Te Toa o te Onepango

Champions of the Black Sands

Muriwai Sports Fishing Club vs Manukau Sports Fishing Club

A head-to-head battle on the West Coast where skill, strategy, and respect for the ocean decide the champions of the black sands. Only the best skippers from each club come together for this invite only competition to fish for pride, cash and bragging rights...

🎣 Contest Overview

• Format: 1-Day Tournament

• Waiting Period: 16 & 17 January 2026Best fishing day selected based on weather conditions

• Entry Fee: $250 per boat

• Registration:All skippers must attend the briefing night (likely held online)

👥 Eligibility

• All skippers must be current financial members of either:

  • Muriwai Sports Fishing Club, or

  • Manukau Sports Fishing Club

• Entry fees must be paid prior to fishing

⏱ Fishing Times

• Lines in: 7:30am

• Lines out: 4:30pm

• No lures or baits may be in the water before 7:30am

• Any fish to be weighed must be at the weigh station by 7:30pm – no exceptions

⚖️ Weigh-In Rules

• All fish must be weighed by the official Weighmaster on certified scales

• All captures must be called in on VHF Channel 63 (Official Channel):

  • When hooked up

  • When landed

• All weigh forms must be handed to the Weighmaster

• Properly completed Weigh Slips or Tag Cards are required to register a catch

🏷 Tagged Fish

• A photo of the fish must be provided showing:

  • The tag clearly visible

  • A time stamp

• Photo must be made available to the official Weighmaster

📏 Minimum Weights

• Billfish: 90kg

• Tuna: 15kg(Excludes Albacore and Skipjack)

🎯 Tackle Rules

• All tackle must comply with current IGFA rules and regulations

• Tackle may be inspected at weigh stations

• Full IGFA rules apply – see NZSFC website for current regulations

🌊 Departure & Return

• All boats must depart from and return to Little Huia Harbour on the same day

• Shotgun start:

  • From the 50m mark outside the Manukau Bar

  • 7:30am sharp

🌧 Bad Weather

• If conditions are unsafe, the contest committee may:

  • Cancel fishing

  • Reschedule contest dates and times

• If cancelled, entry fees are fully refundable

🚨 Protests

• Protests must be:

  • Submitted in writing

  • Signed by the plaintiff

  • Lodged no later than 7:30pm on the day

• The Committee’s decision is final

🏆 Prize Allocation

Heaviest Marlin

• 1st Place – 30% of purse

• 2nd Place – 10% of purse

Most Tagged Marlin

• 1st Place – 30% of purse

• 2nd Place – 10% of purse

Heaviest Tuna

(Yellowfin, Bigeye, Bluefin only – excludes Albacore & Skipjack)

• 1st Place – 20% of purse

If a category is not achieved:

• Its percentage is evenly distributed across the remaining categories

If no categories are hit:

• The purse jackpots to the next season’s competition

📞 Contact Details

Contest Committee

• Mark Gill: 027 521 9102

• Daniel Sluiters: 021 151 6991

• Scott Bell: 022 474 9450

Weighmaster

• Pete Jackson: 027 484 1445

🎣 Team Manukau 2026:

🚤 BCAUS – 🧢 Owen Strawbridge

🚤 Back N Black – 🧢 Ryan Watts

🚤 C Crazy – 🧢 Pete Jackson

🚤 Dark Horse – 🧢 Brian Mankelow

🚤 Epernay – 🧢 Sean Ashe

🚤 Fin Seeker – 🧢 Adam Carter

🚤 Game Over – 🧢 Daniel Sluiters

🚤 Good Vibes – 🧢 Glynn Anderson

🚤 Jiggaz – 🧢 Brett Griffiths

🚤 M&Ms – 🧢 Mark Savoulkols

🚤 Murray – 🧢 Vagn Dyson

🚤 Off Course – 🧢 Zach Fell

🚤 Off the Grid – 🧢 Brian Sims

🚤 Outlaw – 🧢 Jesse Drake

🚤 Piracy – 🧢 Mark Gill

🚤 SAMMAX – 🧢 Sam White

🚤 Shake N Bake – 🧢 Richard Campbell

🚤 Stunned Mullet – 🧢 Shane Petersen

🚤 Sword it Out – 🧢 Sean Walker

🚤 Uptight – 🧢 Merv Wardell