Fishing competitons at Whanganui's South Beach at weekend

Whanganui's South Beach was bristling with rods for 2013's surfcasting competition. Photo/File

Whanganui's South Beach takes on a whole new look in the coming weekend.

The Wanganui East Club's fishing adjunct will be holding two fishing competitions there. They are the Kahawai Tournament Teaser on Saturday and The Monster Fishing Competition on Sunday, president Ken Mander said.

The 13km of sand between the mouths of the Whanganui and Whangaehu rivers will become a hunting ground for surfcasters. Some will set up camp among the dunes and others will stay in army cabins at Landguard Bluff.

The competition is about surfcasting - with no boats, longlines or Kontiki fishing equipment to be used. Fishers will need both skill and luck.

The top prize up for grabs is a quad bike, for the person who catches the heaviest snapper on Sunday. There are also cash prizes and $6000-worth of spot prizes, Mr Mander said.

In the Saturday kahawai contest people can fish the incoming tide from 7am to 1pm. The prizegiving is at 2pm and the top prize is $1000. There are more than 600 entries, and people can pay $10 to enter on the day.

Last year about 40 kahawai were caught. Some people don't enjoy their oiliness or dark flesh, but Mr Mander eats them marinated, smoked and fried.

"There's nothing wrong with a kahawai."

In The Monster Fishing Competition on Sunday fishing is also from 7am to 1pm, with the prizegiving at 3pm. Three years ago the Wanganui East fishing adjunct took over this contest, first run by the former Eides Sports shop.

The competition is for any fish. There is a snapper section, a kahawai/cod/gurnard section and a non-scaled section for sharks and stingrays.

"One year someone caught a stingray that was more than 40kg. It was too big to weigh," Mr Mander said.

The Sunday competition has more than 800 entries, and can be entered on the day for $40. If no fish are caught the prizes will become spot prizes.

The storm will have blown over by the weekend, and Mr Mander expects fine weather.

He said there are entrants from all over the North Island, and six from Australia who always time their holidays for the competition.

Lots of sponsors and lots of volunteers are needed, to make it run.

He asks people to take care on the beach, and bring all their rubbish back to the Landguard Bluff base, where there will be a large bin.