It is your responsibility!!
Please take the time to make sure you are familiar with the event rules, including the Te Anau Fishing radio call sign and ensure you have filled in the 2min Skipper form, (we will only use this in case of an emergency)

Tournament Rules
Please note that the following rules apply to the Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic event – not the Take a Kid Fishing competition (while running in conjunction, the TAKF is a separate competition).
· Earlybird entries (prior to midnight 31 August 2025) shall be rewarded with a double ticket, meaning that if you enter a fish, you will receive two entries into the Top 5 Barrel Draw (only one fish required).
· All participants in the 2025 Stabicraft Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic shall have a current fishing licence. Licences are available online at Fish & Game (www.fishandgame.org.nz). If asked, you will be required to show proof of a valid licence anytime during the competition this includes at weigh in or prizegiving.
· Children may separately enter the Cruise Milford Take a Kid Fishing comp. held at McGregor Pond as well as the main competition Child Lake category. Note: $35 to enter both competitions. Pre entry only.
· No fish taken from McGregor Pond may be entered in the Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic competition.
· Fish shall only be taken from the waters and shoreline of Lakes Manapouri, Te Anau and the Upper Waiau. Only Trout & Perch to be entered.
· Regulations set out by Fish & Game for the waters of Lakes Te Anau, Manapouri & the Upper Waiau must be adhered to.
· All entered participants must download the Catch & Release App prior to starting fishing.
· Your Entry Confirmation and Weigh In QR Code will be sent to your nominated email address.
All entries are sent to email addresses suppiled by the entrant. With the exception of the Take A Kid Fishing Comp which physical weigh in cards will still be used at the pond
· On the day entries will be online until 2pm Sat or at Fishing Headquarters at the Te Anau Rugby Club rooms (21 Dusky Street) from Friday 2pm – 9pm and Sat 7am – 2pm. These will be completed by you on the tablets provided. Final cutoff for entries is 2pm Saturday 25th Oct
· No paper forms will be accepted. If you are unable to enter online, staff will be able to assist you entering via iPads.
· Only 1 fish per individual entry may be weighed in.
· Fish recorded via the Catch and Release online app are valid for the boat draw. (App download is available in both Apple Store and Play Store “TE ANAU MANAPOURI FISHING”). Download details will be advised (via the email you provided at time of entry and/or on our Facebook page) as soon as the 2025 Catch & Release App details have been updated.
· You should have your entry QR Codes available at Weigh In to facilitate processing of your catch.
Fish must be weighed in at Weigh In or recorded via the Catch & Release App to be in the draw for the Stabicraft boat. If you entered your fish via the Catch & Release App then your entry will be automatically recorded.
· You may record more than one fish on the Catch & Release App. If you catch a well-conditioned fish, then you are encouraged to weigh it in at the Rugby Club to be eligible for additional prize draws.
Any fished weighed in will supersede an entry from the same person that has been entered on the App.
· Adults: Please do not weigh in any fish under 30cm.
· No fish are to be caught prior to 2.00pm on Friday 24th of October 2025.
· No fish will be accepted at the weigh in after 2.00pm Sunday 26th of October 2025.
· No fish will be accepted via the app after 2.00pm Sunday 26th of October 2025.
· Fish are to be gutted but not beheaded prior to weighing in and must be in an edible condition. We recommend keeping your catch chilled at all times. Fish being weighed in will be rejected if not chilled and in edible condition.
· A reasonable proportion of your entry fee contributes to the purchase of next years boat.
· The major prize of the Stabicraft boat will be by barrel draw from the adults 18+ (Adult Licence Holders that have entered a fish.) This will be in the form of a shoot-out involving 5 entrants.
Finalists will be selected by a random number generator and then go in the Barrel Draw.
Prizes:
Trout – best condition factor weighed in (Men, Women, Junior & Child Lake categories) 1st,2nd,3rd
Perch – heaviest weighed in
Fish recorded on the App - longest (Men, Women, Junior & Child Lake categories) 1st,2nd,3rd
Furthest travelled (if multiple from same area, then by lucky draw)
Best hard luck story
Hard Luck prize (draw from those that didn’t catch a fish) (Random Number generated.)
· Entrants must be present at the prize giving to be eligible for prizes - unless prize giving is virtual due to very bad weather.
· The boat shall remain the property of the Promoter until 1st August 2026 at which time ownership shall be transferred to the Winner.
· The Promoter shall lease the boat to the winner from 26th October 2025 until 1st August 2026 for the sum of NZ$5.00. After the 1st August 2026 the boat will then be put in the ownership of the winner. The winner shall ensure that the prize is fully insured for the period of the lease and provide to the organiser proof of insurance.
· The above rule may be voided, and the lease cancelled only on the receipt of a letter of approval signed by the Managing Director of Stabicraft Marine Ltd and the Chairperson of the Organising Committee and posted to the Organising Committee at PO Box 74, Te Anau 9640, or emailed to [email protected] 5 working days prior to the intention to cancel the lease.
· In the event of extreme adverse weather or any other eventuality that requires the event to be cancelled or postponed, a decision would be made by the Committee and Safety Officer in consultation with local Police.
· In the event of rough weather all skippers shall check in with the safety officer before commencing their journey home.
· Southland Regional Council Navigation Safety Bylaws 2009. Boats and Skippers must comply with local boating bylaws, as per the “Navigation Safety Guideline” brochure for Te Anau – Manapouri.
· All vessels must have at least two (2) forms of communication at all times and at all locations. The Fishing Classic Committee strongly recommends that all boats have a working VHF Radio and/or cell phone (in a sealed plastic bag). For safety reasons, boats should show a boat name or registration number.
· Life jackets must be worn at all times on vessels under 6 metres in length. However, the Fishing Classic Committee strongly recommends that all persons on board all vessels, irrespective of boat length, should wear a life jacket.
· All skippers must fill in the “Skippers Two Minute” form. Forms are available online and at Fishing HQ via iPad. The purpose of the “2-minute form” is assist Search & Rescue in the case of an emergency on the water, so the information provided needs to accurate and truthful.
· Didymo is present in lakes Te Anau and Manapouri, and the Upper Waiau River. Please “Check, Clean & Dry” all boats and equipment. Didymo spray bottles and sachets will be available atFishing HQ(Te Anau Rugby Club). Watercraft and their trailers coming into the competition waters should be checked for unwanted organisms. e.g. Lagarosiphon water weed
· Members of the organising committee are ineligible for any prize.
· In entering this tournament, you agree to hold free of liability all members of the organising committee, their sponsors and associates. Upon entry, you will be required to accept the event terms and conditions & rules.
· In entering this competition, you agree that your contact details and any photos taken may be used by the organising committee and their major sponsors for promotional purposes.
· No correspondence will be entered into.
· Breach of any of these rules may lead to participants being disqualified from the tournament and shall be at the sole discretion of the Tournament Chairman.
· Please consider a Catch and Release policy for any fish you will not be weighing in.
· No prize won at the event may be redeemed for cash or on sold. All major prize winners will be named to the sponsor and any attempt to claim a prize by someone else will see the prize voided.
Skipper Form
Please click here to complete 2min skipper form
Every boat, no matter how big or small, must have a skipper.
An important message for all our Stabicraft Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic entrants about Didymo.
A BIG please to ensure your fishing gear, and boats and trailers are 100% clean and not bringing any nasties to beautiful Fiordland.
The best thing is have everything TOTALLY dry for two days at least. Boat trailers are also good at transporting water weeds that could choke our rivers and lake shores. So please check.
Thank you!
