For the eighth year running, the family-friendly Tristram Marine Open fishing tournament was a huge success.

Based at the historic Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club (MBGFC), the tournament ran over eight days, from Saturday February 20 to February 27. The week-long contest offered 189 anglers and 60 boats plenty of suitable weather windows, so entrants could choose the days they fished.

163 fish were weighed-in during the week, 117 of them caught on light tackle. Light tackle fishing has become increasingly popular in this tournament.

This year’s prize pool hit a record value of almost $100,000, with prizes from 51 sponsors including Tristram Marine, Shimano NZ, Navico/Simrad, Fishing & Leisure Group, Overdrive Total Automotive, Cookes, Flaxmill Bay Motels, Placemakers, Fusion Marine Entertainment, Techniice and Boating New Zealand Magazine.

Each year the Tristram Marine Open’s dates coincide with the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council Nationals, enabling anglers to fish both competitions concurrently. For the first time, MBGFC won the Varta Cup, which is hotly contested between New Zealand’s game fishing clubs during the Nationals.

MBGFC ranked first for striped marlin and skipjack tuna and second for mahimahi in the interclub species rankings.

MBGFC and Tristram Marine are already planning next year’s tournament.

www.tristramboats.com