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So here we are in November already, seems like just about everybody has got busy again which is a great sign of times to come...Hopefully! If you missed the Shelly Beach family weekend, well ....it sucks to be you! It was a great time had by all and miraculously, the fishing was amazing as well. Despite a few boats struggling there were a number of really good fish caught including 3 between 5 and 6kg. Which made the final prize giving a whole lot more interesting! We also presented our New Brian Mellow Trophy for heaviest smallfry Snapper, and it was awesome having his brothers there to present it. Congrats to all the prize winners and a huge thanks to our sponsors and everybody who showed up! We should be back to our normal weekend next year, we think we might have lost a few regulars this year when we had to delay a week later due to the Bridge closure, believe me you were missed! Our November Club night went really well with a better than normal attendance, and as we went through the SIMRAD Summer Champs launch, then we went on to have a chat about knots and rigging of various tackle setups which resulted in a number of very interesting conversations. Next up, if you haven't entered the SIMRAD Summer Champs yet, then get online and get yourself entered, everything you catch, well just about everything, from December 1st could get you in to win part of the $20k prize pool! Everybody is catered for, inshore fishers, measuring fish, and the offshore fishers weighing game and Wreckfish, and points for tagging as well! Get in to win! We'll be publishing weekly scoreboards via facebook and Email, and you'll have until January 31st to enter if you can't make your mind up by December 1st! Don't forget December 10th is our December Club night when we'll have coastguard back again to talk about Bar crossings, and Ben Brown will be back to tell us how he goes about game fishing the west coast, and believe me if you don't know him already, if anybody knows the West coast He does! That's about it from me and the committee for this month, see you at the December Club night. Cheers Bob  |
"Waikato Sport Fishing Club - sport and recreational fishing for our families, our communities and our future" |
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WSFC Members receive 10% off Hamilton, Cambridge and now Matamata Hunting & Fishing10% off at Hamilton, Cambridge and Matamata 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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Get Ready for the SIMRAD Summer Champs 2025-26!$20,000 Prize PoolThe wait is over—summer’s biggest fishing adventure is here! The Waikato Sport Fishing Club proudly presents the SIMRAD Summer Champs 2025-26, running from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just love the thrill of the catch, this tournament is your chance to shine on the water and compete for fantastic prizes! Why join the Summer Champs?
So grab your gear, rally your mates, and get ready for a summer of unforgettable fishing, friendly competition, and awesome memories. Let’s make this the biggest and best SIMRAD Summer Champs yet! For more info or to enter, contact:
Registration now open and close midnight, January 31, 2026! |
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Shelly Beach 2025Shelly Beach Family Fishing Competition 2025 was a great fun weekend, 54 anglers with 7 Juniors & 4 Small Fry’s competing for a good selection of prizes. The weather provided a calm sunny day up till about 2pm when a rain belt covered the area with drizzle and sea fog, still great fishing conditions. I fished with Pressie Bob and son Taryn. Bob’s plan was to catch some live bait Mackerel find a spot and wait for big snapper. We launched at Te Kouma , shot through the gap and fished the first farm on the right. No luck on Livies and only juvenile snapper so moved to a local spot X and caught 10-15 mackeral . I caught a nice 50cm snapper and Bob scored 2 nice large John Dory on livies. The John dory could of both swam away if they had let go the bait, neither hooked. We caught 3 or 4 nice snapper then the current slacked off and so did the bite. We headed north and trolled around a few islands and reef hoping for Kingfish. Nothing turned up so headed past the new reserve and settled on a spot near Fantail bay. Found some good sign in 20 meters so anchored up and fished for 3 hours. Very strong current and hard to get baits down. Soaked 2 livies down deep, 2 winds off the bottom then started catching a good feed of snapper averaging around 35 cm. Bob was playing a fish when the live bait was hit so I got the honour of winding in a 5.066 kg snapper. This gave me hope of getting my name on the Trophy for a third time. 20 minutes later the second live bait snared in a nice 3.2 kg snapper for Bob and Taryn consistently filled the bin with pan snapper. Come 3pm we decided to head back and pulled anchor. The anchor winch stalled and tripped the overload. Apon investigation we found the anchor was hooked under an old mooring rope 2 meters under the surface. Luckily, we had signal so googled how to reset winch overload. Was able to pull anchor up by hand then dropped quickly which unhooked the rope. Made our way back to Te Kouma using chart plotter as nil visibility in fog for the first half of the trip . Retrieved boat and got back to weigh station with 20 minutes to spare. Started raining heavily so set up prizes