Kayak fishing is set to take over the Eastern Bay this month, with anglers from all over the country set to descend on the waters off Whakatāne.

The Eastern Bay of Plenty Kayak Fishing Club is set to host its annual tournament in Whakatāne on April 26. It is one of only two tournaments of its kind in New Zealand, with the other run by the Taranaki Kayak Fishing Club, and is expected to attract anglers from across the country.

Club president Gary Turner is excited about this year’s event.

“This year, we’re looking to make the tournament bigger and better.

“We have the Ōhope Tavern as our base of operations, which can easily cater to the 80 to 100 anglers expected to enter.”

“We’ve got a total prize pool of $10,000, with the major prize being a Viking GT kayak worth $2000,” said Turner.

The tournament’s target species have been selected to suit kayak fishing and include snapper, trevally, gurnard, kingfish, kahawai and John dory.

There is also a grand slam prize for the angler who catches the most target species.

The competition welcomes individual anglers and teams of up to four, and caters to those new to the sport.

“Our members have kayaks available for experienced anglers who want to enter but don’t have the equipment. Just get in touch if you’re keen, and we’ll do our best to set you up,” said Turner.

Given that kayaks are more susceptible to changing weather conditions, Coastguard will be on hand to provide safety advice and updates on sea conditions prior to the start.

For those interested in learning more about the sport, the event’s major sponsor, Hunting & Fishing, will have information and equipment on display to help newcomers get started in kayak fishing.

Anglers can enter online at ebopkayakfishing.com until today, Wednesday, April 22, or late entries will be available at the Ōhope Beach Tavern between 4pm and 6pm on Saturday, April 25.