Houhora Reel Big Fish Comp Rules – 20th Feb – 22nd Feb 2025


1.General Rules

  1. The Houhora Reel Big Fish tournament shall be fished in accordance with HBGSFC, NZSFC and IGFA angling rules for all species. Braid will be allowed under the NZSFC rules and can be used in NZ competitions; there is no restriction to braid size. However, there must be a minimum 5-metre length of nylon that will test under the line class that the fish was caught on and notified to Far North Radio.
  2. The tournament would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Please call in all fish with the sponsors grid name (supplied on registration) at which the fish were caught or tagged.
  3. The Organisers have the right to refuse entry to any angler, team, boat, or skipper. Any misconduct will not be tolerated. This could result in removal from the competition.
  4. Anglers must be fully paid-up members of a club affiliated to the NZSFC.  No day members will be allowed.  
  5. Commercial fishermen must de-register their boat before they start fishing the competition.
  6. Registration constitutes acceptance of the rules and regulations governing the competition and all contestants agree to abide by the Contest Organisers decisions. The Organisers have the sole right to alter, change or delete any part of the competition or rules at their discretion prior to commencement of the competition. 
  7. Teams must comprise of not less than two anglers. There must not be less than 2 team members competing at any one time and the skipper must be over the age of 18.
    • Anglers wanting to fish from another boat may do so. If you want to change boats, the Organisers must be notified before you start fishing with your new team
    • Paid up contestants ONLY shall fish from a boat during the competition
    • The minimum cost of entry is $400 per team (equivalent to 2 anglers). Additional team members $200 per angler.
  8. Boats participating must be seaworthy and meet maritime New Zealand requirements and be able to communicate to Far North Radio via VHF channel 60 on the east coast, 61 North Cape to the Kings or 02 on the west coast and have a charged cell phone.
    • The Houhora Big Game Sports Fishing Club takes no responsibility for damage or injury to anglers, boats, or visitors under any circumstances.
    • Teams must comply with the Houhora Big Game & Sports Fishing Club Health & Safety Management System rules and requirements as supplied in the registration pack.
    • All boats must sign the safety acknowledgement form.
  9. Speed limit within the harbour is 5 knots. Speeding and passing is not permitted.
  10. Breaches of competition rules must be reported immediately to the Organisers. Any breaches will be dealt with seriously and may include loss of points, disqualified fish, or disqualifying teams from the competition. Any protest concerning the validity of any catch, shall be filed in writing, signed, and handed to the Organisers at the competition headquarters by 7pm on the day of the catch. All decisions made by the Organisers shall be final and no correspondence shall be entered into.
  11. In the event of extremely bad weather, Boats will be notified at each evening and those out will be texted.
  12. NO longlines, kontikis, drones or electric reels.
  13. FISHING AREA. The boundaries of our grid are on a line from the Hokianga Harbour (South Head) around Cape Reinga to Whangaroa Harbour (North of Flat Island) and includes the Three Kings Islands. NO fishing outside theses points.
    • Boats can only launch within the specified grid area boundaries and will be disqualified if caught launching outside this area.


2.Registration, Briefing and Fishing the Competition

  1. Registration will be held on Wednesday 19th February 2025, from 3 - 7pm at the Houhora Big Game & Sports Fishing Club clubrooms.
  2. All registration forms must be completed, angler numbers & starter packs received BEFORE you start fishing. Failure to complete registration correctly may result in disqualification.
  3. A team representative, preferably the skipper or team captain, must attend the pre-tournament briefing. The team representative will collect the briefing pack, (includes tournament guide, sponsors grid, rules, Health and Safety policy, Boat Compliance, Radio channels and contact details for registering a tag and release fish). Following briefing a Calcutta auction will be held.
  4. All anglers from clubs other than Houhora are expected to show proof of club membership at registration. If registering prior, please send membership confirmation with Registration forms. Houhora club members membership numbers will be available on the club data base at the registration desk. 
  5. If you wish to “fish in” to the competition you must make prior arrangements with the tournament organisers no later than February 15th 2025, have your registration details completed and fees paid. You must be within the grid boundaries before you commence fishing. You also must have a team member present at briefing.