in the Lodge lounge then sun came out so moved prizes outside. Most fish categories were covered with caught fish. Finn Nicol won The Brian Mellow Trophy for the heaviest Small fry Snapper. A moving moment with Brians 2 brothers presenting the Trophy. Oamaru Bay Tourist Park Custodian Baz Ellis took out the Shelly Beach Snapper trophy with a 5.798 Kg fish. Baz targeted a mussel farm just out from Oamaru Bay that the Harvesters had We all enjoyed a Burger meal BBQed by Baz and crew finishing with an ice-cream. Not too many stayed up late with the place deserted by 9pm after a long day on the water. Thankyou WSFC Committee. Our Secretary Kerrie for organising all the food. Taking entries and Calculating the winners with Katelyn's help. Thankyou Bob for the Shelly Beach Competition wouldn’t be possible without our loyal sponsors. Thankyou, Ben Cullen – Bloom Financial Group , Supreme Sheetmetals, Hunting & Fishing, Carpet Mill, Mastertrim, Salt Attack, Driving Creek Railway , Oamaru Bay Tourist Park, Air BnB Oamaru Bay, Shane Mellow, Sweeties By Dan, Frankton Butchery and Shelly Beach top 10 Tourist Park. Thankyou all those anglers who attended and I hope you all enjoyed this great little |
Inaugural winner of the Brian Mellow Smallfry TrophySmall Fry Heaviest Snapper - Finn Nicol |
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Junior Heaviest Snapper - Cooper Mellow |
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Adult Heaviest Snapper - Baz Ellis |
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Spotlight on SponsorSupreme Sheetmetals |
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Supreme Sheetmetals is a specialist in laser cutting and light fabrication of sheetmetal.Our investment in experienced staff, top-notch facilities, and state-of-the-art machinery means we’re the engineering shop that can do it all. We design, quote, fabricate and install, offering a complete turnaround service. Supreme Sheetmetals offers you quality workmanship, experienced staff, rapid turnaround and total flexibility. With over 50 years of experience, Supreme Sheetmetals has built a strong reputation for quality and price throughout the Waikato, King Country and Bay of Plenty regions. Supreme Sheetmetals is a close-knit, family organization. There are 30 people on the Supreme team, with hundreds of years combined experience. Call Ant Higgs 027 2405825 or Mark Olsen 027 4788755 Examples of Supreme Sheetmetals projects. |
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A Beautiful Way to Honour the Memory of a Great Mate and Fisherman 'Brian Mellow'On Tuesday afternoon, the team from Raglan Fishing Charters set off from the wharf at 2:00 pm, continuing a cherished annual tradition. The outing, organised by Brian in the past for his group of tradie accounts, is a much-anticipated Christmas celebration where he generously shouted the trip each year—a tradition that everyone was delighted to carry on. The boat motored for an hour to reach the 51-metre mark, after we reached the location, anchored the boat, and turned off the engine, Quin said a few heartfelt words in memory of our mate before the lines went down, a deeply meaningful moment experienced together. The fishing action was fast and fruitful. An impressive total of 146 snappers were caught, all of a good size. Rob Parry took out the GBB (Good Bugga Brian) Award with a 18lb released snapper. After an exceptional afternoon on the water, we were back at the wharf by 5.15pm. The team made good use of the filleting service at wharf and shared a few pints across the road to carry on the banter and memories of Brian. The next trip already set to carry on the tradition. Many thanks to Darron of Raglan Fishing Charters for your much appreciated ongoing support of our club. |
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WSFC Fishing Rules UpdatedThe committee have made a couple of amendments to the WSFC Fishing Rules. Catch records (Catch and Tag Cards) must be submitted to the WSFC Records Officer within 3 months of the catch being made and no later than July 31st the year following the year of the catch. This makes it consistent with the IGFA and NZSFC record application process, i.e. need to be made within 12 weeks. Also Silver miniatures of the species caught shall be issued to successful NZ Record Applications. A copy of the clubs fishing rules are available on our website or click here. |
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NZSFC November Monthly report At our recent AGM in Kaikōura, delegates reaffirmed their commitment to protecting recreational fishing rights, restoring abundance in our fisheries, and inspiring the next generation to get involved. From the expansion of freshwater species in the Youth Nationals to the return of the Hooked-on Safety Bar crossing seminars, our clubs continue to lead the way in conservation, education, and community safety. In this month’s report you’ll find:
We love sharing these stories to show how much our clubs, committees, and volunteers are achieving together, ensuring that NZSFC remains a strong, united voice for recreational fishing across New Zealand. Click here to read our full monthly report. |
High Protection Areas Podcast and information.“There is a lot of heat about the Hauraki Gulf right now. Before we jump to conclusions, have a listen to this conversation with Barry Torkington. It explains the history, the decisions, and what it means for everyday fishers.”
