2026 Nationals Day Five Roundup ​​​​​​​

SECTION 01

Overall Best Team Billfish as at day 5

1st - YOUNG GUNS

  • Hokianga
  • 15 fish
  • 9,000 points

2nd G3

  • Bay of Islands
  • 14 fish
  • 8,400 points

3rd DIESEL

  • Counties
  • 13 fish
  • 7,800 points

Most Points Team Striped Marlin

1st - YOUNG GUNS

  • Hokianga
  • 15 fish
  • 9,000 points

2nd - G3

  • Bay of Islands
  • 4 fish
  • 8,400 points

3rd =  DIESEL

  • Counties
  • 13 fish
  • 7,800 points

3rd = MAD MAX

  • Mercury Bay
  • 13 fish
  • 7,800 points

SECTION 06

Tag and Release – Broadbill

1st  Matthew Harrison RUMRAGE

  • Muriwai
  • 2  T&R

2nd James Taylor NO LIMITS

  • Counties
  • 1 T&R

3rd Trevor Bowmar RUMRAGE

  • Muriwai
  • 1 T&R

4th Alan Langdon 2508

  • Muriwai
  • 1 T&R

Recorded time separates the board.

Tag and Release – Striped Marlin

1st Ben Turner YOUNG GUNS

  • Hokianga
  • 14 T&R

2nd Josh Henwood G3

  • Bay of Islands
  • 13 T&R

3rd Glenn Bradley MAD MAX

  • Mercury Bay
  • 11 T&R

4th Nicola Candy MILE ZERO

  • Mercury Bay
  • 7 T&R

5th Kane Bodman DIESEL

  • Counties
  • 5 T&R ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​




Full leader board here:https://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/nzsfc-nationals-2026/  ​​​​​​​

SECTION 03A

NZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Broadbill

60kg Cohen Snell

  • Whakatane Sport Fishing Club
  • 92.60kg

A significant fish and a milestone broadbill for the club.

NZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Striped Marlin

37kg James Whiteman

  • Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club
  • 111.60kg

37kg Hayley Nowell

  • Muriwai Sports Fishing Club
  • 101.50kg 

NZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Yellowtail

3kg Glenn Bond

  • Hawkes Bay Sport Fishing Club
  • 10.05kg

4kg Sadie Bond

  • Hawkes Bay Sport Fishing Club
  • 6.59kg

4kg Mark Phillips

  • Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club
  • 6.02kg

6kg Tony Noble

  • Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club
  • 10.40kg

2.6kg Ashton Harvey

  • New Plymouth
  • 5.95kg

SECTION 02

Champion New Zealand Angler – Striped Marlin

37kg James Whiteman

  • Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club
  • 111.60kg
  • 301.62 points

37kg Hayley Nowell

  • Muriwai Sports Fishing Club
  • 101.50kg
  • 274.32 points

Photo:

Barry Chibnall and Jo Chibnall from Clevedon Blue Marlin 138.1kg on 37kg on Huck 2

2026 Nationals Day Four Roundup - Half Way Point

SECTION 01 

Most Points Team Snapper 

1st - ALWAYS L8

  • Hawkes Bay
  • 3 fish
  • 1,128.00 points

2nd - REELAXIN

  • Hawkes Bay
  • 3 fish
  • 883.50 points

3rd -  R and R

  • Tairua Pauanui
  • 3 fish
  • 805.50 points

SECTION 02 

Champion New Zealand Angler Snapper 1

1st - Glen Bailey ALWAYS L8

  • Hawkes Bay
  • 489.00 points
  • 4.890kg snapper on 1kg line  

2nd - Glen Bailey ALWAYS L8

  • Hawkes Bay
  • 367.00 points
  • 3.670kg snapper on 1kg line  

3rd - Lachlan Rigby  REELAXIN

  • Hawkes Bay
  • 343.50 points
  • 6.870kg snapper on 2kg line

Photo:

Junior Cohen Snell, fishing aboard Pescatore out of Gisborne-Tatapouri lands an impressive 92.6kg Broadbill Swordfish that marks Whakatāne Sportfishing Club’s first Broadbill of the 2026 NZ Sportfishing Nationals

