A fishing competition that has been organised to honour a stalwart of the Cook Islands
Fishing Club gets underway this week.
The two-day event is in memory of Gordon Murray who died last year.
Murray had a love for fishing, frequenting the fishing club daily and remaining an integral part of the fishing club family.
“He use to come down and annoy everyone at the club with his harmonica playing,” Fishing Club weighmaster, Peter Etches joked. “But no, he was a regular down at the fishing club, he was there every day,” he added.
In a heart-warming tribute, Murray’s infamous harmonica has been mounted on the trophy that fishing enthusiasts have the chance to win.
Etches said recent competitions have seen an excellent response from local anglers, with between 20 and 30 boats registering for each. “We are again, expecting a good turnout for this competition.”
“Fisherman should consider this competition as a practise run for the club’s major competition next month — the annual Inter-island Gary Parlour Wahoo Competition.”
The club’s last competition was the Don Beer Memorial Competition, a hunt for the heaviest tuna that was won this year by Nga Katuke with a 22.4 kg yellow fin.
Not long after the event, charter boat Akura, with three visiting anglers from New Zealand, landed a “magnificent” 86.6 kg yellow fin, setting a club record for the species.
Etches said the club is challenging its anglers to beat this record in the inaugural Gordon Murray event. “There will be a bonus cash prize for any angler who achieves this in the comp this weekend.”
The memorial competition will kick off at 5am and anchor at 5pm each day.
Financial members of Cook Islands Game Fishing are asked to enter by paying a $20 boat fee before 11pm tomorrow.
Prize giving will be held at 7pm on Saturday, The competition is sponsored by Vonnias.