3.Far North Radio Rules 

            Radio start time will be 7.45am after the weather forecasts (please do not call Far North Radio before 7.45am).  If an emergency call channel #16 or Coastguard

  1. Far North Radio is manned from 7.45am until 8pm courtesy of Far North Radio during their normal operational hours. All teams must notify Far North Radio from 7.45am, when they are ‘hooked up’ to a fish, when a fish is tagged and released, boated, landed or lost and when they return to port.
  2. VHF Channels - Far North Radio via VHF channel 60 on the east coast, 61 North Cape to the Kings or 02 on the west coast.
  3. When reporting a fish please notify the Far North Radio operator of your team number and boat name, followed by the sponsors grid location, anglers name & number and species boated or tagged.


4.Fishing Times

  1. Fishing is from 00:01am Thursday 20th February 2025 to 4.00pm Saturday 22nd February 2025.  Stop Fishing is 4pm Saturday 22nd February 2025.
  2. On Saturday 25th all boats and teams must stop fishing at 4.00pm unless teams have called in as “hooked up” prior to stop fishing.  You must safely and successfully boat, land, or tag & release that fish AND still be inside the harbour by 6.00pm or at the weigh station to have the fish count towards prizegiving on Saturday 22nd February 2025.
  3. For this tournament, ‘inside the harbour’ is recognised as the location of the 2nd red beacon at Ripiripi Point (west of Houhora Heads campground). From this point you will be visible by the team on the weigh station as you come round the point.

5.Species, Minimum Weights – Game Fish and Sport Fish.

A more detailed list of prizes, minimum weights, and target species for all categories are listed at the end of this section. 

  1. All billfish (except shortbilled spearfish) landed must weigh a minimum of 90kg.
  2. All tuna must equal or exceed 10kg.
  3. Mahimahi must weigh a minimum of 10 kg.
  4. Shortbilled spearfish must weigh a minimum of 15 kg.
  5. Kingfish must be a minimum length of 100cm.
  6. Snapper must be a minimum length of 45cm.

6.Weighing of Fish and Tag Presentation. 

The Weigh Station will be open each day from 4pm to 6pm 20th- 22nd February.

  1. All reported catches must include grid sponsors name and information.
  2. If you wish your fish to be eligible for that day’s lucky fish draw prize you are responsible for getting your fish to the weigh station within weigh station opening times.
  3. Tag cards must be handed to the weighmaster by 6.00pm on the day of capture to be eligible for that day’s prizegiving, or by 6.00pm the following day for next day prizegiving.  
    • Bring the tackle, tag pole and rigged lure the fish was caught on for the weighmaster to inspect. No inspection no prize.
    • A photo or video of the tagged fish must be supplied with a clear view of the angler, ‘2025 photo number card’ supplied, next to the fish.
    • Tag cards can be sent electronically via the information provided in the registration pack by the times outlined in rule 6c.
  4. Teams weighing fish, or presenting tag & release cards, not presented to the weighmaster completed by 6.00pm will go into the next day’s prize pool.
  5. Fish must be presented at the weigh station in good condition on the day they were caught or before 6.00pm on the following day to be eligible for daily prizes.
  6. Game Fish caught overnight can be weighed the following morning. Please call 027 245 5517 to arrange.
  7. Normal weigh station rules apply. Tag & Release cards and weigh sheets must be completed before you come to the weigh station.
  8. Tournament fish can only be weighed at Houhora Big Game & Sports Fishing Club.
  9. If you have fish to weigh, or tag cards to hand to the Weighmaster, please call the weigh station once you have entered the harbour entrance on VHF Channel 10 so our weigh station team can conduct an orderly processing operation at the wharf.   We ask that all team boats coming into the weigh station fly a catch flag so we can readily identify them.
  10. Final night Saturday (Day 3), all weigh sheets and tag & release cards must be in the weighmaster’s hands completed by the final cut off time at 6.30pm. Teams must ensure they allow enough time to make it to the weigh station before the closing times.

