Homestead Fishos Kick Butt by Steven Radich

Homestead Fishos Kick Butt

The inaugural labour weekend dust-up between the Kerikeri Club and the Homestead Fishing Club lived up to the pre-tournament hype.

With a professionally carved "big balls trophy" going to the winning team, more than local reputations were at stake. The anticipated sabotage of competing team efforts got no worse than the use of fast moving fizz boats to scare off each others fish.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that another rainbow warrior incident was thwarted by a cunning penguin which stole the bomb and used it to blow up a school of yellow-eyed mullet. And not for the first time, so I’m told.  No wonder the mullet fishery in the Bay has collapsed. The problem is that the local penguins are too smart. DOC has proposed a cull to keep the population of penguin bombers at sustainable levels.

Back on earth, the Homestead Club won the big balls trophy.

This is because Homestead’s top ten fish averaged 8.5 kg while the Kerikeri Club only managed a puny 6.5 average. According to Phred Dorsal, “Kerikeri Club probably would have been better off if they’d entered the smallest fish competition.”

Does all this mean that the Homestead fishos are more skilled? “You bet it does,” says club stalwart, Mrs Crabopple of Opito Bay “More crazy” is the explanation offered by drunk Kerikeri Club supporter, Arthur Sprat. 

With a snapper weighing 10.6kg, local fishing identity Richard Civil landed the best snapper and heaviest over-all. Bev Vellenoweth, with a snapper off the rocks weighing 7.9kg, won the ladies section. Athol Kerr managed a fish just under 10 kg while yours truly pulled in a satisfying 9.4 kg fish for 4^th place over-all.

So what’s it like going all out in a fishing tournament? The weekend with wife Linda started Friday night with a screw up the arse. I’d just installed two re-upholstered seats in my boat but the screws securing mine to the pedestal were too long. First wave and “oops!”

Fishing Saturday morning from 4.00am until 8.30am followed a fitful night in Paradise Bay. Enthralled by navigation light display of racing yachts entering Bay.

Between 7.00 and 8.00, Lost three, landed three, including prizewinner snapper. Had breakfast and a snooze in Assassination Cove, then collected ice and fixed the seat at a bustling Russell.   

Fished the high tide from 2.00-3.00pm, then another snooze with more fishing from 6.00 to 8.00pm. Lost $500.00 rod and reel over the side and dived in clothed to retrieve it. Same rod landed 8kg kelpie at 8.00pm. 

Rushed to Waitangi to change partners then slept like a log in Opunga Cove. 

Woke at 5.30am, fishing by 6.00.  Son, Peter looks after the rods while I doze. Lands several 3-4kg snapper and about 8.30, a schoolie of 7.5kg.  

Collected more family at Waitangi for a picnic in Paradise Bay. Girls caught a few in the rough off Tapeka on the way home.  

The excellent presentation and barbeque put on by the Kerikeri Club capped off a fine weekend in paradise.