Thousands to take to the Water and Million Dollar Snapper Challenge Begins

Event creator Dave Baty with prizes


Ladies and fishermen - start your outboards! The Million Dollar Snapper Challenge begins today with thousands of anglers expected to  hit the water over the next 10 days hoping to win big.

The big catch? One lucky angler is guaranteed to set sail with a Honda Marine/Fyran 550/Isuzu D-Max Ute Package worth $120,000 plus the chance to win $1 million.

Entrants can register at any time during the ten-day duration of the competition, which covers the Greater Auckland fishing districts.

“This is going to be big,” says event creator Dave Baty.

“This event has more than 200 prizes, the healthiest prize pool of any fishing event in New Zealand,” he said.

“You can enter one fish per day, and an array of prizes will go to the biggest and best, as well as those that match a mystery length. Anyone of any ability can win a great prize,” he said.

Billed as the most sustainable fishing competition in New Zealand, the event utilises smartphone technology to make it simple for entrants to catch and release, minimising unnecessary damage to the fish they catch.

“It’s really good to see the use of more sustainable fishing practices, such as ‘catch and release’,” said Bruce Hartill, NIWA Fisheries Scientist.

As well as making sure the environment isn’t adversely effected, the Million Dollar Snapper Challenge is also lending a hand to three great local charities.

“The Million Dollar Snapper Challenge is supporting Curekids New Zealand, which researches cures and treatments to help sick kids, the Auckland Coastguard, who work tirelessly to keep people safe at sea, and Bluelight, which helps keep kids on the right track,” Dave said. 

“We’re privileged to help raise the profile of these organisations that do such vital work in the community.”

The prize-giving, where one lucky fisherman could win $1,000,000, will be held at 5pm on May 31st at the Mangere Bridge Tavern, along with 200 other prizes including Shimano fishing gear, a bathroom renovation from Mico, Viking Replay kayaks, NZ Fishing News subscriptions, Furuno Fish Finders and navigation, Smart Saver-Wet Electronics Rescue Bags and more.

Tickets are onsale now and will continue to sell over the weekend due to demand.

For more information, visit https://www.snapperchallenge.co.nz/