Late drama caps off Top 10 Tuna Tournament

The Mercury Bay Game-Fishing Club’s Pacific Coast Marine & Diesel Top 10 Tuna Tournament has wrapped up after a strong month of fishing, with late drama on the scales and several standout performances making it one to remember.

Running in a slightly shorter format this year but still spread over a month, the tournament benefited from favourable weather, giving anglers multiple opportunities to get on the water. While early catches tended to be on the smaller side, the final days delivered two outstanding fish that shook up the leaderboard right to the wire.

In total, 31 boats entered the tournament, with 33 tuna landed over the month. Catches included 13 albacore, 19 yellowfin tuna and one bigeye tuna, which ultimately proved to be the winning fish. The average tuna weight was 18.57kg, with the sweepstake prize won by Dougie with a fish weighing 17.9kg.

Fishing leading into the tournament had been strong, with good-sized tuna caught in the weeks prior. The opening week of the competition was quieter, but action picked up significantly in the final two weeks as conditions aligned and anglers capitalised on weather windows.

The leaderboard remained tight throughout, with fish separated by only a few kilograms. One 50kg fish held the lead for several days before the competition was turned on its head in the final hour, when the eventual winning tuna was weighed, pushing all other competitors down one place.

Several standout moments highlighted the month-long event. Johnny Monrad, fishing aboard Hard Yards, set a new Mercury Bay Game-Fishing Club men’s record, landing a 109.24kg bigeye tuna on 24kg line. The fish also secured Top Tuna honours for the tournament and was weighed within hours of competition close.

The juniors also made their mark, with Hunter Nicholson aboard Vamos setting a new MBGFC junior record, landing an 11.68kg albacore on a 10kg line. Strong junior participation was a highlight, with young anglers featuring prominently on the leaderboard and giving the adults plenty to chase.

Not all stories ended with a weigh-in. In a tough slice of luck, One Moor Kiwi junior angler Max fought a 101kg bigeye tuna for three hours, only for the fish to strike the prop just before landing, resulting in disqualification from the competition. An outstanding catch nonetheless.

Tournament organisers say the extended format continues to work well, allowing anglers to fish around weather, weekends and work commitments, while also giving out-of-town competitors a genuine chance to compete.

Prizegiving attracted a strong turnout, supported by an expanded range of spot prizes designed to boost engagement – an approach that proved popular with competitors.

Pacific Coast Marine and Diesel acknowledges the generous support of their key sponsors: Raymarine, Lusty & Blundell, Honda Marine, Suzuki Marine and Batterytown, whose backing helped make the tournament possible.

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