Fishing prize worth the weight in Hawke's Bay

The hot weather which favoured the fishing competition might not have been so welcome on land, with yet another fire on Sunday. Photo / Warren Buckland

It was worth both the weight and the wait for angler Justin "Spud" Ryder as he claimed the $10,000 first prize in Hawke's Bay Sport Fishing Club open tournament the Your Solutions Megafish on Saturday.

Ryder boated his 15.09kg albacore on Beerlky Legal late on the annual contest's opening day on Wednesday, and had to wait until the prizegiving ceremonies on Saturday night to have the triumph confirmed.

Scaled at weight times 6 under the points to species regime to decide the overall winner, Ryder's catch became the third albacore in a row to claim the major prize, with no other serious challengers.

Major sponsor Adam Satherley kept everyone in suspense on Saturday as he fought to boat a marlin estimated to likely exceed the species' 90kg minimum weight requirement, but it proved to be the big one that got away.

Albacore were again the predominant weighed species, but there were special moments when three spearfish were caught, more than previously in the club records.

The biggest hook of all was, however, back at the clubhouse where Renee Moffit won a $45,000 Senator boat package in a lucky draw on Saturday night.

About 450 anglers enjoyed four days of fine and hot weather, and after a short retreat to the mid and lower 20s, temperatures in Hawke's Bay are expected to rise again this week, with 30C again forecast by the end of the week.

Fires were again threatening, with three helicopters in use at one blaze in the western extremities, in the Waipunga-Rangitaiki area off State Highway 5. The fire was reported at 1.51pm on Sunday, and fire service and rural and forest crews were stoll at the 2ha scene more than three hours later.

A smaller fire was also in the Glengary area, also off State Highway 5, just after 4.30pm.