Kubota Billfish Classic the highlight

The talk of the town has been the recent Kubota Billfish Classic. Held from March 12-15 out of Whitianga, the event began with a 470-boat shotgun start – quite an impressive sight!

The competition was blessed with good weather, and there were some impressive fish caught that broke numerous tournament records. The majority of fish are tagged and released (94% of billfish) and go towards points in the Champion Team stakes. Some large tuna were landed, including four bigeye over 100kg. There was some stiff competition for the Heaviest Billfish, with three blue marlin and a handful of swordfish weighed. The winning fish was Wild Bill’s huge 320.0kg swordfish, landed after a five-hour scrap that went well into the dark hours.

The 470-boat shotgun start was a tournament highlight.

With thousands of anglers coming into the Coromandel, the event is a boon for the local economy with an estimated 8 to 10 million dollars injected into local businesses. Over $50,000 was also raised this year for charitable organisations like the Breast Cancer Foundation. Although the majority of fish are tagged and released, those landed are fully utilised with the help of Blink’s Smokehouse. A portion of the processed fish is kindly given to locals in need.

The final Kubota Billfish Classic results

•    127 Billfish captured (tournament record); 8 weighed (94% release rate)

•    Heaviest Billfish $400,000 – Wild Bill 320.0kg Broadbill Swordfish (tournament record)

Wild Bill’s 320.0kg swordfish took out heaviest billfish honours and was also a tournament record.

Champion Team:

- 1st-Big Nauti-2250 points-$186,300

- 2nd-Ruckus-1874 points-$157,200

- 3rd = Cor Blimey-1350 points-$70,350

- 3rd = Huntress-1350 points-$70,350

- 3rd = Stack Attack-1350 points-$31,050
 

•    Jimmy Buffit Heaviest Tuna $20,000 – Te Hana 129.8kg Big Eye (tournament record)

•    GCM Feeds Heaviest Kingfish $10,000 – Sambuca 22.32kg

•    Float Mortgages Heaviest Mahimahi $10,000 – Panama Jack 9.86kg
 

Daily Jackpot:

- Day 1-Bandit 111.14kg Striped Marlin-$37,800

- Day 2-Ata Rangi 281.9kg Blue Marlin-$37,800

- Day 3-Wild Bill 320kg Broadbill Swordfish-$37,800

- Day 4-Sundance Kid 185.4kg Blue Marlin-$37,800

•    Total Access Champion Female Angler $10,000 – Ruckus-1424 points
 

Vernon Developments Champion Junior Angler $10,000:

- 1st equal-Riba-450 points

- 1st equal-Safari-450 points

•    JC Walker Transport Last Billfish Tagged $20,000 – Endeavour
 

Shimano First Billfish Tagged: 

- Day 1-Huntress

- Day 2-Matador

- Day 3-Illusion

- Day 4-Mile Zero
 

BX2380 Tractor:

- Apparelmaster Day 1-Pour Decisions 

- Firstflex Cables Day 2-Unreel

- K & L Distributors Day 3-Two Wins

- Higher Drone Solutions Day 4-Outer Banks
 

Pyramid Trucking $2,500 Fuel Voucher and 2 Tiagra 30 Combos:

- Day 1-Mother Nature

- Day 2-Kotare (402)

- Day 3-CHARGE’d’Affaire

- Day 4-The Godfather
 

•    Whitianga Marine & PJ Builders Tagging Draw for the Stabicraft 1550 and Kubota Sidekick valued at $125,000 – Catalina

•    Last Man Standing Gate Prize for the Ultimate Kubota Package valued at $125,000 – Bucc’n’Bill

- NZ Fishing News