Fishing marathon nets 1000 anglers

Nearly 1000 anglers are expected at Ninety Mile Beach in the Far North this morning for the start of a five-day fishing marathon, the biggest contest of its type in Australasia.

The annual Lion Red Snapper Classic draws contestants from all over New Zealand and Australia.

This year's event, the 25th, also marks the end of an era for the organisers, the Brljevich family who, under father Tony Brljevich, began the contest in 1982 from their headquarters at The Park behind the sand dunes at Waipapakauri Ramp.

"We're very proud of what we've achieved but we sold The Park two years ago and it's now time to bow out and let someone else take the next step with it," Tony's son Paul Brljevich said yesterday.

The identity of the new organisers will be announced at Saturday's prizegiving.

The heaviest snapper caught over the five days wins its angler $50,000.