to 3pm with the weigh-in at the Bonanza Site, while the next club field day, a 24 hour A Fred Plate/ JNL overnight event will be held over the weekend of April 14-15.

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