Fishing: Women prove the deadlier of the species

The achievements of Nicky Sinden and Lynda Matthews over the 2016/17 summer fishing season were acknowledged at the Ahipara Gamefish Club's end of season prizegiving last Saturday night. Photo / Kirsty Saxon

The women blew their male counterparts out of the water in terms of catching record-breaking fish at the Ahipara Gamefish Club's annual end of season prizegiving event last Saturday.

The club's standout anglers were female, starting with Mangawhai-based Nicky Sinden landing a world record when she reeled in a magnificent 361kg broadbill in February.

Other female anglers whose achievements were celebrated on the evening occasion at the Kaitaia Golf Club were Danielle Hamilton for reeling in a world record snapper at 15.84kg, Kaitaia's Rachel Stewart, recording a new club record with her 176kg striped marlin also in February, and Ahipara gamefishing stalwart Lynda Matthews who was honoured with the club's first lifetime membership.

Sinden - well known as the host of the Ados Addicted to Fishing TV show - received a total of eight awards for her massive broadbill where it was noted she needed not one but two extra pairs of hands to bring the fish onboard at the time.

The effort also earned her the coveted New Zealand Sport Fishing Council's Old Man and the Sea trophy.

"I caught my first marlin with Leighton Matthews and my first broadbill up here too," Sinden said.

"Ahipara is where I fell in love with game fishing."

She said the Ahipara Game Fishing Club was made up of a unique community of "loveable characters who live and breathe fishing. I feel very privileged to be a part of it".

Danielle Hamilton had achieved a New Zealand and world record for weighing in a 15.84kg snapper during the Taipa Tavern Ladies Fishing Contest in March. Hamilton said the beast had been caught on her first drop off Ahipara while out on the Three Bears with skipper Mike Fryer.

Other significant events from the 2016/17 season celebrated at the club's prizegiving including the running of another successful Radz Invitational in early March, and the Houhora One Base where, despite atrocious conditions, member Sean Frieling was able to catch a 132.4kg striped marlin and win the main $10,000 prize.

Ahipara local Richard Morrogh landed a 199.6kg blue marlin, and the AGC claimed the Electronic Navigational Trophy for the second year in a row.

Club president Robbie Matthews, concluding proceedings at the prizegiving said that while it was a relatively slow season overall on the marlin front, some huge fish were caught.

"May there be many more grandeurs," he said.