SECTION 03

ANZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Blue and Black Marlin 

24kg – Harris Gemmell

  • Mercury Bay
  • 200.50kg blue marlin on 24kg

37kg – Stephen Bremner

  • Mercury Bay
  • 169.20kg black marlin on 37kg

SECTION 06

Tag and Release – Blue and Black Marlin 

1. Tony Tucker RUSTLER

  • Mercury Bay
  • 1 blue 

SECTION 06 

Tag and Release – Shortbill Spearfish

1. Christine Elmiger CAPTAIN GOOD VIBE

  • Waihau Bay
  • 1 fish  


SECTION 03A 

NZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Snapper 

1kg - Glen Bailey

  • Hawkes Bay Sport Fishing Club  
  • 4.89kg

2kg – Lachlan Rigby

  • Hawkes Bay Sport Fishing Club  
  • 6.87kg

3kg – Tony Noble 

  • Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club
  • 7.15kg

4kg – Johnny Wilkinson

  • Counties Sport Fishing Club
  • 9.55kg

6kg – Lance Pattullo

  • Hauraki Gulf Sportfishing Club  
  • 9.05kg

8kg – Terry King

  • Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club
  • 6.45kg

SECTION 03A 

NZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Trevally 

1kg – Scott Bradley

  • NZ Land Based Gamefishing Club  
  • 1.97kg

2kg – Graham Stevenson

  • NZ Land Based Gamefishing Club  
  • 2.99kg

3kg – Bruce Beca

  • NZ Land Based Gamefishing Club  
  • 2.18kg

SECTION 03A 

NZ Champion Line Weight Anglers – Kahawai 

1kg – Daniel Niederberger

  • New Plymouth
  • 2.66kg

2kg – Alastair Bond

  • Hawkes Bay
  • 2.22kg

3kg – Lewis Fisher

  • Pegasus Bay
  • 2.55kg

4kg – Mike Kingi

  • New Plymouth
  • 2.46kg

6kg – Sam Reade

  • New Plymouth
  • 2.35kg

8kg – Wade Callander

  • New Plymouth
  • 2.76kg

10kg – Euan McLachlan

  • New Plymouth
  • 2.23kg

SECTION 06 

Tag and Release – Striped Marlin 

1. Josh Henwood G3

  • BOISC  
  • 8 fish

2. Ben Turner YOUNG GUNS

  • Hokianga
  • 8 fish

3.Glenn Bradley MAD MAX

  • Mercury Bay
  • 7 fish

4. Kane Bodman DIESEL

  • Counties
  • 3 fish

5. Cordell Armstrong SOL E MAR

  • WDSAC
  • 2 fish 

2026 Nationals Day Three Roundup 

Seventeen junior anglers entered this year, and they are not just making up the numbers.

They are competing seriously and setting the standard.

Across the fleet, these young fishos are tagging, weighing and showing real skill and determination on the water. They’re backing themselves, putting in the hours, and proving that the future of our sport is in very capable hands. It’s impressive to see their focus, resilience and sportsmanship out there.

Day 3 has continued to deliver solid action, and our juniors are right in the mix.

Full leader board here:https://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/nzsfc-nationals-2026/







Photo: Junior Angler - Lachlan Rigby

Fishing orr 'Reelaxin' from the Hawkes Bay Fishing Club

Junior achievements

Section 08C Albacore

  • Casey Moffitt (Finfinder, Hawkes Bay) leads with fish of 10.650 kg and 5.870 kg.

Section 08E Kahawai

  1. Lachlan Rigby (Reelaxin, Hawkes Bay)
  2. Sophie Mogford (Fin Addict, Tairua/Pauanui)
  3. Lachlan Rigby (Reelaxin, Hawkes Bay)

Section 08G Snapper

  1. Lachlan Rigby (Reelaxin, Hawkes Bay)
  2. Lachlan Rigby (Reelaxin, Hawkes Bay)
  3. Jaxon Krawczyk (Fifty Fifty, Hawkes Bay)

Senior Anglers

Tag and Release Striped Marlin

  • Josh Henwood, G3, Bay of Islands Swordfish Club leads with three (3).
  • Cordell Armstrong, Sol E Mar, Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club (2).
  • Tony Croft, Mad Max for Mercury Bay, (2)
  • Glenn Bradley, Mad Max for Mercury Bay, (2)
  • Jason Gibson, DRV, Bay of Islands Swordfish Club (2)



Pelagic Best Team Billfish

  1. Mad Max, Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club 
  2. Sol E Mar, Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club 
  3. G3, Bay of Islands Swordfish Club 

NZ Champion Striped Marlin Angler

  1. Josh Henwood
  2. Cordell Armstrong
  3. Tony Croft third.

Interesting Note:

One of our 16 lady anglers, Jody Verryt from Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club, leads the line class tuna section with an 82.40 kg fish on 37 kg line.

End of Day Three Tally

  • Albacore 26
  • Blue Marlin 1
  • Broadbill Swordfish 5
  • Bronze Whaler 8
  • Kahawai 57
  • Silver Trevally 16
  • Skipjack Tuna 32 S
  • napper 108
  • Striped Marlin 32
  • Thresher Shark 2
  • Yellowfin Tuna 20
  • Yellowtail Kingfish 4

2026 Nationals Day Two Roundup 

Day Two Numbers

  • 5 striped marlin tagged
  • 4 broadbill tagged
  • 4 sharks tagged
  • 1 blue marlin weighed

The light tackle sections are tight.