7.Prizes & Prizegiving

  1. Daily lucky angler draws, and all fish weighed that day are eligible for the lucky fish draw prizes.  Angler must be in the clubrooms with your angler number to collect. These draws will be at 7.30 pm daily.  Final Prize Giving will be held Saturday 22 February at 7.30pm.
  2. Contestants must present their angler cards to be eligible for any daily lucky draws and for prizegiving.  All contestants will be eligible for lucky angler draws.  For daily lucky fish draws – all fish weighed on that day are eligible.
  3. In the event of any fish of the same species being the same weight, the first fish boated or landed, which shall also mean reported to Far North Radio at the time of capture shall be deemed the winner.
  4. For tagged fish (marlin, broadbill & tuna only), the prize will be determined by most caught by a single angler. In the event of a tie the prize will be determined by an angler draw out of a hat.
  5. In the event of lucky draws, the number drawn will be called over the PA system 3 times if no attempt has been made to identify yourself the prize will be redrawn.
  6. In the event of any disputes, the decision of the organiser after consultation with advisors shall be final.


8.Kingfish, Snapper & Kahawai Sections

  1. Each angler can weigh a total of 1 fish per species per day.
  2. You are eligible for daily lucky angler draws and all fish weighed that day are eligible for the lucky fish draw prizes.  Angler must be in the clubrooms with your angler number to collect.
  3. All 3 species may be weighed as sportsfish or gamefish (for the gamefish section line class applies and fish will be weighed under IGFA rules).

General Information.

  1. Please keep the inside of the pontoons clear.
  2. Tying up at the jetty is not permitted except for weighing fish, presenting tag & release cards, or on and off-loading passengers and supplies.
  3. Water is available to boats at the club jetty or commercial wharf. During weigh in times please contact the weigh station personnel on channel 10 to arrange a time.
  4. Distribution of prizes within your team is the team’s responsibility. Set your ground rules now, as the Club will not get involved with your domestic disputes. Prizes awarded during the competition are not transferable or redeemable for cash.
  5. At the conclusion of the competition, copies of all weigh sheets from anglers (other than Houhora Club members) will be sent to their respective clubs. We treat these as courtesy weighs.  If you weigh a fish and want to use the catch card to take back to your own club the weigh sheets must be signed by the weigh master and marked “Duplicate” and presented to the club recorder so that fish are not counted twice nationally
  6. The Club site is a licensed premise. BYO is illegal and not permitted.  Sandbar & Restaurant will be open each night of the tournament (incl. briefing night) for drinks and meals 09 409 7755.
  7. Rubbish – Bring your rubbish ashore and place it in the bins provided at the Club jetty. Separate the glass bottles and cans from your rubbish.
  8. Toilets –It is an offence to flush boat toilets inside harbours in Northland. If you don’t have toilet holding tanks on your boat, please come ashore and use the toilets provided at the Club facilities and the main wharf. Please do not pollute our harbour.
  9. Hot showers are available in the clubrooms.
  10. Tag cards and extra weigh sheets are available from the clubrooms.
  11. Ice is available from the Houhora 4 Square Wharf Store, Icey Camel, and the Houhora Liquor Centre in the Pukenui village.
  12. Groceries etc. are available from the Houhora Wharf Store. Contact the friendly team on 09 409 8819. Normal trading hours 7am –7pm.
  13. We can arrange to have most things fixed. Contact us on 027 245 5517 or Far North Radio on the VHF.
  14. Petrol & diesel are available at the commercial wharf. (See tournament book for operation details)
  15. Those that require a mooring should contact the Houhora Harbour Warden - Greg Gemmell on 027 651 7048