Welcome to the November Newsletter, and yep its almost Christmas, but more importantly the Waikato Hunting and Fishing Summer Champs have started on the 1st November and you won't want to miss that.

Entry is as simple as getting online and making sure your club membership is up to date, then pay an extra $20 into our bank account, download the NZSFC measure app to your phone and take a photo of each fish you catch over the summer along side your membership card with membership details facing up. 

Don't forget to also get your fish weighed at your nearest NZSFC affiliated club weigh station. Because Waikato Sportfishing club is affiliated to the New Zealand Sport Fishing club, you can go into any other NZSFC club during the summer and have a drink and meal as an affiliated member after you've got their weigh master to weigh your fish. Just fill out a Catch Card that you downloaded from our website, fill it out and present to the weighmaster with your fish, get them to sign it after entering the fish weight and you're into potentially win a pin or trophy for first or heaviest fish of the season.

Our Fishing rules have been updated and now loaded to the website and contain everything you need to know about weighing fish and qualifying for points and club trophies and pins.  

We have a committee meeting scheduled for December but no more club nights until February when we'll be talking about Game fishing in preparation for the NZSFC Nationals in the last week of February, and our very own One base running from March 8th to the 15th 2025. 

Our Big four is back to being a two week Comp next year and will run from April 12th through to April 30th alongside the April School Holidays and the NZSFC Youth Nationals. But more on that in a later edition.

So that's it from me this month. At our next Committee meeting we'll be doing a bit of business planning so if you've got any hot ideas for what you'd like to see us doing more of, let me or contact any member of the committee know what you're thinking.

Cheers

Bob

Waikato Hunting and Fishing Summer Champs (Members Only)

Entries close 1 December

There is no need to register for this event simply pay your entry fees direct to WSFC 03 0314 0250512 00 BEFORE fishing for the tournament by 1 December 2024. Include your family name and “summer” in the bank details.

This competition runs from 1 November 2024 to 28 February 2025. 

Prize Pool Value $5,000.

Rules and Measure App instructions below/available on the WSFC Website. All entries to be submitted via the Measure App. 

Please note that your photos must this year include your WSFC Membership card with the name and number being visible in the photo, generally lying on the fish.

Entry Fees

Adults $20

Junior $10 Aged 16 and under as at 1 July 2024.

Must be a paid up member by 30 November 24 or earlier if looking to enter fish from 1 December 2024.

Good Luck

Brian Mellow

The Raglan Wharf Seagull Report

Yeeha she is all firing off Raglan at present.

From due West off the bar 35m to 55m the big snapper are there.

Yesterday on a weekday nearly 100 boats were fishing off Raglan. Great.

A few days ago, one of our lady Club members caught in the first half hour a 20lb, 78cm snapper. Ten minutes later she said she had a bigger one on!

Well. Reeling it in, we needed the net and she on a two hook rig had two snapper, first one over 10lb and the other over 15lb. We had a number of times that day of two fish hook ups. Bait type doesn't matter, best would be a freshly caught kahawhai, leave the scales on, cut into nice bait bites, worst would be squid which is more of a late summer/autumn bait. We run a 15kg line to a 80lb fluorocarbon leader of a meter in length to a pair of 7/0 recurve flasher hooks.

Again with the Raglan Bar, observe, observe, observe. We crossed following two charter boats and were well into the red light sector. We had a big full moon tide and the tide was on a two hour run in, yet the bar was continuously breaking big in the white light sector. We all crossed without any danger.

Plenty of crayfish on the reefs, beware that you use strong ropes, there are strong currents at times and pots can get trapped in the rock and snap goes the rope under pressure. Need a few for the Christmas table as we ate the early season ones.

Still plenty of flounder up the harbour, another six weeks and the stingray will be moving onto the mud flats with the warmer waters, not good for my net.

The Club has the Summer Challenge running so remember to measure your catch and forward in.

Safe fun fishing and boating to you all.

The Raglan Wharf Seagull. 

Weighmaster Training & Refresher Course

Doug Taucher from Kawhia Sportfishing Club conducted a Weighmasters training and refresher course recently. Organised in conjunction with Courtney, President of Raglan Sportfishing Club. Was held at our joint club Raglan weigh station.

Thanks to an invitation, our weighmasters Kevin & Helen Larkin attended and myself as a tag along.

Doug came well prepared with a life-sized imitation marlin silhouette. 

We conducted a mock weigh-in covering all aspects from crowd control, fish ID, measuring & weighing the fish safely and checking tackle used.

With the game season fast approaching ,check your lure leader lengths and combinations of wind on leaders with doubles.

It's easy to use a mate's lure with a standard leader on your wind on rig and be over length without realising. 

Doug was very thorough and I'm sure we all learned something new and feel confident heading into the summer season.

Thankyou Doug for making time to share your knowledge, much appreciated. 

Mark O. 

WSFC Shelly Beach Family Fishing Comp 2024 

Excitement built on Friday night, with anticipation for the day ahead. Registration complete (54 anglers including 12 under 16’s) and guess the weight board showing great optimism for intended catches. Daybreak proved the mood a touch better than the weather, as the fleet faced a stiff 10-12 knt NW wind throwing up a nice chop wind against the tide. Most ventured toward Waimate or Coromandel Harbour to try their luck in sheltered locations. A few, braver and more adventurous, battled out in the gulf. A tough fishing day with plenty of boats moving around going through Plan A, B & C.

The weigh in revealed all with James & Stephen handling the fish, and Kerrie recording the catches. President Bob (drum roll please) entertained through the prizegiving as the young and old came forward to receive their new gear, and most importantly kudos for job well done. 

Notable winners were Geoff Preston (Mokau Man) who stayed true to Plan A straylining in the slop at Hautapu marker all day and picking up first place Snapper of 6.03kg. Brother Mick also featured with 4 th place. Remarkable effort for their first fishing effort at Coromandel.
Tracey Forkert presented an impressive 12kg kingfish to take out 1 st place in Other Sport Fish. A tremendous angling effort , with big runs , and expertly handled she was saying. A credible effort also, picking up bridesmaid in Snapper & Sport fish was local Craig McDonald.

However the day is centred around getting youngsters on boats and there was plenty of excitement as the Juniors and Small Fry all got to come forward to collect their reward for solid efforts on the water. Most notable was Ollie Lyttle sweeping the Small Frys with 1 st in Snapper, Kahawai & Trevally. Logan Riddle caught the biggest Junior Snapper taking home a great Rod & Reel combo along with the Ken Monk Memorial Trophy.

Tyron Marshall picked up a great Waikato Clutch and Brake prize for average Snapper, while Ollie Lyttle enjoyed his icecream that much more holding the big Coro Weekend AirBnB voucher donated by Shane Mellow.

The evening topped off with a BBQ dinner and a few quiets relaxing with mates old and new. A great time had by all made possible of course by a group of sponsors who generously continue to support our club and make this day possible.

Mark the 1 st Saturday in November in your calendars , and see you all back again next year.

Many thanks to Hunting & Fishing TeRapa, Driving Creek Railway, Stainless Solutions, Sweeties By Dan, Frankton Butcher, Mellow Business Group, Supreme Sheetmetals.

Ant

Shelly Beach Results

Upcoming Events

2024/2025 Membership Renewal

You can join our club at any time during the season. Memberships are valid for the current season starting 1st July and will expire on the 30th of June. For further details including membership benefits and fees visit our website https://www.waikatosportfishing.co.nz/