  • Albacore. Skipjack. Kahawai. Snapper. Trevally. Yellowtail kingfish.

Angler Numbers

  • 17 female anglers
  • 16 Junior anglers

Section 1

CD Rods Top Team

Great Expectations  (Hawkes Bay)

  • 4 Fish – Kahawai, Snapper, Trevally and Kingfish
  • 912.33 pints

Pelagic Top Billfish Team

Rampage (Muriwai)

  • 2 tagged and released
  • 1,200 points


Section 1

Blue and Black Marlin

1st -Team Smuggler (Mercury Bay)

  • Blue marlin
  • 835.42 points

Broadbill 

1st - Rampage (Muriwai )

  • 2 tagged
  • 1,200 points

2nd - No Limits (Counties)

  • 1 tagged
  • 600 points

3rd - 2508 (Muriwai)

  • 1 tagged
  • 600 points

Shark

1st - Out West (Counties)

  • 4 tagged
  • 400 points

Striped Marlin

Five tagged so far.

Tuna

1st - Suspect (Warkworth)

  • 2 fish
  • 219.83 points

2nd - Good Lures (Hawkes Bay)

  • 3 fish
  • 184.86 points

3rd - Trocken II  (Te Kaha)

  • 2 fish
  • 176.67 points

Yellowtail Kingfish

1st - Great Expectations (Hawkes Bay)

  • 10.05 kg on 3 kg line
  • 335 points

2nd - Moet (Counties)

  • 25 points

Photo:

The Krawczyk family at the Hawkes Bay Sports Fishing Club weigh station after light line fishing in the Nationals

Section 2 – Champion NZ Anglers


Blue or Black Marlin

  • Harris Gemmell (Mercury Bay)
  • 200.5 kg blue marlin
  • 24 kg line
  • 835.42 points

Yellowtail Kingfish

  • Glenn Bond (Hawkes Bay)
  • 10.05 kg 3 kg line
  • 335 points

Section 11 – Interclub Leaders

Albacore - Hawkes Bay

Black and Blue Marlin - Mercury Bay

Broadbill - Muriwai

Kahawai - Hawkes Bay

Shark - Counties

Skipjack - Whakatane

Snapper - Hawkes Bay

Striped Marlin - Whangaroa

Trevally - Hawkes Bay

Tuna - Warkworth

Yellowtail –-Hawkes Bay


Clubs on the board:

  • Whangaroa
  • Waihau Bay
  • Mercury Bay
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangaroa

2026 Nationals Day One Roundup ​​​​​​​

There was no shotgun start to the Nationals. Just 935 of the best anglers from all points of the compass rose saying, let’s get out there and do it. Up and down both coasts there's crews chasing records, kids chasing kahawai, clubs chasing bragging rights. Our new FishABLE section has three entrants paving the way for many more. That's a great win for disabled anglers out there doing it. 

So far Hawkes Bay Sport Fishing Club has entered the most fish. And a special mention from the recorders entering your catches: Please read the rules on minimum weights of fish on different line classes. Page 63 of the yearbook.  Click here  

Now to the action 

  • Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club has recorded their first blue marlin of the season. 
  • Ahipara Sport Fishing Club in their Best of the West comp has two striped marlin to be weighed, three tagged so far, and a few more dropped. 

From the current leader board: 

  • Tairua-Pauanui SFC are competing strongly in snapper and kahawai. 
  • Hawkes Bay SFC firing in trevally, kahawai and snapper. 
  • Pegasus Bay sitting first and second in albacore.  Team Kaizen leads with a 5.610 kg fish on 2 kg line. 
  • Three yellowfin tuna so far. Two weighed. One tagged. 

Standout captures: Kahawai

  • 1.890 kg on 1 kg line for Hawkes Bay
  • 2.220 kg on 2 kg line for New Plymouth
  • 2.210 kg on 3 kg line for New Plymouth 

Snapper

  • 6.870 kg on 2 kg line for Hawkes Bay
  • 5.160 kg on 2 kg line for Hawkes Bay 

Trevally

  • 1.830 kg on 1 kg line for Hawkes Bay
  • 1.330 kg on 2 kg line for Hawkes Bay 

Yellowfin tuna

  • 20.4 kg on 24 kg line for Te Kaha
  • 23.92 kg on 37 kg line for Gisborne
  • One tagged for Waihau Bay 

Skipjack

  • 5.175 kg on 6 kg line for Whakatane
  • 5.390 kg on 8 kg line for Whakatane
  • 5.145 kg on 10 kg line for Whakatane 

And Day 1 winner of the $100 Pelagic voucher goes to Hayden Moffitt.  Congratulations Hayden. 

Full leader board here:https://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/nzsfc-nationals-2026/