Fishing: Heaviest rainbow secures pot of gold

Rotorua's Trent Hayman with his competition-winning rainbow trout. Photo / Supplied

Local fisherman Trent Hayman has reeled in the top prize at a big annual fishing competition in Rotorua, with a 3.39kg rainbow trout.

Hayman won the main prize at the Clubs New Zealand Trout Fishing Competition, organised by the Rotorua Citizens Club, after catching the rainbow trout on Lake Rotoiti on Friday.

The local fisherman knocked his dad, Stan Hayman, off the top of the rankings on Friday with the catch, before hanging on to claim the top prize. The prize for the heaviest rainbow trout included about $3000 worth of fishing gear and prizes.

The three-day competition finished on Saturday afternoon and no-one was able to top Hayman's catch during the final day of competition.

There was other prizes up for grabs as well, but the top prize goes to the heaviest rainbow trout each year.

About 70 entrants took part during the competition and four lakes were used including Rotoiti, Rotorua, Okataina, and Tarawera.

Event organiser Alan Macfarlane, from the Rotorua Citizens Club, said Trent was a well-known local fisherman.

"Trent and his father, Stan, have been part of this citizens club for a long time and are well known local fishermen," he said.

"Stan won the first day [on Thursday] but his son came through and pipped him."

Macfarlane said the event had been running for about nine years and was usually organised by another club member, who sadly died this year.

Clubs New Zealand represent more than 300 clubs across the country including RSAs, citizens clubs and chartered clubs. Members of any of those clubs were eligible to enter the fishing competition.

The overall record at the annual competition is a 4.82kg trout caught in 2008.

Macfarlane thanked all the sponsors who helped with prizes, including major sponsor O'Keefes.