BlueWater Boats & Sportsfishing – April 01, 2018

86 facebook.com/BlueWatermagazine

TOURNAMENT

NEWS

NEW ZEALAND SPORT FISHING COUNCIL

W

ith water temperatures

averaging 3 to 4°C warmer

than this time last season, an

influx of blue marlin started

New Zealand’s summer gamefishing

season with a rush of excitement. By

early February, Tauranga club on the east

coast and Raglan club on the west coast

had already weighed blue marlin over

350kg, the latter is also believed to be the

heaviest fish ever weighed at Raglan.

The Whangaroa, Bay of Islands and

Tutukaka clubs have all weighed blue

marlin around 240kg, with Tutukaka

weighing a 273.6kg and a 254kg blue for

a junior angler who had to pass it over to

another angler after three hours. Mercury

Bay, Tairua, and Whangamata have seen

fewer of the bigger blues, yet have still

weighed fish up to 200kg.

There have been fewer striped marlin

than usual reported from all clubs this

season, and the ones caught have varied

greatly in weight. Early this season, the

Counties club weighed a 189kg monster

which looks like the one to beat for the

Lord Norrie gold cup for the heaviest

striped marlin of the season. Our west

coast clubs – from New Plymouth, Raglan,

Kawhia, Counties, both Manukau clubs,

Piha, Muriwai, Hokianga and Ahipara –

have all started to fish well for striped

marlin, with both senior and juniors

making notable captures.

Whakatane had their first major

competition of the year in early February

and recorded a 221.2kg blue marlin, a

124.2kg broadbill swordfish, a 148kg

striped marlin and a 23kg shortbill

spearfish. Following on from their giddy

Warm current delivers blue marlin

Colin Markov and the team aboard Ocean Monarch with his

350.2kg blue marlin during the All About Construction Game

On tournament run by Tauranga Sport Fishing Club.

July, Waihau Bay recently had a run of

southern bluefin tuna turn up just in time

for our 2018 Nationals tournament.

One surprising anomaly this season is

the number of shortbill spearfish being

caught and seen, with several boats

catching two in a day, and some with

three for the season so far. Another

species making a noticeable appearance

is the wahoo, with Tutukaka getting their

first for the season in early February.

While not usually caught in NZ, our

anglers are certainly hoping for more.

Dolphinfish up to 12kg have been caught

on both coasts and have been reported in

good numbers.

If you don’t already live here, this seems

to be a great year to visit New Zealand

and experience our fishery. Better jump

on a plane...

Bay of

Islands

Whangaroa

Mercury Bay

New

Plymouth

Manukau

Waihau

Bay

Tauranga

New Zealand

North Island