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Welcome to 2025 and what a year its been. Most of us who have been around for a few years can't remember a better year for Game Fishing around New Zealand. Yellowfin Tuna, after disappearing in 2006 and dribbling back for the last 10 years are back in numbers one side of the country to the other that we haven't seen before. They've been closely followed by Marlin, a lot of smaller sub 90kg fish on the east coast and amazing numbers of regular sized fish off the west coast, with them being well spread from Manukau to New Plymouth and all points in between. If you haven't got one yet, there's no better time to try. As I write this the snapper will be coming back on after their post-spawn disappearing act. Don't forget our Summer Measure champs are still running, see the scoreboard later in this news letter. You've got until Mid-night February 28th to get your catch entries into the app. We're super excited to announce that our new weigh station has been operational at Waimou Camp and tackle on the Thames Coast. Thanks to Blue and the team for helping us get this going. Now you can drop in on your weigh(pun intended) home from all points in the coromandel to weigh fish for annual trophies. Don't forget our February Club night on February 12th 7.30 pm at our club rooms 499 Grantham Street, Hamilton. The bar will be open. Our Guest Speakers are going to attempt to tell you everything you need about fishing the One Base, from Inshore fishing, Teams fishing, and where to find the Gamefish (contrary to what they say, they're not everywhere!). And finally don't forget the Simrad Raglan One Base from the 8th to the 15th of March. Yep we're running it for the full week Saturday to Saturday again, so you get to fish anytime you can get away from work or between weather bombs! You can enter through the website or Friday night March the 7th at the Raglan Club. So that's it from me this month, not only is the fishing hot, hot, hot but we've got plenty for you in 2025. Cheers Bob  |
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The Simrad Raglan One Base Fishing Comp is coming up on the 8th-15th March In conjunction with Heaviest fish caught it has a sportfishing points component. Catch fish heavier than the line weight and points are calculated by the following formula. Fish weight multiplied by 100 divided by line weight. Eg 3.6kg x 100 =360 divided by 3 kg line = 120 points. Points accumulated go towards Top team , Top Angler- Mens, Ladies & Juniors Also earn points by tagging Billfish 600 pts , Sharks 100 pts & Kingfish 50 pts. There are also some great prizes in the points side of the comp. For Tags Contact Mark Olsen 0274788755. Cost $7-00 per tag limited quantity available. |
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WSFC Members receive 10% off Hamilton and Cambridge Hunting & Fishing10% off at Hamilton and Cambridge Hunting & Fishing when you present your WSFC Membership. The discount applies to all items in store but excludes items already on special, electronics, firearms, ammunition, game and electric fishing combos. |
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Summer Champs UpdateHi Fishos Some great fish entered so far and up until and including 2 February. Jafa Ben Cullen had a good weekend just gone at the Mokes and just entered a 78.50cm snapper to top the adult leaderboard by 0.5 cms from club stalwart Renee (Raglan) Doig. Leading junior snapper young Roza Bennett from Rotorua ways with a nice 62cm snapper. Not seeing a lot of Kingfish entered yet, hopefully they aren’t all being clipped by the Bronzies. Leading Adult AA Frankton’s Andy Gudsell 108, Leading Junior Daniel MacDonald 113cms, may be his last fish before cricket starts again! Check out the scoreboard for full results to date and fish hard February to make your mark until 28th February 25. Note that it may take 3-4 days before the Aussies approve your fish to show it on the scoreboard. https://tournaments.trackmy.fish/tournamentscoreboard/961ecbc8ef9820ec526e293c4d8e4cdbdb73a1c0 Tight Lines Brian (56cm Trev Guy) |
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Spotlight on Sponsor |
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If you haven’t been, you must put it on your list. If you have been, you’re probably keeping it quietly to yourself. Thinking it is the eighth wonder of the world is opinion, regarding Baz & Coll as super hosts is fact. Just 10km north of Coromandel Town will land you in Oamaru Bay. Tucked away in the corner is the Tourist Park with everything you need. A few tent sites, a few motorhome parks, and plenty of modern, well-appointed cabins. The sandy beach is a family favourite and the boat ramp in the bay opens you up to the best snapper fishery in New Zealand. Baz will put you on a few spots, find you a kayak, even a few veges from the garden. Make your next stay at Oamaru Bay WSFC thanks Baz & Coll Ellis for their longstanding and ongoing support of our club.
