It wasn't the biggest fish Napier angler Mark Meredith has ever landed but it was certainly a prize catch, as the 13.44kg albacore tuna he caught off Cape Kidnappers yesterday won him the major prize of $10,000 in the Hawke's Bay Sports Fishing Club's Your Solutions Megafish 2018 tournament.
He was one of four Denny Dolphins Tours adherents aboard Legasea when he landed the all-important catch which won the prize on a weight-to-species points scale.
In the absence of any shark or marlin, with fished weighed in just four species in the annual competition - shortened from three to two days because of poor conditions at sea on Saturday - it was 830g heavier than overnight leader Craig Davis' albacore, which was landed on Sunday.
The heaviest catch in the tournament was a 15.11kg kingfish landed by Rob Schicker, aboard the boat Dodge the Boss.
The competition attracted 228 anglers, aboard 65 boats, well down on last year's entry after hopes of an increase were dashed by forecasts of deteriorating weather during the hot fortnight leading into the event.