“As a club we want informed members. This interview with Barry is a great way to understand how we got here and what needs to change.” NZSFC and LegaSea have been talking about depletion, habitat damage, industrial fishing and low biomass for many years. Barry’s story backs that up with lived experience and a clear explanation of the policy settings that got us here. Barry Torkington on the Hauraki Gulf Mike Plant from the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council sat down with Barry to talk through what has happened in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park and what it means for New Zealand fishers. It is insightful, educational, and well worth a listen. Watch it on YouTube here or listen wherever you get your podcasts by searching for “NZSFC”. |
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Safety FirstBattery Basics
When looking for a new battery, it might be tempting to buy the cheapest one available. But like anything on your boat, quality matters and there's more to batteries than meets the eye. Batteries generally fall into two parts: either starter batteries, or deep cycle batteries. Starter batteries can be considered the 'sprinter' - they give lots of power quickly, but not for long. Their capacity is described in Cold Cranking Amps*, a measure of how much starting power it has on a cold morning. Technically, it's the number of amps a regular 12v battery can deliver for 30 seconds at below freezing temperature (-18 degC/0 degF), without dropping below 7.2v. The higher the CCA number, the better. Starter batteries should never be run below 80% of their capacity. *Some batteries might be measured in Marine Cranking Amps - it's the same measure as CCA, except measured at a warmer temperature (0 degC/32 degF). Because batteries perform better in warm (but not hot) temperatures, the MCA number is often 20-25% higher. Don't confuse the two though - remember to compare like-for-like! Deep cycle batteries are the marathon runner of the battery world. They can deliver a good amount of power consistently, for long periods. They're usually measured in Amp-hours (Ah), and a good rule of thumb is to not discharge them below 50% of their capacity. Marine batteries are built tougher, to suit the slamming around boats can take. They generally have much higher capacities than car batteries, with a higher reserve capacity to run on-board gear. Most modern marine batteries are maintenance free, meaning they're completely sealed and you don't ordinarily need to top them up with distilled water. Consider your gear's battery drain Almost every day of the year, Coastguard volunteers are called out to assist boaties who have run their battery flat. Sometimes it's due to an electrical fault but much of the time it's boaties not remembering to keep some juice in the batteries, for starting up for the return journey. When you go to replace your battery, consider how much gear you've got on board - take note of everything you can think of, from the important gear such as fish finder, nav equipment, bilge pump and VHF radio right through to the 'extras' such as fridge, extra lighting and auto pilot. The more gear, the more battery capacity you should be looking for - you might even need two batteries to run what you've got on board. Keep your battery in good nick Nothing ruins a good day on the water like not being able to start the motor at the end of the day. To keep your battery in good nick, here are some things to consider: Make sure your battery is properly installed. A boat can take a pounding, which means the battery will too. Minimise movement and water ingress by having the battery securely fastened in your hold. Keep terminals and cables free of corrosion. Check terminal connectors regularly to avoid loss of conductivity. Grab a hold of the battery cables and give them a gentle twist. If you get a 'brittle' feeling and they don't have much movement, they might have corrosion issues. Check them with a multimeter or get an electrical sparky to test them. Don't mix old batteries with new ones in the same battery bank. While it seems like this would increase your overall capacity, old batteries tend to pull down the new ones to their deteriorated level. Many batteries can lose as much as 30% of their charge over winter, and left un-maintained can lose even more charge. Keeping your batteries charged will help avoid this; leaving them in a discharged state for any length of time will damage them and lower their capacity. Trickle charging. If you're not going to be running the boat for a length of time, it's a good idea to set up a small solar charger for your battery - this helps keep it topped up, and in a healthy state. A small trickle charger should only run you $50 or so, a decent investment to keep more expensive batteries in good nick. A whole range of things such as temperature, humidity conditions and type of battery all affect performance. Batteries don't like extremes of cold or hot weather, and high humidity can affect their charge. So keep an eye on their charge levels over time and be proactive about replacing them. |
December 10th Club NightBar Safety Crossing/Summer Game Fishing Tips/Ben Brown |
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WSFC Event Calendar
10th December - Club Night/Pizza/Bar Safety Crossing/Summer Game Fishing Tips/Ben Brown 1 Dec 25 to 28 Feb 26 - Summer Comp 11 Feb 26 7pm - Club Night 11 March 26 7pm - Summer Comp Prizegiving 3-27 April 26 - Big 4 Our clubrooms are located at 499 Grantham Street, Hamilton. |
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Limited Edition WSFC T-ShirtsWe have a limited edition Waikato Sport Fishing Club T-shirt available for purchase. It's the perfect way to show your support and affiliation with Waikato Sport Fishing Club. The T-shirt is produced by the very popular AS Colour brand. See our design below: Left is the front, right is the back. |
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Mens T-shirts $50 Size S, M, L, XL, XXL(SOLD OUT), XXXL(SOLD OUT) Womans T-shirts $50 Size S, M, L, XL Kids T-shirts $45 Size 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 Please follow this link to our online order form. WSFC T-Shirt Online Order . Please note that postage costs will be added if required. You can also opt to pick up your order from our next club night. |
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WSFC 25/26 Membership Registration |
Renewing your WSFC membership keeps you part of a network of passionate fishing individuals. Enjoy exclusive discounts, newsletters, fishing competitions and stay updated on events and news. Membership Benefits
Memberships are valid 1 July 2025 to 30th of June 2026. MEMBERSHIP FEE'SAdult: $40 Family: $90 Junior: $10 Student & Transitional: $20 Our membership cards are now issued digitally . Upon completing your registration, you will receive immediate access to your digital membership card. This card can be accessed through the Sporty App, which should be downloaded to your mobile device. The Sporty App allows multiple cards to be added therefore Junior membership cards can be added to their caregivers app. Once you have installed your PhotoCard it will also work when the phone doesn’t have a data plan or isn't connected to the internet. To register for the WSFC 25/26 season complete our membership form below |
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After completing your registration, download the Sporty NZ App and install your card on the app. Detailed instructions are available on our website. |
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