It was a hard day of fishing on Saturday with a beautiful flat sea and no one claiming the $1000 heaviest tuna prize - which had to weigh in at least 20kg in the 14th Don Beer Snr Memorial Heaviest Tuna fishing competition.

The Cook Islands Game Fishing club (CIGFC) Weighmaster Gavin Henderson said there was not a great deal of fish caught and the full moon (Friday night) didn’t help.  

Seasoned master fisherman Papa Ina Kaukura won the heaviest tuna section with a dainty 9 kg yellowfin tuna, scraping by second placed young gun Paku Poila’s 8.6 kg yellow fin and hardy Jojo Andaya’s third placed 8.3kg yellowfin.

A total of 34 boats registered for the fishing tournament with only 15 coming in with fish to be weighed at the Fishing Club.

The total number of fish hooked was 39, which included the fish species of: 30 yellowfin tuna, 3 wahoo, 1 skip jack, 1 amber jack, 1 rainbow runner all weighing a total eight of 282.1kg.

The annual Don Beer Memorial was sponsored by Trader Don tools, Don & May Beer and Family, and the CIGFC​.

The Don Beer Snr Memorial Fishing Competition results are as follows.

Heaviest Tuna:1^st Papa Ina Kaikura on board Raumati, ​​​9.0kg yellowfin tuna (tuna was under 20kg and did not qualify for the $1,000 first heaviest cash prize) - wins Rod n Reel Shimano Braid, Halco Laser and Shimano Sunglass​es; 2^nd Paku Poila on board Manakia, ​​​​8.6kg yellowfin tuna - wins Impact Drill, Shimano Cap and Halco Laser; 3^rd Jojo Andaya on board Mama Mata Pakia 2, 8.3kg yellowfin tuna - $100 Cash and a bar card​​​.

Aggregate section: 1^st Papa Ina Kaikura on board Raumati, ​​​​29kg of 5 x fish (yellowfin tuna, 1 x rainbow runner) - Tooline Compressor 40L, Shimano Cap and Halco Laser; 2^nd Tepaki & Kent Baxter on board Magken, ​​​28kg of fish (4 yellowfin tuna, 1 x amber jack) - wins  Hikoki 125 mm Grinder, Shimano cap and Halco Laser; 3^rd Mahuta Adamu on board Mama Rita, ​​​25.6kg of fish (4 yellowfin tuna) - wins 6 Amp Battery Charger, Shimano cap and Halco Laser.

Heaviest Other fish (not tuna): 1^st Brent Cameron on board Island Time, ​​​17.3kg wahoo - $150 Trader Don Tool vouchers​; 2^nd Soko William on board Te Morava, ​​​​​14.9kg mahi mahi - $100 Trader Don Tools vouchers; 3^rd  Soko William on board Te Morava, ​​​​​13.7kg mahi mahi - $50 Trader Don Tools voucher.

The ‘Mystery Weight’ was 4.5kg and the closest fish was Tepaki and Kent Baxter with their 4.9kg yellowfin tuna winning a Hutch Wilco Life Jacket and Shimano Sunglasses.

Fifteen fishermen received the Lucky Boat Draws of a bar card each: Kirikava Tutavake, Clinton Charlie, Tatuava Rouru, Paraita Akama, Don Beer, Nigel Campbell, Steve Happ, Wayne Stewart, Gavin Henderson, Troy Henderson, Papa Dick Marsters, Apii William, Ngu Marsters, JJ Marsters and Aroiva Akama.