Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club, 12 The Esplanade, Whitianga (2026)

19/04/2026

The Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament has wrapped up for another year! 🎣

Thank you to all of our anglers that persevered through the awful weather conditions and got stuck into this comp by any means they could, with 117 fish coming through the weighstation! Fingers crossed the weather gods are kinder to us next year! 🤞🏽

With what is fast becoming a reoccurring theme, our small-frys are in contention with our juniors across all species sections…we have some unbelievable up-and-coming anglers within our club across all age groups and it’s SO good to see! 💪🏽

Congratulations to Lachie Pedersen, winning the Ocean Sport Marine Junior Snapper trophy for the 2026 season with his 7.94kg fish!

A special mention to angler Levi Nicholson, setting the new MBGFC Junior Kingfish record on 8kg with his 14.02kg fish landed at the start of the comp…and then BEATING it at the buzzer of the tournament with a 15.92kg Kingfish! This is what this comp is all about!

A huge congratulations to all of our prize winners, and a special congratulations to our lucky gate prize winner Hunter Nicholson, taking home a massive $10,000 worth of gear thanks to our epic tournament sponsors Hunting & Fishing Whitianga! What a prize…how good! 🥳

As always, the club would like to thank our incredible tournament convenors for delivering an epic comp, our staff and volunteers working hard behind the scenes, and our amazing supporting sponsors!

Here’s to a drier 2027 team…🐟☀️

18/04/2026

Weighstation Wrap-up from the final day of fishing for the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament 2026! Stay tuned for the full results tomorrow…

🎣 Hunter Nicholson
⚖️ 6.58kg Snapper on 6kg
🛥️ Vamos
📍 Okuma

🎣 Levi Nicholson
⚖️ 7.83kg Snapper on 8kg
⚖️ 15.92kg Kingfish on 8kg
🛥️ Vamos
📍 Okuma

🎣 Marnie Reynolds
⚖️ 0.07kg Mackerel
📍 Land-based

🎣 Tawa Maiden
⚖️ 5.26kg Snapper on 10kg
⚖️ 2.42kg Kahawai on 10kg
⚖️ 0.87kg Trevally
🛥️ Iron Lion
📍 Okuma

🎣 Parker Churches
⚖️ 6.14kg Snapper on 4kg
🛥️ Vamos
📍 Hart & Associates

🎣 George Boardman
⚖️ 2.01kg Kahawai on 6kg
🛥️ Aucka
📍 Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Piper Hunt
⚖️ 0.03kg Mackerel
📍 Land-based

🎣 Levi Medland
⚖️ 4.41kg Snapper
📍 Land-based

🎣 Caelen Gubb
⚖️ 0.99kg Trevally on 2kg
🛥️ Seasic
📍 Okuma

🎣 Xavier Rush
⚖️ 1.84kg Trevally on 2kg
⚖️ 2.29kg Snapper on 3kg
🛥️ Seasic
📍 Okuma

🎣 Shem Macdonald
⚖️ 0.83kg Snapper
🛥️ Kayak
📍 Chester’s Plumbing & Bathroom Whitianga

🎣 Matai Whitford
⚖️ 2.30kg Snapper on 6kg
⚖️ 2.02kg Kahawai on 6kg
⚖️ 1.86kg Trevally on 6kg
🛥️ Cyreel
📍 Okuma

🎣 Ryder Hamilton
⚖️ 4.93kg Snapper on 6kg
🛥️ Dougie
📍 Chester’s Plumbing & Bathroom Whitianga

🎣 Mila Hamilton
⚖️ 1.50kg Kahawai on 3kg
⚖️ 0.40kg Mackerel
🛥️ Dougie
📍 Chester’s Plumbing & Bathroom Whitianga

🎣 Frankie Hamilton
⚖️ 1.11kg Trevally on 6kg
⚖️ 1.86kg Kahawai on 6kg
🛥️ Dougie
📍 Chester’s Plumbing & Bathroom Whitianga

🎣 Bentley Perry
⚖️ 0.25kg Mackerel
🛥️ Miss Tapeka
📍 Okuma

18/04/2026

LINES OUT!
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That is the end of fishing for the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament for 2026!
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The weighstation closes at 5pm team! ⚖️
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See you soon for prize giving...🏆
Kicks off at 6pm in the Blue Lagoon
Food is provided for our junior anglers 🍟

17/04/2026

These juniors are unstoppable!

After over a week of playing the waiting game, the first hint of better conditions meant an inundated weighstation for the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament! Here is a wrap of what came across the scales today!

🎣 Lachie Pedersen
⚖️ 7.94kg Snapper
🛥️ Satisfaction
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Jordi Scotland
⚖️ 1.78kg Kahawai
⚖️ 2.74kg Snapper
🛥️ W***y Nilly
📍Gull Whitianga

🎣 Lachie Pedersen
⚖️ 7.94kg Snapper
🛥️ Satisfaction
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Jessica Maxwell
⚖️ 4.91kg Skipjack Tuna
🛥️ Mad Max
📍Bowers Readymix Whitianga

🎣 Koby Maxwell
⚖️ 5.75kg Skipjack Tuna
🛥️ Mad Max
📍Bowers Readymix Whitianga

🎣 Hazel Whitford
⚖️ 1.88kg Kahawai
⚖️ 6.71kg Snapper
🛥️ Cyreel
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Chase Whitford
⚖️ 1.76kg Kahawai
⚖️ 5.61kg Snapper
🛥️ Cyreel
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Hugo Sheehy
⚖️ 1.81kg Kahawai
🛥️ Monett
📍Chester’s Plumbing & Drainage

