Note: If you have any old photos of MBGFC, its members, fish, or the town, please email them to events@mbgfc.co.nz or visit Vaughn at Stephensons Unichem Pharmacy in Whitianga for scanning. We appreciate any photos, whether they’re 70 years old or just 5. We'd love to see them!

Saturday night’s dinner wristbands can be collected now from the office only -  9.30am – 3pm Monday – Friday

Gamebase – will be Channel 61

Eligible Species -           Marlin  (Striped, Blue, Black)

Timeline for the event:

Tuesday 25^th February 2025

There is no registration but if you haven’t collected your wristbands from the office for the Centennial Dinner on Sat 1^st March.  (these must be worn on Saturday) you may like to do this during office hours.

Briefing will be at 1900 sharp in the Blue Lagoon.

At least one team representative MUST attend, and all team members are urged to attend. Teams can depart after briefing.

Wednesday 26^th February 2025

Fishing starts from 6am until 3pm on Saturday 1^st March.  Good Luck!

The weigh station is open from 1600 to 1800 on days One to Three.

Weighing fish after 1800 is at the discretion of the weighmasters. 

The weigh station is open from 1430 to 1700 on day Four.

Friday 28^th February 2025

Join us in celebrating 100 years of The Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club with a fun filled quiz night.

Registration from 7pm, with the quiz starting at 7.30pm

Free entry and prizes to be won

The Blue Lagoon, at the back of MBGFC Clubrooms

Gather your friends (Max of 6 in a team) and head down for a drink and a good time. It is sure to be a great night, and if you consider yourself a NZ/Whitianga/fishing historian, this might be your time to shine

All are welcome!

 Saturday 1^st March 2025  - order of the night  Dress for the occasion

Come dressed in period dress – you choose what decade and outfit!

From 5.30pm   Meet and Greet with nibbles -  bar will be open, check out the memorabilia on display

6pm                      Dinner will be ready -  Wristbands must be worn for dinner

7.15pm                Presentation of Boy Smith’s Blazer to our club President from Richard Warwick

7.30pm                Prizegiving

8pm                      Band     dance the night away

Saturday night’s dinner wristbands can be collected now from the office only -  9.30am – 3pm Monday – Friday

Gamebase – will be Channel 61

Eligible Species -           Marlin  (Striped, Blue, Black)

Raffle  – Make sure you bring some cash for this beautiful hand sketched framed picture which comes signed by the artist. $5 per ticket. 

There is also the option to purchase these limited prints which will come in two sizes

A3 $150.00 and A4 $100.00 and with a certificate of authenticity  – please contact the office to secure your print.

Commemorative Centennial Lure for sale  - We are offering the option to purchase a commemorative lure. We will have 30 small and 30 large commemorative lures for purchase  $100 +gst – these are on pre order so please contact the office if you would like one of these - they won’t last long so get in fast.

Fishing Rules

SOLD OUT

WELCOME TO THE

2025

MBGFC Centennial Marlin Competition

Wed 26^th Feb – Sat 1^st March 2025

Entry fee $100.00 per boat

Includes 2 x Saturday night meal tickets. A further 2 x meal tickets can be purchased by each team @ $40.00 per ticket.

Saturday 1st March - Dinner 6:00pm, Prizegiving 7:30pm. 

1.    GENERAL

The purpose of this tournament is to make sure you all have a good time and celebrate this milestone club event.

To that purpose we have a set of rules. Please read them and make sure you understand them. If there are any matters that need clarification please note them and ask at the briefing.

Any matters not specifically covered by these rules will be covered by IGFA rules, NZSFC rules, MBGFC Fishing Rules and/or at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

ENTRY and registration in the tournament constitutes acceptance of the rules by ALL participants, and an agreement to abide by ALL judges decisions.

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to amend the rules, should it be deemed necessary in the interest of the Tournament.

Competitors participate in the tournament at their own risk. MBGFC does not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the tournament. Leaving port is at the sole discretion of the skipper and crew at all times.

2.    ELIGIBILTY

All anglers must be current financial members of Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club Inc (MBGFC) or an affiliated NZSFC Club. Proof must be provided. Day membership to MBGFC will suffice.

NOTE:  A commercial vessel must provide a particular approval form under Section 111(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act for the Tournament dates to the Club office before going fishing. Fishing in is NOT permitted.

3.     REGISTRATION & BRIEFING:

There is no registration for this tournament. Briefing will be at 1900 sharp in the Blue Lagoon.

At least one team representative MUST attend, and all team members are urged to attend.

All rules and/or clarifications as well as additional instructions given at briefing are deemed to be known and accepted by all participants whether present or not.

Teams can depart after briefing.

4.   FISHING AREA

The area covered by our Sponsors Grid:

5.    TACKLE

All tackle used MUST comply with IGFA and NZSFC regulations.

It is the angler’s responsibility to be conversant with these regulations.

Line classes are:  1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 24, 37, 60kg.

6.   ELIGIBLE SPECIES

Marlin,                                       Striped , Blue and Black.

7.     MINIMUM FISH WEIGHTS.

Striped, Blue & Black Marlin                          90kg

8.    RADIO

                Contest Channel                 Channel 61 Gamebase

                Boat to Boat                       Channel 6, 8 & 65

                Coastguard                        Channel 63

                Continuous Weather            Channel 20

                Marina                               Channel 61

For safety reasons it is the responsibility of all skippers to ensure that their vessels have operational VHF radios.

