Current Lines January 2017 Issue 2

Not music on the radio, but music to my ears, the mighty Black Caps wining the first test against Bangladesh after chasing a first innings of 595 runs, some 1400 runs for the test and winning by 8 wickets.  Just goes to show big points can be beaten by bigger points, even in our NZSFC SIMRAD ITM Nationals next month.

The Arthurs Emporium Tutukaka Junior Tournament on January 7th & 8th with some 63 keen Junior Anglers taking to sea in great anticipation. Our ever-generous Sponsors, Arthurs Emporium, yet again providing great incentive with three Motorbikes up for grabs! A great effort by Small Fry angler Charlie Harris fishing on Grandad’s boat “Just Magic”, and an example of true honesty and integrity, saw the team disqualify their own 25.8kg Yellowfin Tuna landed on “Skippy” gear as the rod was inadvertently handled by an adult before Charlie took over the fight.  The hard luck story of the tournament but an act in the true spirit of Sportfishing – Well done Charlie! The Snapper section was well and truly sewn up by Toby Clayton fishing with his Dad on “Bin Full – Few Good Ones” with two Snapper weighing in at 2.38kg and 2.58kg.  The Angler most points Game shark section saw top honours go to three anglers fishing on “Bwana II” who each tagged 5 Game sharks – Lauren Ashby with 5 tagged Makos, Blake Hay with 4 tagged Makos and a tagged Blue Shark, and Fraser Donaldson with 5 tagged Makos. So, it was on to the Big Ones – the Motorbikes! The Quad bike for the “Small Fry Angler Most Points Overall Marlin, Shark and Yellowtail” went to Fraser Donaldson on “Bwana II” with 135 points for his 5 tagged Makos and 1 tagged Yellowtail. The Motorbike for the “Junior Angler Most Points Shark Section” went to Lauren Ashby fishing on “Bwana II” with 125 points for her 5 tagged Makos. The third Motorbike for the “Junior Angler Most Points Marlin Section” could not be awarded, so another popular decision by our Sponsors sees the remaining Motorbike held over to be awarded to the first Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club Junior or Small Fry Angler to get TWO Marlin (tagged or landed) for the 2016/2017 Season.  If this is not achieved by the end of the 2016/2017 season, the motorbike will be awarded to the first Junior or Small Fry angler to have tagged or landed a Marlin after this Junior Tournament. 

Whitianga – A few good tuna catches in the weeks leading up to the tournament.   A fairly good weather forecast and plenty of prize incentives attracted 222 anglers fishing the competition aboard 72 boats, a huge increase on recent years.  Although the winning fish was caught on Sunday, most of the action took place on Saturday with an unexpected strong breeze keeping many boats off the water on the second day of the tournament.  Though it was a very successful tournament with 47 tuna weighed, it will be well remembered for the three Blue Marlin caught weighing 304.2kg, 281.2kg and 266.5kg, possibly the first time three such large fish have been landed in one day at the club.  Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club would like to thank Pacific Coast Marine and Diesel for sponsoring and doing such a great job organising the event.

Results:1st Nick Stack on “Skyline” with a Big Eye weighing 58.5kg; 2nd Tony Jefferies “ Slange-Var” Yellowfin 25.48kg; 3rd  Tony Jefferies “ Slange-Var” Yellowfin 23.78kg; 4th Brett Cameron “Ultimate Game” Yellowfin 20.10kg; 5th  Ian Ward “Peppa”  Yellowfin 12.78kg.  

A few details for attention sake first and a MASSIVE CONGRATULATION to all involved in this capture! Species: Blue Marlin; Weight: 279.7 kg; Line Weight: 24 kg; Angler: Carson Hallett; Skipper: Bill Wilson; Decky: Arlene Frost.  Hey guys Bill here, I’m new to the Manukau Sport Fishing Club.  On the 06/01/17 we were lucky enough to snag ourselves a nice little 280 kg Blue out of our 5.8 mtr rubber ducky called “SHITTERS”.  We were in the northern end of the Garden Patch in 20.9-degree water.  First full day for the season and the fish bit at 10.20 am. on a Pakula lumo sprocket.  Fight time was 2 hrs 20 mins.  With first time angler Carson Hallett on the rod. With help from Brett Griffiths (club boat “JIGGAS”) on the phone we managed to land it.  Without a gaff it made it fun, but we got there in the end.  Back at Rangiputa we weighed in at Reel Rods, but with the head still on the ground and the 250 kg limit scales maxed out and the lifting hook straightening we put the fish back in the boat and shot to Whangaroa.  We tipped the scales at 279.7 kg.  A day we won’t forget in a long time, cheers Bill.  On behalf of all of us at the MSFC, welcome to the club, and again congratulations to all. 

Round the traps; Mercury Bay – a 304.8kg Blue Marlin on 37 caught in their Tuna comp, by lady angler Karen Brierley on “Aceiano”, a 266.5kg Blue Marlin caught by Mark Franklin (ex-Counties delegate) on “Wazz up” and father and son team Steve & Sergi fishing on the “Su Reel” with a 281.2kg Blue Marlin.  

Whangaroa – 256.5kg Blue Marlin caught by Brett Christian on “BlackWatch”.  

Houhora – first Yellowfin for the club up here, caught by Kim Bellingham 39.8kg and Jeremy Clark 42.6kg.  

Bay of Islands – during their junior interclub event 6-year-old junior Charlie Rowe fishing on “Blue Rules” caught a pending NZ record SB Spearfish, weighing 19.4kg.  

Tauranga –  with their second Big Eye Tuna in 48 hours, Roanne Lumsden fishing on “Night Shift” caught her Big Eye weighing 78.8kg.

Editor

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