Welcome to the October edition of our newly revamped Club newsletter. We had a very successful combined AGM and Prize Giving a couple of weeks ago. As a result, we now have a newly refreshed committee with a nice mix of some new faces and some old.

I'm back again as President, something I hadn't intended on but the need was there and I was happy to step back into the fold as needed. I firmly believe that clubs like ours are a community of like minded people who are passionate about fishing. As a community everybody has an ongoing duty to step up and contribute in some way shape or form on an ongoing basis. The committee should be a revolving door of members stepping in to help for a period while others step out for a breather, then to step back in at a later date with fresh new ideas and energy. So yeah I'm happy to be back, as unexpected as that was.

Thanks to Mark Olsen for staying on as Vice President, Kerrie Pollock for continuing her amazing magic as Secretary, Ant Higgs as Treasurer, Brian Mellow and James Pike for continuing as committee members, welcoming Stephen (Baxter) Baxter, and Katelyn Olsen as new committee members and welcoming back John Sharp as a returning committee member.

I'd like to extend a huge vote of thanks to Brian Mellow who over the last 3 or more years has lead the team to breathe new life back into the club, by getting a full year of Tournaments res-established, bringing new committee members on board and getting the club finances into an even better position than they were before.

You may have noticed a new look to our Club Website, newsletters and emails. We have over the last year transitioned to a Customer Relationship Management system called Sporty that manages our website content and membership database. It means that our member information and tournaments can all be managed from one secure place and allows us to step up in how we manage the privacy of your information that we hold. It also allows us to more easily provide you with information and updates through newsletters and emails, which I hope will do a better job of keeping you abreast of what we are up to, as well as making managing your membership renewals much more streamlined. A huge thanks to Kerrie who has become an absolute guru on this new system.

As I write this, we're heading into Labour weekend, so have a great weekend, and I'm looking forward to see as many of you as possible at Shelly Beach the weekend after Labour Weekend. It's always a fun weekend for the whole family, if you haven't been, then make this your first, you won't regret it.

Cheers

Bob

WSFC AGM & Prizegiving

Congratulations to all our winners at the 2024 WSFC Annual Prizegiving

Gurnard – Phil Winter – 0.69kg – 10/03

Trevally – Ben Rapson – 1.62kg – 9/03

Kahawai – Katelyn Olsen – 2.4kg – 10/03

Albacore – Ben Rapson – 3.34kg – 14/03

Skipjack Tuna – Elijah Hannah – 0.91kg – 15/03

Snapper – Phil Winter – 7.97kg on 15kg – 10/03

WSFC Heaviest Snapper – Phil Winter – 7.97kg

Heaviest snapper caught by a junior – Hunter Bremner – 3.09kg

Heaviest Fish for a Junior - Hunter Bremner – 3.09 Kg Snapper.

Kingfish – Scott Pritchard – 19.42kg – 25/04

Mahi Mahi – Elijah Hannah – 0.91kg – 15/03

First Raglan Marlin – Steven Sharp – T/R Striped Marlin

First Bill Fish for Season – John Sharp – T/R Waihou Bay

Boat with First Marlin – Pride ‘N’ Joy – John Sharp

Ladies – Most Species – Katelyn Olsen – 5 species (snapper, kahawai, kingfish, trevally, bronze whaler)

Ladies Most Points – Single Fish – Katelyn Olsen – 100pts T/R bronze whaler

Most Meritorious – Ladies – Katelyn Olsen – 12kg kingfish

Most Meritorious – Senior – Steven Sharp –T/R 2 striped marlin

Most Points – Individual Angler – Steven Sharp – 1200pts T/R 2 Striped Marlin

Most Points – Single Fish – John Sharp and Steven Sharp – Equal 600pts

Boat with Most Points – Pride ‘N’ Joy – 1800pts T/R 3 marlin

Old Man of the Sea – Steven Sharp – T/R 2 marlin

Mike Plant from the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) gave a very interesting talk on the current issues they are facing. Thank you Mike. NZSFC is the oldest incorporated organisation representing recreational anglers. $16 of your Waikato Sport Fishing Club membership fee goes towards NZSFC.

