Caught between Waipap and Hukatere

FISHING

The 90 Mile Beach Surfcasting Club's summer season got off to a good start after a recess over the winter period with the opening event earlier this month attracting 17 senior and two junior club members weighing in seven snapper, five trevally and 13 kahawai.

Fishing conditions were very good for the event on Sunday, September 7, considering the water temperatures were moderate with the club report noted it was very surprising to be catching snapper throughout the winter season.

Most of the snapper were caught between the Waipapakauri Ramp and Hukatere on the outgoing to low tide.

Ken Tyler weighed in the heaviest snapper 5.35kg taking out 1st prize with Jo Arthur 2nd with the heaviest trevally at 5.40kg and 3rd place going to to Rod Alan with a 1.79kg kahawai. Other prize winners were Fred Cassidy 4.82kg snapper 4 (e.g. 4th), Joe Herbert 3.92kg trevally 5, Beryl Andressen 1.73kg kahawai 6, Sue Clarke 4.58kg snapper 7, Dave Hallett 3.31kg trevally 8, Jack Rogers 1.57kg kahawai 9, Milton Arnold 3.40kg snapper 10.

The special prize was awarded to junior Rachel Craig, while Dave Hallett won the haggle set at 1.20kg snapper with a 1.05kg fish. It was noted weighmaster Milton Arnold had chosen the haggle snapper weight thinking that, at this time of the year, only small snapper would be weighed in.

As it turned out, Hallett's was the smallest of seven snapper weighed in on the day.

The next event is the Waipapakauri Hotel Field Day this Sunday, fishing from 10am-4pm over a 1.30pm low tide. Weigh in will take place at the caravan with prizegiving and dinner at the hotel soon after.