The recent school holidays saw young anglers across the country take to the water as part of the New Zealand Sportfishing Council (NZSFC) Youth Nationals.

Locally, our talented youth made us proud, with Mia Hyndman taking out the national T-shirt Design Competition, showcasing her creativity and passion for sport.

A total of 24 young anglers represented the Whakatāne Sportfishing Club in this year’s youth nationals, joining 533 participants from across New Zealand in the nationwide competition.

The club delivered standout performances, with Olliver Pask securing first place in the kahawai-weighed section and Sam Jackson taking third.

In the trevally category, Corey Munn earned a strong second-place finish, while Sam again took out third place. These impressive results highlight the talent and dedication of Whakatāne’s young fishing community.

At the heart of our club is a commitment to nurturing the next generation of anglers. Whether fishing is a budding passion or a fun, family activity, encouraging youth involvement is central to our ethos.

One of the standout initiatives this year was the launch of an inter-school fishing competition, the brainchild of dedicated club volunteer Jenny Chapman.

Her energy and vision brought this idea to life, helping to inspire greater youth participation in sport.

Thanks to the generous support of Credit Union, the competition offered cash prizes not just for the winning anglers, but also for their schools – reinforcing community engagement and rewarding achievement.

Jewelz supplied and engraved the trophy, Air Chathams gave away vouchers for the winner of the photo competition and La Vita Magazine gave every youth angler an entry pack full of goodies and gifts.

In the primary school division, Braxton Yardley from Whakatāne Intermediate School took top honours, winning $500 for himself and $500 for his school.

The secondary school division winner was Sam Jackson from Whakatāne High School, who also took home a $500 prize.

To celebrate the win, club president Heyden Johnston visited Whakatāne Intermediate School last Friday where he surprised Braxton with his cheque and presented a matching cheque to principal Mike Webster on behalf of the school.

Initiatives like these not only reward talent but help plant the seeds for a lifelong love of fishing – something our club is proud to support and champion.