Fun, family-friendly fishing for young Coasties
Hey Coastie Kids — it’s time to grab your rods, find your favourite fishing spot, and show us what you can catch! The Coastie Kids Fishing Competition is all about celebrating our awesome local tamariki who love the ocean, the wharf, and a bit of friendly fun in the sun.
This month-long kids’ fishing event is the perfect summer adventure — encouraging curiosity, patience, and a love of nature. Whether your child is trying fishing for the first time or already knows their way around a rod and reel, every young angler has a chance to shine.
It’s easy to join in:
Snap a photo of your catch → submit it online → you’re in the draw for some fin-tastic prizes!
Kids get to explore the outdoors, learn new skills, and enjoy the excitement of landing a catch in a safe, supportive, community-focused environment.
How the Coastie Kids Fishing Competition Works
Ready to join the fun? The Coastie Kids Fishing Competition is super simple to be part of. Once you’ve grabbed your ticket, just head out to your favourite fishing spot — the beach, the rocks, a kayak, the wharf, or out on the boat. When you catch something, measure it, snap a photo, and upload it online to enter. That’s it!
How do I join the competition? 🎫
It’s easy! Register here, head out to your favourite fishing spot, catch a fish, snap a photo, and submit it online. That’s it — you’re in the draw for some fin-tastic prizes!
Who can enter?👦
The competition is open to kids aged 15 and under (as of 25 December 2025). All children must be supervised by an adult at all times to keep things safe and fun.
Can adults help?🤝
Yes - kids can receive age-appropriate help from supervising adults, but the child must be involved in catching the fish. Remember, this is a kids’ competition - fun, fair, and in the spirit of summer adventure!
Where can I fish? 🌊
Anywhere in NZ coastal waters — the beach, wharf, rocks, kayak, or boat. Just make sure you follow MPI recreational fishing rules and local safety guidelines.
What gear can I use?🎣
Only rod and reel or handline with a maximum of 3 hooks. No longlines, kontiki, nets, or spearfishing. You can bring your own gear or use what’s provided at our Give-It-A-Go Days if you want some practice.
What fish can I enter? 🐟
Only legal-sized fish of these species can be submitted:
Snapper, kahawai, tarakihi, gurnard, trevally, John Dory, blue cod, yellow-eye mullet, grey mullet, sprats, spotty, mackerel, parore.
No sharks, rays, eels, or prohibited species.
We encourage releasing big breeding fish to keep our Coast thriving!
When can I fish? ⏰
Competition fishing is open from:
6am, 25 December 2025 → 5pm, 28 February 2026
Entries close at 6pm, 23 February 2026.
How is the winner decided? 🏆
There are multiple fun categories to win:
Longest Fish by Age Group
Longest Fish Overall
Longest Wharf-Caught Bait Fish
Totally Nuts Catch (boots, seaweed, or anything weird!)
Just Right Bite (closest to the average length of all legal entries)
If there’s a tie, we’ll pop entries into a draw. You must attend prizegiving to collect your prize.
🏆Competition Prizes
Competition Categories
Fun, fair, and full of surprises — there’s something for every Coastie kid:
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Everyone gets a fair shot at a win, no matter their skill level (0-4, 5-7, 8-11, 12-15)
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Could your catch go down in Coastie history?
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Perfect for those heading to the wharf during one of our ‘Give It A Go’ Days.
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For the weird, wild, and wonderful things you haul up (boots, seaweed, mystery treasures… let’s see it!).
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Closest to the average length of all legal entries wins… anyone can take this one!