🎣 Max Carpenter
⚖️ 2.68kg Kahawai
⚖️ 3.95kg Snapper
🛥️ Business Time
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Arlo Christini
⚖️ 6.01kg Snapper
🛥️ Brewski
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Leon Putcherd
⚖️ 1.43kg Snapper
⚖️ 1.17kg Kahawai
🛥️ The 3 P’s
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Kobi Te Manu
⚖️ 1.99kg Kahawai
⚖️ 14.81kg Snapper
🛥️ Splash
📍Gull Whitianga

🎣 Kayden Te Manu
⚖️ 2.16kg Kahawai
🛥️ Splash
📍Gull Whitianga

🎣 Charlie Yeoman
⚖️ 1.44kg Kahawai
🛥️ Reward
📍Chester’s Plumbing & Drainage

🎣 Connor Moses
⚖️ 3.12kg Snapper
🛥️ The Chop
📍Chester’s Plumbing & Drainage

🎣 Gracelyn Phillips
⚖️ 7.49kg Snapper
🛥️ Relief
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

🎣 Elias Phillips
⚖️ 5.70kg Snapper
🛥️ Relief
📍Bodman Fencing Ltd

One more day to go team...

16/04/2026

Our small-fry anglers in the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament getting it done down at the weighstation yesterday! How good are these photos 🙌🏽

16/04/2026

Here are a few of our keen anglers in the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament at the weighstation...we have had 48 fish come across the scales so far!

Our leaderboards are holding fairly steady due to conditions, but our land-based sections are there for the taking!

We can't wait to see you all at prizegiving this Saturday! Don't forget, the unreal Hunting & Fishing Whitianga gate prize of $10,000 worth of gear is up for grabs….all you gotta do is be there to win!! 🙌🏽

13/04/2026

Small-fry angler Ryan Silvester has pulled in a nice Kahawai on a land-based mission yesterday for the the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament! Well done Ryan 👏🏽

13/04/2026

A nice pre-cyclone Snap for Chase in the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament, going 3.56kg on board Cyreel. Well done mate! 👏🏽

11/04/2026

3 catches of note through the weighstation for the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament 🎣

Well done to Parker Churches, landing a nice 14.44kg Kingfish onboard Church before this weather began! 💪🏽

Cooper Wood has also weighed in a nice solid 6.01kg Snapper! 🙌🏽

And, congratulations to Aiden Kaska, landing his first ever kahawai on his first landbased fishing expedition! 👏🏽

11/04/2026

Here is the current fish to beat for the Hunting & Fishing Whitianga, New Zealand Junior Tournament 🎣

We have had a great start to the comp (pre-cyclone) with our 0-12yrs category giving the older ones a run for their money!

We are hoping for another weather window later towards the end of this tournament, but for now hunker down and look after each other!

🌪️🤝

09/04/2026

Alrighty folks, this is it.

It’s time to fight for our fish. The Fisheries Amendment Bill has passed its first reading in parliament and public consultation is open. We need you to submit now.

The government has chosen not to delete the offensive amendment to remove commercial minimum size limits for some fish species. This is just one of many reckless amendments included in the Bill that are one step closer to becoming law.

You can help change the outcome so please submit now: www.legasea.co.nz/fisheries-amendment-bill-submission-form/

During the First Reading of the Amendment Bill, Select Committee Chair and National MP Miles Anderson, said “This is New Zealand's chance to speak up, to participate and help shape a system that serves all Kiwis. We urge everyone, especially recreational fishers, to share their views, raise their concerns.”

The Chair’s comments followed a campaign led by fishing advocates Matt Watson, Darren Shields, Nicky Wilson and others, where tens of thousands of emails flooded various MP’s inboxes less than two weeks ago.

To avoid another public backlash the government is expediting the process to lock in the Bill.

There’s only 13 working days left to make a submission on some of the most anti-social changes to fisheries legislation ever.

The Fisheries Amendment Bill will impact generations to come.

If you care about the future of our fisheries, speak up and oppose the Bill before 29 April 2026. Head to the LegaSea website to build your submission using LegaSea’s online template: www.legasea.co.nz/fisheries-amendment-bill-submission-form/

Join the movement, Kill the Bill and remember to tell these politicians - I Fish. I Care. I Vote. It's an election year after all.

07/04/2026

Have you heard about the Lifejacket Amendment Bill?

As part of our Hooked on Safety campaign, we want to see people looking after themselves out on the water, and now’s the time to have your say on lifejacket use.

Last October, the Transport and Infrastructure Committee introduced a bill to clarify when and where lifejackets must be worn. The original proposal focused on children aged 14 and under, requiring them to wear a lifejacket on vessels 6 metres or less while underway.

That’s now changed.

The latest proposal expands mandatory lifejacket use to everyone on board, regardless of age. It also redefines how vessel length is measured, using waterline length rather than overall length, which would bring more boats within scope.

There’s no real debate that lifejackets save lives. But this is a significant shift in how people use their boats, and it’s important that the wider boating community has a say.

Whether you support it or not, now’s the time to speak up.

Submissions close Wednesday 15 April, head here to share your voice: https://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/life-jacket-amendment-bill/

If you’re part of a club, please pass this on to your members, and share it with your networks while there’s still time.

Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club

19/04/2026

18/04/2026

18/04/2026

17/04/2026

16/04/2026

16/04/2026

13/04/2026

13/04/2026

11/04/2026

11/04/2026

09/04/2026

07/04/2026

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