Marlin the catch of the day as Hawke's Bay Megafish starts

Crew weighing the first marlin of Megafish 2022. Successful angler Nathan Curtis (left), the 136.4kg catch, Steve Overend, Alan Davies, Wayne Gear and skipper Kevin Overend. Photo / Supplied

Fears that marine conditions could knock over three-day Hawke's Bay fishing contest Megafish 2022 were soon forgotten as it got off to one of its most dramatic starts today.

By late afternoon seven marlin - one blue and six striped - had been weighed, the first in the annual tournament for at least three years.

With the competition starting at 5am and scheduled to end on Sunday afternoon, with 450 entries and based at the Hawke's Bay Sports Fishing Club's ramp and clubhouse off Nelson Quay, Ahuriri, two crew had returned and weighed their catches within the first seven hours to midday.

At 136.4kg and 99.8kg both were above the 90kg eligible to be in the running for the prizes, including the $20,000 top prize for the best catch on a weight to species basis.

But it was a short-lived dream for Napier angler Nathan Curtis who was the momentary leader with his 136.4kg striped marlin caught in an hour-long tussle with a 37kg line off Cape Kidnappers, from the boat Double Vision, skippered by Kevin Overend.

Later in the day came a 149.6kg striped marlin, landed by Ziggy Bawden on the boat Spectrum, and the catch of the day, a 235kg blue marlin, landed by Gisborne angler Leon Lewis on Good Newz, a 67-footer thought to be the biggest vessel in the competition fleet.

Forecasts had earlier not been the greatest, with fishers told at Thursday night's (livestreamed) briefing that in the interests of safety boats would have to be in by 4pm on the opening day to avoid the winds, swells and what MetService had predicted for Sunday - "rough" seas.

But club president Neil Price said it was changing, and hopes were the tournament would see the full weekend, although decisions are made on a daily basis.