WARKWORTH GAMEFISH CLUB FISHING RULES

This version is current from August 18, 2015, and is a summary of all the clubs rules on fishing including any amendments passed by your committee and various AGM’s since the incorporation of the club in 1985. The club fully adopts IGFA fishing rules with any alterations or amendments as applied by the NZ Sport Fishing Council. Some club rules further restrict the qualifying standard of fish or line weight for club records, trophies and Pins. These are explained below.

1. Qualifying Anglers

For any fish to count for the club in any way the angler must be a current financial member of the club prior to the fish being caught. The season commences July 1st each year and ends June 30th the following year. There is a period of grace where members current at the 30th of June each year have until 31st October immediately following to renew their membership. Fish caught in this grace period will still be recognised provided the angler pays their fees before the 1st November.

2. Qualifying Fish

For fish to qualify for the club it must comply with the
following requirements:

• The fish must be a recognised species by the NZSFC and caught within the current financial season
• The angler must be a current financial member of WWGFC
• The fish must be recorded for the WWGFC only
• The capture must be made in accordance with IGFA/NZSFC fishing rules and comply with WWGFC club rules

3. Minimum weight/size and line B/S

To qualify for club trophies, pins and records the following apply. Some of these are at variance with IGFA when claiming a world record or NZ record.The club will process all world or NZ record claims irrespective of the clubs own rules.

• Striped Marlin, Blue Marlin, Black Marlin and Broadbill Swordfish 90kg minimum or be tagged and released.
• Spearfish must exceed 10kg.
• All sharks must weigh 50kg minimum or double the breaking strain of the line.
• Kingfish must measure greater than 90cm.
• Yellowfin Tuna must weigh15kg or equal or exceed the breaking strain of the line.
• Albacore – no line weight restrictions.
• Snapper – line weight not to exceed 15kg except for the (Heaviest snapper all tackle trophy) where there is no breaking strain line limit.
• Kahawai – line weight not to exceed 15kg.
• Other species not mentioned, all line weights will be accepted.
• Mahimahi – 5kg minimum weight unless equal to or exceeds line weight.

4. Exclusion for Club Trophies

In the event that any club trophy may not be awarded due to lack of a qualifying fish as per these rules, then the committee has the discretion to consider anglers whose fish do not meet the qualifying weight and or line breaking requirements.

5. Club Pin qualifying standard

To be awarded a pin for a species, the following additional qualification must be met for the first to be awarded each season. Subsequent pins in the same season must exceed the standard of preceeding Pinfish awarded.

Species Eligible;

Striped Marlin, Black Marlin, Blue Marlin, Broadbill, Mako Shark, Thresher Shark, Hammerhead Shark, Bronze
Whaler Shark, Tuna, Kingfish, Kahawai, Snapper,
Mahimahi.

The first pin must equal or exceed the following;

• Striped / Blue / Black Marlin and Broadbill, standard club rules, the first fish each season may be tagged with the subsequent fish to weigh greater than 90kg.
• Sharks must exceed 50kg
• Kingfish and Tuna must exceed 15kg
• Snapper must exceed 9kg
• Kahawai must exceed 2.5kg
• Albacore must exceed 10kg or equal or exceed the breaking strength of line
• Mahimahi must exceed 5kg

There are three types of Pins.

• Sliver Pin – awarded to members reaching the requirements set out by the club
• Silver Pin – Ruby Eye – Any confirmed NZ record
• Gold Pin – Ruby Eye – Any confirmed World record

Junior anglers may have their own club pin award section. Should a junior angler qualify for an open section pin then that would be the pin awarded. In this event the pin will become the new standard for both open and junior sections.

6. Club Records

The club will maintain a club record register. This will be broken into the following classes;

Open Men

Open Women

Juniors aged 11-16 years Boys

Juniors aged 11-16 years Girls

Small Fry 0-10 years Boys

Small Fry 0-10 years Girls

Fish species will be those recognised by the NZSF council

7. Weigh Sheets & Tag Cards

Weigh sheets and tag cards must reach the club records officer within 31 days of the capture or tag to qualify for any club award. If courtesy weighing have 2 weigh sheets at weigh station.

8. Fish Tagging

WWGFC only accept the following to be tagged.

• All billfish
• Mako Shark greater than 5kg
• Blue Shark greater than 5kg
• Kingfish greater than 75cm in length
• Yellow Fin Tuna

All other fish not intended to be kept should be released without tagging. Pulling a billfish out of the water onto your boat during the T& R process will disqualify your tag and release capture.

9. Release of Sharks without tagging

The club will recognise any shark released without tagging in the same manner as a tagged shark. The following criteria must be met to claim a released shark. The fish is deemed caught when the leader is in hand and the trace is either intentionally cut or hook intentionally removed. When completing the club weigh sheet annotate released without tag.