The NZSFC also takes an active role in fisheries management and research. A fee of $2.00 per senior member and $1.00 per Junior member is donated and passed on as support to the NZ Marine Research Foundation.

Over the last few years, the NZ Marine Research Foundation in conjunction with Blue Water Marine Research have conducted comprehensive POP & PAT tagging programs of Striped Marlin that have given us an insight into the behaviour of this sought after species.

Privacy Policy

At our last meeting held 22 October the committee implemented a Privacy Policy. This policy sets out how we will collect, use, disclose and protect your personal information.

You have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you'd like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, please contact us at secretary@waikatosportfishing.co.nz or P O Box 9036, Hamilton 3204.

Photography

We may from time to time publish photos of our activities including club events, functions and generally around the club rooms. Published photography will only be used by the Club in a positive way (unless it relates to a to a suspected or actual Criminal Act where we are trying to identify a person of interest). Should you not wish to have any identifiable image(s) published of you (or person in your care), please contact us at secretary@waikatosportfishing.co.nz or Waikato Sport Fishing Club, P O Box 9036, Hamilton.

You can view our Privacy Policy here

Yee-haa it is great to be writing again for our Club.

Firstly, and this is my opinion, with 60 years of Raglan Bar crossings, I do not want to get involved in any future incidents.

The Bar for this year at least is off the leads. White sector light. It is regularly breaking at high tide in this area and very shallow to cross at low tide. Many local fisho's and charter boat operators have changed their GPS line for safe crossing as in fog or poor visibility conditions. We are crossing well into the redlight sector and even to the North of that red light. I have spoken to Maritime NZ Wellington and Regional Council to no avail. There should be a notice to mariners on the Coastguard or Bar crossing VHF Radio. We recently rescued two Te Awamutu fishermen whose boat had just flipped in that exact area and they were ten minutes into their Coastguard bar watch.

Raglan Wharf Ramp. Total new concrete ramp. Brillant.

Raglan Camping Ground Ramp. At low tide the channel to the harbour on a big moon tide is down to ankle deep particularly at the outer buoys and the 5 knot warning sign.

SNAPPER fishing. After many weeks of consistent really bad weather, snapper fishing is brillant. Cross the Raglan bar or leave Manu Bay and go due west to 50m. Snapper are spawning. They take any bait. Do not shift as they will come on. Will take less than two hours for your limit. Refresh your hooks from last summer, sharp hooks big fish. 50m this weekend 19/20 Oct was like Wilsons carpark!

Flounder. Flounder aplenty this spring up to 600gms. Once over your net and you have your limit.

WSFC Winter Challenge is coming to an end, but we still must weigh fish for Annual Club records and remember to length measure your gurnard and send in to our Club for that gurnard challenge.

Tight lines.

The Raglan Wharf Seagull.

Waikato Sport Fishing Club Shelly Beach Family Fishing Competition

Saturday 2nd November 2024.

Hosted by WSFC at Shelly Beach Top 10 Holiday Park.

$3500 Prize Pool

Not long to go now. My grandchildren are getting supper excited for this competition. Not only do they love the fishing they also enjoy staying at Shelly Beach Top 10 with the extended family playing on the playground, enjoying the nice warm pool and exploring Shelly Beach.

We once again have our much loved spot prizes of 2 nights accommodation in an Air BnB beach front property at Oamaru Bay ($720) and a Family Zip Line Pass ($400). Thanks to Shane Mellow at Stainless Solutions and Driving Creek Railways.

A BBQ dinner and ice cream is included in your entry fee. $5 for adults/teens who have not entered.

Prize categories , Snapper, Kahawai & Heaviest other Sports fish.

Overall Average Snapper prize.

Entry: Adults $20 , Juniors $10, Small fry $5, Non members $30.

Small Fry through to age 10 at 1st July 2024

Junior 11-16 yrs at 1st July 2024

Coromandel Shelly Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park and their sister park, Anglers Lodge, are happy to give Waikato Sport Fishing Club members 10% off your accommodation for any stays a week either side of the event to get you some good time on the water using Promo Code: WSC on our booking engines!

Entries accepted online now(click in the link below) or at the Venue Friday night or before 8-30 am Saturday morning. Or text Mark 0274788755 with your details before 8-30 am Saturday.