Around 100 kids accompanied by their patient parents and adult family members congregated at the beach in Tupapa on Saturday for the annual Cook Islands Game Fishing Club (CIGFC) Tamariki (kids) Fishing Competition.

One hundred and twenty six kids had registered for the takiri (bamboo or stick) fishing competition.

Kids fished on the reef and near the shore with some choosing to give up their bamboo rods, to play and enjoy the seawater instead.

Nine-year-old William Aviu was chuffed with his catch of two fish.

His mother Keren Aviu said “he wasn’t too keen initially, but ended up enjoying himself … his favourite part was catching his first fish, he was so excited, happy and proud”.

The fishing competition “was out of my kids comfort zone” so in the morning Keren had to do a little pep talk about the event.

“(It was) about how there would be lots of other children there who had never fished before and that it’d be a fun way to learn so they could try it again in their own time.

“The kids also were super excited when they realised they get to keep their takiri (bamboo rods) to take home too.”

The patuki (grouper) species of fish – a popular reef fish amongst locals – was the most caught on the day with 165 brought in to be weighed.

Results for the fishing competition are as follows. Most Fish Caught (Girls) - Poko Tatuava - 15 patuki $100; Most Fish Caught (Boys) Atira Maurangi - 13 x patuki $100; Aggregate (Girls) 1^st Lasini Vaomotou - 12 x patuki $150, 2^nd Poko Tatuava -15 x patuki $100; 3^rd Raera Richard - 7 x tatai $50; Aggregate (Boys) 1^st Ari Mustonen-Tairi $150, 2^nd Corban Teinaki $100, 3^rd TJ Metua $50; Heaviest Fish (Girls) 1^st Peia Tatuava $150, 2^nd Angela Samuela $100, 3^rd Lasini Vaomotou $50; Heaviest Fish (Boys) 1^st Richie Toa $150, 2^nd Kaino Gribble $100, 3^rd Corban Teinaki $50.