Fish for Gold: 'Lucky dip' for $10,000 trout in Rotorua next month

Fish & Game has launched its 2019 Fish for Gold promotion. Photo / Supplied

Anglers have the chance to 'fish for gold' at the start of the new trout season on October 1, with big prizes up for grabs in Rotorua including $10,000.

Fish & Game has launched its 2019 Fish for Gold promotion.

Anglers will wet their lines to catch trout carrying special white-coloured tags - one of which is the key to a $10,000 prize.

Fish & Game staff will release 30 rainbow trout in the lead-up, marked with numbered white-coloured tags.

Ten will go into each of the three lakes, Tarawera, Rotoiti, and Ōkataina.

Fish & Game Eastern Region manager Andy Garrick said Fish for Gold was "about inspiring people to get their licences and get out there fishing – with something tantalising thrown in".

"The promotion aims to inject some additional suspense into the new season – whether it be for families out on the lake boating, or shore-based fishers. We've seen in the past that Fish for Gold generates a fair bit of banter and competition amongst anglers as fish are pulled in."

He said, "while it's a bit of a lucky dip really, obviously the more time you spend out there, the better the odds".

The event gets under way on open day and runs for 13 days.

The Fish & Game Eastern region. Image / Supplied

Garrick said Fish & Game was grateful for the businesses who had provided prizes including Telfer Marine Rotorua, Kilwell, and the Outdoorsman Headquarters.

Numbers on the tags correspond to prizes contained in sealed and numbered envelopes.

Besides the five-figure cash prize, others include a Yamaha 2HP outboard motor valued at $950, $200 in tackle or vouchers.

"Every eligible angler who returns with a white tagged fish will be a winner," Garrick said.

The competition
Fish for Gold is free to enter.
All you need to do is have a 2019/20 Fish & Game fishing licence and register online before opening day.
Children under 12 are not eligible to enter on a free child's licence, but can if they are included as part of a family fishing licence.
Details including entry form and terms and conditions can be found via Eastern Fish & Game's web page.