TOP CATCH JIGGING COMP

[Greg Burt]

A quick run down of the 2009 'Top Catch' Jigging comp held at the Tauranga GFC in NZ on the 4Th and 5Th July.
 This was the 1st comp held by members of the Zest sponsored 'Heavy Metal' forum on the 'Fishing Website' NZ, which includes some members of GT Popping.com like Cam Foley, Chris Wong, and Shane Hartstone who I was able to catch up with during briefing and presentation.
 The rivalry between the different area factions was interesting to say the least but very jovial at the same time.

[Greg Burt]

Day 1:
 Day one had a top weather forecast so the 93 anglers in about thirty boats where well spread from the Coromandel Peninsula to the East Cape trying to find the biggest Kingie. Our group of tree boats headed off at 4am to Whakatane to head out to White Island, the bar was a bit suss to cross in the dark so we had to wait for first light which gave us time to eat our breaky[pies] and rig gear, once over the bar it was a flat sea with and forty minute run to the target area of White Island to the Volcaner Rocks.
 The first area fished was the deep 'Middle Ground' which was quiet so we headed over to the 'Rocks' area just outside the sanctuary in 85m of water where we had instant success, in feeding the local Bronze Whaler population with some winning size Kingies  , at least I was able to load up my new Smith AMJ52EX . the 2 heads in the pic with Cam and Andrew were weighed in at 13 and 14 kg.
 We fished a few spots closer to the Island and back to the Rocks with no more than a few 'Rats' [10-15kg Kingies] being hooked.
With a weather front approaching it was decided to head in and try a few spots in closer, but as the boys on Black Betty were taking off the saw a red ball on the sounder which ment one more drop, and 'BINGO', Andrew ended up with a nice YTK at 23.7kg which won him 2ND prize.
We ended up beating the bad weather back and with a forecast of 25 knots+ for the next day it was decided to cancel fishing and sleep in.

[Greg Burt]

Summery:
 I had a ball fishing and socialising with some great people, the comp was well run by the Tauranga GFC and Top Catch [local tackle outlet], and with Chris Wong's BCS [JM-Smith-Zest-Jigstar etc], Beni Hafoka from Tarpaulin Makers who donated 10 'Weigh Slings', and all the other sponsors who put up prizes, it made a great event.
Winter is the quiet time of the year for YTK in NZ but those who spent time looking, found them , I believe if the comp was run in prime Kingie season it would bring in too many 'outsiders' and could be detrimental to the good work done of by many of practising 'only keep what you need' rather than multiple upgrading. In saying that, the comp was won by a first-timer
The Kiwis cook or smoke the Kingies caught which was shown in a prize .of a 'Smoker', even the two Sharked heads went to the cooker
Shane has taken one of the new style 'Weigh Slings' to Fiji to test on some GT's and Doggies [hopefully ] so we should get a report on them soon, I have brought back one of the old models to give a run and Cam will send over a New one which I hope to take to Elusive Reef next year. The sling was designed by Beni to swim the fish in, I will put some pics up soon.

[Cam Foley]

Great job Bunny was great to catch with you and the rum and smokes that come with you,not to mention the Labo jigs you loaded me up on.

[Greg Burt]

I hear you now have 'Team Labo' 

[Luke Wyrsta]

Looks like a great time guys. Would like to consider attending next year.

[Cam Foley]

Would be great to get you over here Luke, sure we can find a boat you can fish on,and somewhere to stay.

[Chris Young]

Great report Bun, bad luck on the noah's mate.
Good idea holding it in the "off" season as I remember I saw a lot of the kill it & grill it mentallity among the masses when I was there.
Would love to fish White one day.
Bun....how much did your tackle bag weigh  

[Greg Burt]

Lets say not as heavy as HI  , it went over with Labo's and came back heavier with JM 'Rockets' and 'Aliens'

[Luke Wyrsta]

Would be great to get you over here Luke, sure we can find a boat you can fish on,and somewhere to stay.

Thanks Cam - we shall speak further...

[Peter Morris]

Jese....Those alien Jigs remind me of a nasty email I got....I will show you bun next time your up.

Pete

[Shane Hartstone]

It was great to finally meet Greg.  Fishing was hard.  I finally hooked a fish of 17kg on PE4, while landing it another boat came up on our drift, and hooked the winning fish.  Good on those boys, they left the ramp at 3am!  My one fish was the onlt half decent fish our boat landed all day.