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WSFC Weigh Stations |
We have three weigh stations available with calibrated scales. These are located in Raglan and the Coromandel. Raglan Club 22 Bow Street, Raglan Helen & Kevin Larkin 07 825 6738 or 027 245 6257 Oamaru 440 Colville Road, Coromandel Baz Ellis 021 023 79 833 Camp & Tackle Waiomu 620a Thames Coast Road, Waiomu Blue 07 868 2022 or 027 598 6345 Remember to take along your catch card. You can download a copy here. Send you completed catch card to Katelyn at catchcards@waikatosportfishing.co.nz |
Camp & Tackle Waiomu Weigh Station
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If you are not already following Camp and Tackles' Facebook page, you may want to take a look. Blue regularly posts videos providing the latest forecast for the Firth of Thames, particularly beneficial for those launching from Waikawau. https://www.facebook.com/campandtackle/
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Congratulations LachieJunior member Lachie Anderson caught his first ever Marlin on the 18th of January weighing in at 76.5kgs. Nothing like getting your first Marlin and sharing it with family and friends. |
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Upcoming Events |
Club Night 12th February 7.30pm at the clubrooms. Summer Champs 1st November 24-28th Feb 25 Simrad Raglan One Base 8th-15th March 25 One Base Registration/Briefing 7th March 25 One Base Mid Week Prizegiving 12th March 25 Big Four 14th-30th April 25 Club Night/Big Four Prizegiving 14th May 25 Membership Renewal 1 July 25 |
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2024/2025 Membership RenewalYou 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/ |
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The Raglan Wharf Seagull ReportWest Coast Report. Raglan...The Waihau Bay of the West Coast, or the Greymouth, West Port Fiordland of the North Island. Hasn't game fishing gone off at Raglan this summer. And Raglan is one hour from Hamilton and less than an hour from the boat ramp and into serious game fish. Not like getting to East Cape! I have fished here for 65 years and written for NZ Fishing magazines and have never had a season go off like NOW. Who said you need depth to catch yellowfin, bluefin and marlin. Yellowfin broaching water in numbers have been seen at the back of Jackson's reef 45m of water. Large numbers of marlin are at the 60-80m mark but hookups are from 50m. Boats reporting treble hookups. Boats hooked up on marlin have reported four other boats in their area hooked up too. A boat I saw in the video was in a pack of many marlin, approx 12, and one swam up to their boat and broached the tail and splashed water onto the boat. Incredible footage. Bluefin tuna of over 50kg has been caught/weighed locally. Massive bluefin have been seen broaching water whilst feeding. Anglers out of Port Waikato caught a massive bluefin after hours of battle, the tail of which a shark had bitten off, still weighed 279.2kg, complete that fish was 300kg plus. Yeeha and we have boats from Tauranga, Whangamata and Whitianga here...weekdays 50 boats out of Raglan.. all for the Sport of game fishing. After a day on the water, reports of tired crews at last winding in gear and they still have marlin within meters of the back of their boat and in one case they were in just 35m of water. Raglan has no smokehouses, limited petrol, ice and boat trailer parking. Many locals do not realise what is happening at their back door. Bottom fishing is excellent in the shallows an hour to catch your limit. Final note, prepare prepare prepare, sharp hooks, good crimps and knots and heavy quality IGFA nylon of 15/24/37 kg if you want that Club record Bluefin tuna. FISH RAGLAN this summer it’s a wonderful opportunity. |
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Important: CRA 2 Crayfish Proposal – Your Voice Needed!
We’re reaching out to highlight a critical issue that could affect not just the Hauraki Gulf and east Northland but potentially set a precedent for other coastal areas across New Zealand. Fisheries NZ has proposed increasing commercial catch limits for crayfish in CRA 2 (from Te Arai Point to East Cape, including the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park). This area has already been under severe strain, with crayfish populations in parts of CRA 2, like the Hauraki Gulf, declared “functionally extinct” as far back as 2016.
What can you do?
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Ngā mihi, |
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