This is not a fun contest. It is very tiring, stressful and extremely hard on the body.
But, I will do it again as most of the 700 odd participants will attest. Being bashed about by angry waves, drowned by tall ones, it's good if you happen to have about six feet under you.
Us shorties swallow substantial quantities of salt-laden bubbles.
Then it's a bloody tiring wade back to your rod holder that doesn't always stand up for the duration. After two hours, one would not expect to need a pee.
It's such a long walk back to the car or sandhills, it's almost worth it to heat up your groin and legs. Not to mention the loss of fishing time.
Then there is the food or coffee requirements.
Who can stand out there being bashed about by breaking waves, surging water and a panging tummy.
But, you feel it is necessary to forego this luxury so you can win $30,000 or maybe catch the average weight. That's me brother.
I'm happy to take a smaller fish , as long as it is the average weight.
The prizes for the draws are fabulous.
You could not ask for better prizes.
Save for a DVD player or two.
Maybe next year they'll swap it for an I-phone.
We live in hope.
The venue is great. The beer tent is always chokka and even some winners crawl out from under their chosen slurpee.
The people you meet are absolutely really neat people.
I think meeting such super fishers makes you realise you are not the only **** on the beach.
A greater bunch of people are hard to meet. Show me a fisher and I know he won't be the jail type or belong to a notorious club.
Nor will the she fishers be.
I am a newbie, but am most impressed with the whole affair. Such that I will partake next year and hopefully be one of the chosen ones who are asked to stagger up to the podium for a super prize.
God bless Dave and John and all their helpers and so help me, thank God I live in the real Far North.
Paradise for fishers - suffer you sons from down south.
You can have the team winners, but we'd like the Triton to ourselves.
PETE BENSON
Awanui
