Catch Recorders Corner

Last year's catches began on the first day of the new fishing season with Muzz Bennett's kingfish and this year July 1st produced fishing action again.  This time it was Andy Kerr on "Southern Raider" with a 4.975kg snapper on 3kg line. This is a pinfish and wins the trophy for first gamefish of the season.  "R & R" was out the same day and Ricky Goodlet caught an 8.475kg snapper on 15kg tackle.  A couple of days later Ben Porter on "Na Mara" boated a 9.75kg snapper on 10kg line.  On July 25th Bruce Ridgway fishing on "Amarillo" caught a 7.63kg snapper on 8kg line.
The next day "Southern Raider" was out again and this time it was Karen Kerr who produced the goods.  Her 5.15 kg snapper on 2kg tackle wins the trophy for the first gamefish of the season for a lady angler.  It is also a club record and potential pinfish.  She also caught a 2.275 kg snapper on 3kg line, which sets a club record on that line class.
A day later Penny Murray on "Fugly" caught a 5.685kg snapper on 6kg line.
The following day was the club's AGM and prizegiving.  The first year of postal voting, as expected, resulted in more members voting in committee elections but a lower turnout at the AGM.  The meeting went smoothly with scheduled business over in half an hour.  Another thirty minutes was spent discussing the current state of the play regarding the club's quest for clubrooms on the Northern Reclamation of the marina.  A month later we are still optimistically awaiting a decision from Conservation Minister Sandra Lee in the T.C.D.C's (and our) favour.
That night we held our annual prizegiving in the dining room and lounge bar of the Whitianga Hotel.  About eighty awards were announced.  It was again disappointing that so many prizewinners do not make the effort to front up and make the night a bigger event.  The effort that goes in from the organizers to select the winners, find a suitable venue, get the cups cleaned and engraved, set the venue up for the night and finally run the event deserves a better response from members.  Unfortunately too many take too much for granted.
August started well with Grant Baldwin on "Neva Home" catching a potential pinfish with his 11.7kg snapper on 10kg line.
 That was on August 4th and the same day Graham Brinkworth on "Beau Geste" got his reward for some early trolling with a 15.5kg albacore, the largest for several seasons.  Unfortunately it was on 24kg so is not a pinfish.
The only other fish weighed in August was a 7.44kg snapper caught on
"R & R" by Ricky Goodlet.
 

Two changes in the club's fishing rules have recently been made and will be applied this season.

1. TRANSPORT OF FISH
Fish may be transported to the weigh station by any method or combination of methods.  It is the responsibility of the angler to ensure that fish arrive in good condition and are removed after weighing.

2. TAG & RELEASE OF FISH
Billfish, yellowfin, makos, blue sharks over 5kg and kingfish over 65cm are subject to a MoF scientific tagging programme and will gain points for individual and boat seasonal tallies.  A MoF tag card and a club catch card must be both handed in to the MBOSC office.
Here's hoping for a successful 2001 - 02 season.

Tight lines!       
John Neighbours