WHANGAROA SPORT FISHING CLUB
  FISHING RULES 2024-2025

Note: Individual competitions have their own set of rules that may differ slightly from these rules.



Rule 1

Trophies can only be awarded to financial members, i.e. full, family, week, day & junior. Any trophies for boat/launchman – skipper must be a financial member of the club. To qualify for the private boat trophies a private boat is one that has not done charter work, advertised for charter or deprived a charter boat of a charter, whether for reward or not. A charter boat can de-register at the start of the season and not engage in any charter work for that season. 

Rule 1a Fish caught whilst participating in other club’s contests qualify for WSFC annual trophies and awards, BUT weigh sheets must be signed by the weighmaster and must be marked DUPLICATE and presented to the Club Recorder so that fish are not counted twice nationally.

Rule 2
The fishing season commences on 1st of July and ends on the 30th of June.

Rule 3
The minimum weights for all landed fish to qualify for trophies must be:

  • All billfish (except shortbill spearfish) must weigh 90kg or over.
  • All sharks must weigh 50kg, or equal or exceed DOUBLE the line weight category.
  • Yellowtail Kingfish Minimum length must be 75cm. MPI regulations – 3 weighed fish per person per day
  • Yellowfin Tuna and Shortbill Spearfish must weigh 15kg, or equal or exceed line weight category.
  • Mahimahi, Skipjack Tuna, Wahoo and Albacore must weigh 5kg, or equal or exceed line weight category.
  • Kahawai and Trevally must weigh 2kg, or equal or exceed line weight category.
  • Snapper must weigh 2kg, or equal or exceed line weight category. Maximum line weight 10kg.
  • Hapuku and Bass must equal or exceed line weight.

Rule 4
All tagged fish will count for the angler and club tallies and all tag & release trophies. A tag card MUST accompany the weigh sheet of a tagged fish to qualify.
Kahawai, Skipjack, Albacore and Snapper – underweight fish count for club line records, but not boat/angler tallies.  Line MUST be tested to qualify. Released fish count for boat tallies only

Rule 5
All weigh sheets must be in the secretary’s hands within 21 days of capture, or the fish will be disallowed for angler and boat awards, and by 14th July at the end of the season.

Rule 6
Catch certificates can be issued for billfish, sharks, kingfish, yellowfin, bluefin and big-eye tuna if requested, and if:
(a) The angler is a financial member of the WSFC at the time of the catch.
(b) The fish was weighed at an official weigh station by an authorised weighmaster or assistant.
(c) The fish was tagged and released.
(d) The fish was caught in accordance with IGFA rules.
(e) To qualify as a tagged or liberated fish it must be released while the leader is in hand.
(f) Certificates for Snapper; only the heaviest Snapper each year for men, women, juniors and small fry.

Rule 7
In the event of the weighmaster or assistant not being available, the fish may be weighed by a committee member, plus another full member.
In the event neither of the above options are possible the fish may be weighed by a judicial member, plus another full member.

Rule 8
The skipper, crew and angler must assist the weighmaster in the measurement and weighing of the fish.

Rule 9
Competitions are open to anyone who is a full and financial member of the club, except when there is an entry fee, then it is open to anyone who is a financial member of a club affiliated to NZSFC and IGFA

Rule 10
For annual awards and pinfish – in the event of a tie, the first fish hooked up is the winner.

Rule 11
Any protests relative to the weight of the fish, manner of weighing or identification of species, must be made to the weighmaster before the fish is removed from the vicinity of the weigh-station.  Any other protest relative to fishing or competition rules must be made in writing within 48 hours of the weigh in. A Judicial Committee shall adjudicate any protest received by the committee.

Rule 12
The committee shall have the right to alter, delete or add to any rules, as it may deem necessary in the interest of competitions and sports fishing prior to the commencement of any competition.

Rule 13
Fishing area is the New Zealand 200-mile exclusive economic zone, or Competition rules apply.
RULES GOVERNING PIN AND TROPHY AWARDS.
ONLY FISH RECOGNIZED BY THE NZSFC AS GAMEFISH WILL QUALIFY FOR THE FOLLOWING:

Rule 14
A silver pin will be presented to the angler who catches the first gamefish of the season of each species, in accordance with minimum weights. As the season progresses each heavier fish of each species (as per NZSFC “weights needed to defeat or tie existing records” formula) earns a silver pin, EXCEPT – Mahimahi, Albacore, Kahawai, Skipjack Tuna, Shortbill Spearfish, Bass/Hapuku, Trevally, Tope, Wahoo and Snapper – where one pin will be awarded at the end of the season for the heaviest fish, and the fish with most IGFA points. The angler with the first T&R marlin will qualify for an emerald eye pin.
The angler with the heaviest fish of the season on 15kg or less line will qualify for a pin.
Every 100th, 200th etc. marlin weighed, tagged and released or courtesy weighed by a WSFC member will be presented with an award.

Line weight categories:
1kg, 2kg, 3kg, 4kg, 6kg, 8kg, 10kg, 15kg, 24kg, 37kg, 60kg
Competition rules apply.

All fish must comply with current MPI and IGFA rules where not stated.