Oilman strikes it rich with prized snapper

By TONY GEE

Offshore oil rig driller Tony Carey struck different coloured gold to what he usually seeks when he joined 910 other surfcasters in the 20th annual Snapper Fishing Classic on Ninety Mile Beach last week.

The five-day contest wound up late on Saturday at Waipapakauri Ramp with Carey a narrow overall winner of the big $50,000 cash prize.

He had landed and weighed in a 7.17kg snapper the day before to collect Friday's daily $3000 cash prize but had to wait 24 hours to claim outright victory with his fish.

Carey, aged 43, who works a month-on, month-off routine on an oil drilling rig off the East Timorese coast, is based in Mangonui and describes himself as a serious Far North fisherman when he's at home.

Although he has fished in other contests, this was his first effort in the Ninety Mile classic. "It's like everyone else. You throw your bait out [he used mullet] and hope the big one comes along. For me, it did," he said yesterday. "I caught a shark the day before and then a big stingray before I got the big snapper.

"But then I had to be towed to the weigh-in with it because the Land Cruiser I'd borrowed broke down."

The impact of his achievement and the $50,000 cheque was still sinking in 24 hours after the celebrations ended. "I might pay some of the mortgage off or maybe look for another boat to replace my yacht."

Carey owns a 28ft Townson design in which he goes fishing. He leaves the Far North next week to return to oil rig duties.

The winning team for the week was Orewa's Black Magic, who caught 42 snapper.

Lady angler Prudence Rewi from Te Awamutu collected the Toyota four-wheel-drive Hilux spot prize.