9.     WEATHER:

The Tournament will not be cancelled due to weather. Whether or not to fish is not the responsibility of the MBGFC or organisers of the event, and must be based solely on the teams own judgement, taking into account the prevailing conditions, the seaworthiness of their vessel, the status of safety equipment on board, and the crews seamanship skills. The tournament is a 4 day event, as little as one day or part thereof constitutes a complete tournament

11.   FISHING TIMES

Continuous fishing from 6.00am Wednesday 26^th Feb until stop fishing is called on channel 61 at 3.00pm Saturday 1^st March.

12.   REPORTING:

(a)    Game base is not a search and rescue channel!

        If you wish to be monitored by Coastguard for reasons of safety at sea

        you should log a trip report on Ch 63.

        In the event of an emergency call Coastguard on Ch 63

(b)    Billfish should be called in to Gamebase on hookup and when boated, tagged or lost giving the vessels name, the area from the Sponsors Gridmap.

(c)    There will be a sched at 1400 each day when vessels with fish to weigh can contact Game base with their catch & ETA.

13.   HOOK UP FLAGS

On hooking up, a fish which strips a significant amount of line, a signal flag should be displayed from the starboard outrigger, flagpole, aerial or other suitable position. 

14. STRIKES (SINGLE AND MULTIPLE):

   (i)          When a strike occurs, the angler(s) must immediately remove the

rod(s) from the rod holder(s), while the crew clear the rest of the

gear.

   (ii)         If the number of fish in a multiple strike equals or exceeds the

number of people on the boat, gear may be cleared prior to fighting the fish.

   (iii)         Once an angler has fought one fish from a multiple strike, whether

                that fish is caught or lost, they must not present a subsequent fish

                from the same multiple strike.

Fish left on rod holders while others are fought must be self-disqualified

15.   BILLFISH TAGGED AND RELEASED:

Billfish must NOT be removed from the water during the tagging and releasing process.    Digital videos clearly showing the tag in place must be shown to the weighmasters when tag cards are presented.

16. WEIGH IN. AT the wharf.

      The weigh station is open from 1600 to 1800 on days One to Three. Weighing fish after 1800 is at the discretion of the weighmasters.

      The weigh station is open from 1430 to 1700 on day Four.

a)    Catch Cards & Tag Cards:

      ALL sections MUST be filled in BEFORE fish are brought to the weighstation. First and last name must be written in full, not initials.

      Latitude and longitude must be entered on tag cards.

      Team number and angler numbers must be clear.

       PROVIDING FALSE INFORMATION ON CATCH CARDS WILL RESULT IN  DISQUALIFICATIO FROM THE TOURNAMENT.

b)    Along with the FULLY COMPLETED catch card and/or tag card each angler must present the rod, reel, lure and or terminal tackle which the fish was caught on, and anything else required by the weighmasters such as gaffs, tailropes, any securing ropes used to transport the fish to the weighstation.

      A FISH IS NOT DEEMED TO BE CAUGHT UNTIL IT HAS BEEN WEIGHED (or tagged).      

c)    Digital videos clearly showing the tag in place must be shown to the weighmasters when tag cards are presented.

d)   Lines may be tested at the weigh station.  Lines that over test will be moved up to the appropriate line class.  Under testing lines will NOT be moved down. 

e)    Weighmasters Indemnity

      It is the anglers responsibility to present all cards and equipment when weighing in, NOT the weighmasters. If any of the required equipment is not in the hands of the weighmasters along with the completed catch card and fish by the close off time, the fish will not be accepted as being on time.

      No responsibility will be accepted by MBGFC or its weighmasters for any failure to do so.

On Saturday March 1st, unless a fish is being played at stop fishing all anglers must have their fish, catch cards and tackle in the weighmasters hands by 1700.  The location of a boat at stop fishing must take into consideration it’s steaming and/or towing time to the weigh station. At 1700 an official will collect catch cards from any anglers waiting in a queue at the weigh station. No further catches will be accepted.

In the case of a fish being played at stop fishing radio notification must be given prior to stop fishing. For such a fish to be eligible for recognition in this tournament it must be at the weigh station by 1730.

17. DISPUTES

The MBGFC will appoint a disputes committee to investigate any disputes. Any disputes must be received in writing within 30 minutes of weigh in on the day in question. The disputes committee decision shall be final and binding.

18.   PRIZE GIVING:  

Held in the Club or Blue Lagoon Sat 1^st March 1930 sharp.

19.   PRIZE ALLOCATION:

Heaviest weighed Marlin, in the event of a tie, the winning teams will share the recognition.

Points, in the situation where multiple teams have the same points, the winning teams will share the recognition.

Prizegiving

Prizegiving will be held recognising the best catches as follows:

Billfish                       Heaviest weighed                        1st

^{Billfish                       Most points.                               1st}

POINTS

Marlin  T&R                                                        450pts

Weighed Marlin calculation.                                  Fish weight X 100

                                                                            Line weight

20.   WHARF:

Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club Inc will not be responsible for any harbour, wharf or berthage charges.

221. TERM DEFINITIONS

“TAIL ROPES” - A tail rope is any rope used in either or both the capture of the fish and securing the fish for transport to the weighstation. NO “Tail rope” may exceed 9.14m in length.

“RULES” - Includes all rules written herein, IGFA Rules, NZSFC Rules, MBGFC Fishing Rules and/or any changes and additions made by MBGFC during the Tournament.

“WEIGHT” - The weight of a fish as deemed correct by both the weighmasters and the angler signed off on the catch card.

“CAUGHT” - A fish is not deemed to be caught until it is weighed or tagged.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FISHING