Once Christmas and New Year is out of the way, the fishing can resume, and the Tauranga sport Fishing Club has a series of competitions beginning January 9, with the trailer boat contest.

It's an open event with visitors welcome says club manager Roly Bagshaw. The entry requirement is a trailer boat. The fishing area is chart 54, Cuvier to East Cape, with some modifications.

Game fishing summer. Picture: Whitiangler facebook.

'This one is for everyone, we want families, kids, the boys, the girls and the good and not so good fisherman,” says Roly.

The club has stacks of prizes across lots of different species including measure and release sections for both snapper and kingfish, plus lots of lucky draws.

'It's definitely not a competition just for experts,” says Roly. 'It's only one day, as we know it's a busy time of year and there is lots on, most keen fisho's are going out anyway so we thought let's put a fishing comp and let these guys win some prizes.”

With modern trailer boats being so capable the club expects the trailer boat crews to be catching fish as well as or better than the bigger boats, says Roly.

There are three categories; measure and release, heaviest, and ladies and juniors. Species for measure and release are snapper and kingfish. For heaviest; snapper, kahawai, trevally, john dory, skipjack tuna and albacore tuna.

'Many people think the Tauranga Sportfishing Club is only for big boats, in fact we have just as many trailer boat members and many events, including this one, that cater for those in smaller boats.,” says Roly.

Naming sponsors for the trailer boat contest are White Pointer Boats and Honda Marine. Briefing for the trailer boat contest is 5.30pm Friday January 8.

'Come on down to the Club, get the rules enjoy a meal and a drink. Then Fishing all day Saturday, weigh in 3-5pm, then prize giving 6.30pm. Not a bad way to spend Saturday,” says Roly.

Also in January is the All About construction Game On tournament on January 22-23. The club's first blue water tournament of the year is targeting the summer game fish; marlin, swordfish, spear fish, mahi mahi, tuna.

Prizes are for the two heaviest tuna, two heaviest striped marlin, and two heaviest blue/black marlin, swordfish.

There are also prizes for the team with the most tagged and released marlin, the heaviest fish caught by a junior, the heaviest mahi mahi, and the heaviest short billed spearfish.

February 12-13, is the Bridgeman Concrete Fish ‘n Chicks tournament. This one is a combo fishing tournament and social event with cash prizes for the best team fancy dress and the after party and disco part of the entry.

On the fishing side prizes are for the two heaviest billfish, two heaviest striped marlin, tag and release billfish, two heaviest kingfish, snapper, terakihi, mahi mahi and short billed spear fish, if caught.

'It's the tournament for the ladies, and its going to be huge,” says Roly. 'There a huge range of species attached to the prize schedule, blue water right through to inshore species.”

There's a DJ and party on the Saturday night on a weekend when Sunday is Valentine's Day.

The club's biggest event of the year is the One Base tournament this year schedule for March 2-5.

The Tauranga Sport Fishing Club's premier event normally attracts 350-400 anglers vying for a share in the massive prize list on offer.

'This year there is a big $10,000 prize for the biggest striped marlin over 175kg,” says Roly. 'we had two last year. You can get them at the right time.”