South Beach to host fishers
Whanganui's South Beach takes on a whole new look in the coming weekend.
The Wanganui East Club's fishing adjunct will be holding two fishing competitions there. They are the Kahawai Tournament Teaser on Saturday and The Monster Fishing Competition on Sunday, president Ken Mander said.
The 13km of sand between the mouths of the Whanganui and Whangaehu rivers will become a hunting ground for surfcasters. Some will set up camp among the dunes and
"One year someone caught a stingray that was more than 40kg. It was too big to weigh."
catches the heaviest snapper on Sunday. There are also cash prizes and $6000 worth of spot prizes, Mr Mander said.
In the Saturday kahawai contest people can fish the incoming tide from 7am to 1pm. The prizegiving is at 2pm and the top prize is $1000. There are more than 600 entries, and people can pay $10 to enter on the day.
Last year about 40 kahawai were caught. Some people don't enjoy their oiliness or dark flesh, but Mr Mander said he eats them marinated, smoked and fried.
“There's nothing wrong with a kahawai.”
In The Monster Fishing Competition on Sunday, fishing is also from 7am to 1pm, with the prizegiving at 3pm. Three years ago the Wanganui East fishing adjunct took over this contest, first run by the former Eides Sports shop.
The competition is for any fish. There is a snapper section, a kahawai/cod/gurnard section and a non-scaled section for sharks and stingrays.
“One year someone caught a stingray that was more than 40kg. It was too big to weigh,” Mr Mander said.
The Sunday competition had more than 800 entries, and could be entered on the day for $40.
If no fish were caught, the prizes became spot prizes.
The storm was likely to have blown over by the weekend, and Mr Mander expected f i ne weather for the competition.
He said there were entrants from all over the North Island, and six from Australia who always timed their holidays for the competition.
He asked people to take care on the beach, and bring all their rubbish back to the Landguard Bluff base, where there will be a large bin.