The Serious Fishing Club
Starting in 1993, members of the Rotary Club of Nelson have travelled aboard a charter launch for a weekend in the French Pass - D'Urville Island area at the northern end of the Marlborough Sounds.
This trip has for many become a much looked forward to annual event. The first trips were with John & Rose Brown aboard "Serendipity" John died of Motor Neurone Disease and Serendipity was sold and went to Auckland. 

The Millenium (2000) Trip
Due to lack of a suitable vessel a small group of stalwarts went by road to French Pass for a day's fishing aboard Danny Bolton's charter boat "The Spirit of D'Urville"
The prize for keenness must surely go to Al Kirk, whose feats of grouper catching last year were not repeated because the wind was too strong to venture onto the grouper fishing grounds.
Al now lives in Whangerei but travelled down on Friday September 21st to see The Wearable Arts show that night, travelled to French Pass to leave for the day's fishing then back home to Whangerei on Sunday afternoon to start work on Monday morning.

2001 Trip
With the short notice given, the 2001 trip, held in May, attracted only eight starters. This lack of numbers was not matched by the enthusiasm of the team and an excellent days fishing was had, with nearly all catching a snapper and our quota of cod was caught.
The group also saw the effects of nets when an abandoned setnet was pulled in with hundreds of dead and dying fish.
Despite light rain before the day, there was no wind or rain to detract from the enjoyment of the day.
As usual, the day finished with a joint meal at our stay - the French Pass Motel run by Danny and Lynn Boulton.

2002 Trips
In 2002 it was the year of the Graemes, with Graeme Robertson catching his first kingfish. This was no tiddler and tipped the scales at 25 pounds. Graeme Prestidge thought his feat would be in catching the most barracouta, but with only five minutes of fishing for the day remaining he pulled in the only snapper of the trip.

And on the September trip, the organiser finally succeeded in landing the best fish of the trip. It proves that if you persist, you will finally succeed.
2003
The year saw several members head for the Chatham Islands. Naturally there was a fishing trip. The biggest fish was claimed by Hugh Gourdie, the grouper whisperer, but this honour is in doubt. Visit the Chathams yourself to see what the fishing is like. Click here.
2005
After a long period without a Rotary fishing trip, JR again organised one in February 2005, again staying at French Pass Motels and chartering Danny Boultons boat for a day's fishing. As JR chose the date, we had our first lousy day in about three weeks, followed by fine weather the day after we returned.Fishing was confined to the French Pass itself as the wind was too strong to venture further afield.
Our party had better luck than those in the "Bumper Boat" competition, on over the same weekend. The organiser and modest web editor caught the only kingfish landed as well as the most snapper landed that day.

A couple of newcomers were amongst the party, and enjoyed the Rotary experience.