For the first time, experienced fisherman Gordon Heather has taken out the top two prizes in the heaviest fish category at a local fishing competition, taking home over $1000 in cash.

Thirty-eight boats registered for the Bank of the South Pacific (BSP) annual fishing competition held in partnership with the Cook Islands Game Fishing Club (CIGFC) on Saturday.

The competition ran from 6am to 6pm.

Heather had departed solo from Avatiu Harbour rather late on Saturday, about midday, and headed out to a “floatie” off Avarua.

He returned with yellowfin tuna weighing 63.8 kilograms and 34.3 kilos.

“Soko (William) and the boys had been fishing there at the floatie… I showed up and that’s where I caught my winning tuna,” said Heather.

Although the 63.8-kilogram yellowfin tuna is not the heaviest tuna Heather has landed, he says it is the biggest he has weighed in during a fishing competition.

A total of 1006 kilos of fish was weighed during the BSP fishing tournament by the Fishing Club’s new weighmaster Gavin Henderson.

The haul of fish species were: 42 yellowfin tuna, five wahoo, five mahi-mahi, two skipjack tuna and one ono.

Results

The BSP Easter Fishing competition results are as follows. Heaviest Fish: 1^st Gordon Heather - Vaihina - yellowfin tuna 63.8kg - $1000; 2^nd Gordon Heather - Vaihina - yellowfin tuna 34.3kg - $400; 3^rd Boof Mare - Ikurangi - yellowfin tuna 31.8kg - $150.

Aggregate weight section: 1^st Soko William - Morava - 267.5kg - $500; 2^nd Johnny George - St Peter - 168.5kg - $300; 3^rd Paraita Akama - Lady Simeki - 155.9kg - $150.