Wild swells batter Twilight anglers

The 90 Mile Beach Surfcasting Club's traditional lead-up to the Captain Morgan Snapper Bonanza, the Twilight Competition, proved more of test of endurance rather than fishing skills in the wake of the departing Tropical Cyclone Lusi on Sunday.

The storm system left huge swells on both coasts, which swiftly dropped on the east, but the west proved near impossible to fish, although there were a few who still braved the 90 Mile and managed to catch fish in swells estimated at 3.5 metres.

The main $1000 cash prize for the average-weight snapper went to club member Ben Waaka from Ahipara with his fish of 1.860kg, the closest to the average weight of 1.935kg from the 57 snapper weighed in for a combined total weight of 110.35kg.

Elsewhere, heaviest snapper placegetters were John Kirkland first with 5.590kg, followed by Ron Fenwick 3.595kg then Ken Tyler 3.435kg; trevally: Kerry Mitchell 3.065kg and 2.850kg with the 3rd prize drawn by Dave Harrison; and kahawai: John Randall 2.470kg, Skarn Hokai second with 2.195kg and Dave Hallett third with 1.990kg. The drawn junior prize went to Shayna Christensen Rogers, the women's gift basket to Joy Wikitera, and the winner of the chilly bin raffle was Kyra Rapana from Kaitaia.

Overall, there were 57 snapper, 26 kahawai and two trevally weighed in, with both trevally caught on the 90 Mile by Kerry Mitchell from Papamoa. The very fact that fish had been caught in such conditions was a good indicator for Snapper Bonanza starting tomorrow, noted club reporter Jack Rogers.

And despite the drop in numbers of anglers fishing the Twilight competition (perhaps a widespread caution due to the perceived impact of Lusi), Rogers said the club was happy with the turnout and was also pleased that fishing was open on both coasts to give anglers the opportunity to test their spots for this Thursday's Reel Rods Day in the Snapper Bonanza.

As noted above, the 2014 Captain Morgan Snapper Bonanza surfcasting tournament kicks off on 90 Mile Beach today and will run until Saturday, with fishing being held each day from 7.30am to 4.30am bar Thursday when the event is open to all three Far North coasts (although fish caught on Thursday do not go into the draw for the overall heaviest or average weight prizes).

Spokesman Dave Collard noted ticket sales were on a par with last year.He encouraged the local public to support the competition by buying tickets in order to be in with a chance at the lucrative prize pool drawn every day at the event HQ on Waipapakauri Ramp Road from around 4.30pm.