Current Lines March 2017 Issue 1

Bowie “we could be Hero’s” if just for one day, I feel all 1553 anglers who entered this year’s SIMRAD ITM NZSFC NATIONALS are heroes.  8 days of hard fishing with some remarkable catches made during and just outside of this event.

2017 Simrad ITM Nationals Prize Winners – Dear readers, the following anglers were drawn as the winners of the daily Simrad prizes in the Nationals; Day 1 – Mike Lee – Tauranga SFC, Day 2 – Shaun Wotherspoon – Mercury Bay GFC, Day 3 – Luke Dolman – Tauranga SFC, Day 4 – Murray Narbey – Muriwai SFC, Day 5 – Josh Lang – Waihau Bay SFC, Day 6 – Nigel Erb – New Plymouth SUC, Day 7 – Nigel Theobald – Waihau Bay SFC Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to Simrad for supporting the Nationals again in 2017.

SIMRAD ITM NZSFC NATIONALSDay 8 Provisional Catch Totals, the total number of fish caught (landed) overall is: 703. The total number of fish caught (landed) overall by species; Blue & Black Marlin : 18; Broadbill : 2; Striped Marlin : 39; Shark : 6; Tuna : 3; Yellowtail : 16; Albacore : 127; Skipjack & Slender Tuna : 58; Kahawai : 188; Snapper : 196; Trevally : 28; Shortbill Spearfish : 6; Mahimahi : 16.  Tagged Totals, The total number of fish tagged overall is : 357; overall by species; Tag Breakdown,  Black Marlin 2;  Blue Marlin: 8; Broadbill: 4; Striped Marlin: 163; Shortbill Spearfish: 3; Blue Shark: 9; Bronze Whaler: 11; Hammerhead Shark: 2; Mako Shark: 88; Yellowtail: 67.

CONGRATULATIONS Mercury Bay– Earlier in the week we also saw a few fish worth noting.  Richard Cleland on Infinity caught a 5.48 skippy on 3kg line which is a pending NZ record.  Denise Le Prou on Moshpit caught a 2.80kg kahawai on 6kg line, a pending ladies club record.  Ilona Pohlmann on Greenies Waka has caught a 28.6kg shortbill spearfish, another pending Ladies Club record.  Ella Pirie on Bounty Hunter also is in the running for a Junior National record with her 4.68kg skipjack tuna caught on 8kg line.  Well done to all these people.

Houhora Nationals PreliminaryResults – That’s the 2017 Simrad ITM Nationals done and dusted for another year. Special mention to junior Jamiro Wells, first time fishing in the Nationals, great job JJ, skipper Mike & dad Rob.
Congratulations to ‘Ahab’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘Hook in Bull’ & ‘Mikes Stabi’ on such a fantastic tournament and for winning the Varta Club, Varta Cup Northern and top team in Northland awards for the club, not to mention the raft of awards for yourselves.

Manukau Sport Fishing Club– HOT OFF THE PRESS!  Club member Simon Freeman just got in touch with me asking to let everybody know the following, My cousin Simon Brown today lost a Monty of a blue marlin after 4 hours.  Simon is a charter skipper in Kona in the off season and knows big blues.  This was well north of 300 kg he estimated. Yes, off the Manukau.”  So there ya have it, obviously we all know of the monster 466 kg Blue caught north of us last weekend by our neighbours from Muriwai up at Ahipara (massive congrats there), but now we know there are more of these big blues in our waters!  Cheers, Ben.

From Ahipara– Bayley Norman showing the Club what he can manage. While out with family he landed a 4.9kg Snapper. Fantastic effort for a 5-year-old, and the big smile tells it all!

Join Ahipara Gamefish Cluband be a part of an amazing Fishery we have here.  2016/17 Season has been a late start which is consistent with the rest of NZ.  In the last week, we have had a striped marlin of 176kg/37 landed by lady member Rachel Stewart, which is the heaviest landed for NZ so far, this season.  It smashed our record of heaviest striped marlin landed for our club, held since 2006.  We have also done two courtesy weighs of a Broadbill of 193/37kg and a Grandeur of 466kg/37 Blue Marlin which come in to our Weigh Station, for Courtesy weighs.  These two fish were for members of the Muriwai club, but caught out off Ahipara.  The Grandeur of 1027.2 Pound is now leading NZ for Heaviest Blue Marlin caught this season.  Donna Pascoe, member of Houhora Club only held that record for a few days. It is the second heaviest Blue Marlin caught in NZ, record currently is 483kg, caught by R Jamieson.  Not to be forgotten is Matthew Masters he also is leading NZ with his Kingfish of 40.3kg/37 caught back in December.  Ahipara Rocks!!!

Thanks to all who came along to the Warkworthgame fish club one base. We had 39 boats and 140 anglers!  7 striped marlin were caught and 3 yellowfin.  Heaviest marlin went of Jessica Mabey on Rookie with a stripy of 117.8kg.  Top team points went to Aria with two stripys.  Full report and pics to come. Great weekend and can’t wait for next year!

BOI ANGLERS ELDORADO INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT RESULTS– It was a close one this year with only 0.6 kg separating the heaviest fish. Winning Team, Diesel with 1708 points.  Runner Up Team most points and winning International Team, St Moritz with 1212 points.  Heaviest Billfish, Walter Scifleet on board St Moritz with a 181.8kg Blue Marlin on 15kg line.  Runner Up Heaviest Billfish, Kieran Pierce on board Diesel with a 181.2 Blue Marlin on 15kg line. Winning Angler most points, Kieran Pierce on board Diesel with 1708 points.  Leading Lady Angler,  Linda Bradly on board Moet with 1110.67 points.

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