Well, here we are at the end of July. A few very nice bluefin have popped up, and a number of fish are falling to jigs fished at night.
The Winter Champs has been pretty slim pickings on all fronts. Not surprising really—every time I've tried to plan a trip, the weather hasn't played ball, and every time I've made other plans because the weather looked terrible, it has come right! Hopefully you're doing better than me, so get out there and give it a crack!
If you still have any catch cards from last season, you have exactly four days from the time of writing to get them submitted to catchcards@waikatosportfishing.co.nz.
If you thought our last club night was spectacular, wait until you see what's coming up on August 12th—our very first Jet Ski Fishing Extravaganza, hosted by Peter Robb and his mate Wayne "Castnet the Fishing Bandit". When these boys aren't paddling kayaks, they're racing around on jet skis and slaying fish. So come along and find out how they're doing it, and pick up some of the little tricks they've learned along the way.
Don't forget to put a circle around September 16th for our annual AGM and Prize Giving.
Finally, our 2026–2027 Sponsor Prospectus has just been given a major refresh. So, if you have a business—or know somebody who's as fishing-mad as you are and would like to support our club—we'd love to hear from you.
Until August 12th, tight lines!
Cheers
Bob
"Waikato Sport Fishing Club - sport and recreational fishing for our families, our communities and our future"
“Kayak Fishing Seminar Reels in a Great Crowd”
A huge thank you to everyone who attended our recent Waikato Sport Fishing Club Kayak Fishing Seminar. It was a fantastic evening, with 30 people coming along to learn, share stories, and connect with fellow anglers. A special thank you goes to our guest speakers: Laurie Pottinger from Yak Fish Fun Andy Hitchcock from Kings with Andy / Stealth Kayaks Mike from Lockrack NZ Each speaker shared their knowledge, experience, and passion for kayak fishing, covering everything from offshore fishing techniques and kayak setup to safety, transport solutions, and real-life adventures on the water. The feedback from everyone who attended was incredibly positive, and it was great to see so many people asking questions and getting involved. On behalf of the Waikato Sport Fishing Club, we'd like to thank Laurie, Andy, and Mike for giving up their time to make the evening such a success. We'd also like to thank everyone who attended and helped create such a welcoming atmosphere. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future and continuing to grow the kayak fishing community. Tight lines, and we'll see you on the water!
WSFC Members receive 10% off Hamilton, Cambridge and now Matamata Hunting & Fishing
10% 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.
Get Ready for the 2026–2027 Fishing Competition Season!
Mark your calendars — an exciting season of fishing, friendly competition, and great catches is on the way!
Winter Challenge: Kick things off from 1 July – 30 September 2026
Shelly Beach: Get set for a big family day on 7 November 2026. More details to follow in the August newsletter but if you'd like to get in early and book your accommodation at Coromandel Shelly Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park use the code WSC to get 10%off.
Summer Champs: Keep the action going from 1 December 2026 – 28 February 2027
Big Four: Finish strong from 10 – 26 April 2027
August Club Night
Winter Challenge Update
Our Winter Fishing Competition is off to a slow but steady start, with 9 fish entered so far across 4 of the 7 eligible species. Anglers have already brought in barracouta, bluefin tuna, snapper, and trout, giving the leaderboard a solid beginning despite the quieter start to the season. There’s still plenty of time for more entries, more species, and a few surprise catches, so dust off the gear, keep an eye on the weather, and get those lines in the water!
Awesome job, junior member Ronnie Ferguson, on catching this trout!
Hooked on Tech
IT'S HERE! THE FIRST EVER ISSUE OF REEL KIWIS MAGAZINE IS LIVE!
A brand-new digital fishing magazine, created by Kiwi fishos, for Kiwi fishos.
Built around a passion for fishing, storytelling and celebrating the incredible anglers, adventures and places that make NZ fishing so special, this magazine brings together real stories from right across the country.
Inside you’ll discover:
Epic fishing adventures
Incredible photography
Stories from passionate anglers
Gear, boats and fishing tips
The people and places behind our amazing fishing culture
We’d love to see what our members have been catching! Send in your fishing photos, along with a short note about where you were, who was on board, and the story behind the catch, and we’ll feature a selection in our next Members’ Catch Gallery.
Club member Frank couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after landing this impressive 92.2 kg bluefin tuna! Congratulations Frank awesome effort.
Annual Prizegiving Trophy Return Please
We’re getting ready for the Annual Prizegiving, and we need all trophies back for engraving.
If you have a trophy from last season, please return it to:
The club rooms on a Club NightorSupreme Sheet Metals 288 Kahikatea Drive, Frankton, Hamilton
Time to Renew Your Club Membership
Another season has flown by, and it is time to renew your Waikato Sport Fishing Club membership for the 2026/27 season. Renewing keeps you connected with club events, tournaments, newsletters, club nights, and member benefits throughout the year.
We appreciate your continued support and look forward to another great year of fishing, friendship, and community.
Member Benefits Your annual membership includes a range of great benefits:
Monthly club nights, including guest speakers and the chance to catch up with fellow members
A monthly club newsletter
25% discount on WSFC Hall hire, subject to terms and conditions
Visitor access to affiliated clubs with your membership card
Club tournaments and family fishing weekends away
Opportunities to enter affiliated clubs’ fishing tournaments
Affiliation to the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and International Game Fishing Association
10% off at Hamilton, Cambridge, and Matamata Hunting & Fishing when you present your WSFC membership card. The discount excludes items already on special, electronics, firearms, ammunition, game, and electric fishing combos.
Free entry to our Winter Challenge
2026/27 Membership Fees As agreed at our AGM, membership fees have increased slightly for the new season:
Category
25/26 Season
26/27 Season
Adult
$40
$45
Junior (16 years and under as a 1 July)
$10
$15
Family ( 2 adults and up to 4 children 16 years and under at 1 July)
12 August 7.00pm Club Night - Jet ski Fishing Seminar
23 September Annual Prizegiving & AGM
14 October Club Night - Winter Challenge Prizegiving
7 November Shelly Beach Family Fishing Comp
1 December 26 - 28 February 2027 Summer Champs
10-26 April 2027 Big Four
Our clubrooms are located at 499 Grantham Street, Hamilton.
Limited Edition WSFC T-Shirts
We 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.
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.
