The 21st Annual Fishing Competition will take place from the 19th until the 21st of March in Whakatane. Entries are closing on February 15th, so if you haven’t entered yet, you better get in quick! With a prize pool tipping over $100,000, this year’s lineup of giveaways is nothing short of EPIC. Surtees Boats have teamed up with an incredible crew of sponsors — including hometown legends The Iceman Whakatane & Haddock Spray Painters — plus Daiwa, Dometic, Garmin, Honda, Lone Star Marine, Yamaha, and many more backing the action! And when you’re locking in your stay, remember to use your exclusive discount code #SURTEES26 when booking at the Whakatane Holiday Park.
Surtees are excited to continue to support our fisheries, and the competition remains “measure and release”, though it is up to you if you want to keep your catch or set it free for a few more years in the ocean. They are sticking with the Daiwa NZ app, which is easy to navigate and user-friendly, as well as allowing you to enter as many fish as you like!
RULES
FISHING DAYS
Friday 20th & Saturday 21st March 2026
HIGH TIDES
Friday 8.23am Saturday 9.09am
START TIME
6.00am Friday 20th March 2026. All fish submitted in this competition must have been caught from a Surtees boat.
VENUE
Whakatane Sportfishing Club located on Muriwai Drive Whakatane
REGISTRATION & ENTRY FEE
This year there will be a maximum of 300 anglers. Entries close on the 15/02/2026 or when 300 anglers are reached. Entry fee is $100 per person and includes a buffet dinner at the Club on Saturday night, a T-Shirt, and each crew gets a Goodie Bag. All entries are to be completed and fully paid for online via the Surtees website – no exemptions.
NO Registrations on the night!
