New Zealand topwater classic
5 DAYS. 1 KINGFISH. ANYWHERE IN NEW ZEALAND.
17 TO 22 NOVEMBER 2026
BOAT OR LAND | TOPWATER ONLY | $99 ENTRY
YOUR BEST KINGFISH COUNTS.
$25,000+ IN PRIZES.
Get your mates together, make a plan and go on a mission.
Fish 1 day or fish all 5. Fish from the boat, from the land, or do both.
Where you fish and how much of the 5 day window you use is completely up to you.
HOW IT WORKS
5 DAY WINDOW
Fish 1 day or fish all 5.
ANYWHERE IN NEW ZEALAND
Fish anywhere you can legally access.
BOAT OR LAND
Choose your mission.
1 KINGFISH COUNTS
Your highest scoring kingfish is the one that matters.
750MM MINIMUM
TOPWATER LURES ONLY
NO BAIT
NO BURLEY
GET YOUR MATES TOGETHER. GO ON A MISSION.
GOLD PARTNERS
Bringing New Zealand’s Topwater Community Together
The NZ Topwater Classic is about getting anglers together, chasing kingfish, sharing stories and celebrating everything that makes topwater fishing so addictive.
From 17 to 22 November 2026, you have a 5 day competition window to plan your mission your way.
Fish 1 day or fish all 5.
Fish from a boat, from the land, or do both.
Fish anywhere you can legally access in New Zealand.
The format is simple. Cast stickbaits, poppers or other topwater specific lures, with no bait or burley, and chase the kingfish that could put you on top.
You choose where you fish. You choose when you fish. You choose your strategy.
Your best kingfish is the one that counts.
Whether you are fishing Northland, the East Coast, Wellington, the South Island or anywhere else in New Zealand, the Topwater Classic is designed to give anglers the freedom to plan their own mission and make the most of the conditions.
PRIZEGIVING
Sunday 22 November 2026 at 3pm in Tauranga.
Venue to be confirmed.
We want as many competitors as possible at prizegiving. Bringing everyone together at the end of the competition, sharing the stories and celebrating the week is a big part of what the Topwater Classic is about.
However, we also recognise this is a national competition.
Competitors finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd Overall do not need to attend prizegiving to retain their placing or receive their associated prize.
Attendance is required for spot prizes, random draws and any prize specifically identified as an attendance based prize.
If an attendance based prize is drawn and the winner is not present, the prize may be redrawn or awarded to another eligible competitor.
Come for the fishing. Bring your mates. Chase a big kingfish. Create some stories.
That is what the NZ Topwater Classic is all about.
No bait.
No burley.
just cast
PARTNERS
We are building a seriously stacked prize pool for the inaugural NZ Topwater Classic.
High end rods and reels, technical fishing equipment, premium stickbaits and poppers, terminal tackle, apparel, outdoor gear and some very cool prizes are already coming together from the brands backing the Classic.
And it is not all about finishing 1st.
There are major prizes for our Overall, Land Based, Boat Based and Junior podiums, plus Best Release, Best Capture of the Eat, Biggest Pelagic and heaps of spot prizes throughout the prizegiving. Prizing are still being confirmed, we’ll add them as the brands confirm
We will be revealing the exact prizes, prize packs and product details over the coming weeks, but here is what you will be fishing for:
NZ topwater classic prize categories
We are still working with our brand partners to confirm the final prize packs, so these prizes will continue to be updated as more products are locked in.
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1st Place - DAIWA NEW ZEALAND Longest Fish - Prize Value $3000
DAIWA MAJOR PRIZE - 25 Saltiga 18000H $1699
Desolve Beaufort Pro Jacket in Black + Helios Vented Cap Kingfish in Navy - $299
Malosi Lure Package
Lo Cab - Fiddy Cent Rock Vest 2.0 $389
Swordfish Mojo package -
Black Magic X13 Rainbow Braid (500m, PE8, 80lb, 0.47mm):
3x Black Magic Fluorocarbon Leaders (100lb, 120lb, 200lb):
2nd Place - Value $2,000Saltiga BreakThrough Rod $1399
Desolve Thermocline Pro Hood in Navy + Born to Battle Cap Kingfish in Bluestone -\ $150
Smith Optics - Guides Choice Bi Focal - $309
Swordfish Mojo - hoodie - $129
Black Magic X13 Rainbow Braid (500m, PE8, 80lb, 0.47mm): $179
3x Black Magic Fluorocarbon Leaders (100lb, 120lb, 200lb): $100 total
3rd Place - Value $1100Daiwa - Saprtan II PE5/8 Rod
Zephyr Top Kingfish, Born to Battle Cap Kingfish in Bluestone Value $199
SMITH Optics - GUides Choice $309 Value
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1st Place - Value $3,800
(Provided by H&F) Shimano Stella 14000XG reel loaded with PE6 Grappler 8 Multi Braid, on a Ocea Plugger Full Throttle PE8 Topwater Rod ($2,649 retail value)
Lo Cab - Fiddy Cent Rock Vest 2.0 $389
SMITH Optics - GUides Choice $309 Value
OTL Lure Package - $300
Beaufort Lite Hoo + Helios Vented Cap Kingfish $209
2nd Place - Value $2,500(Provided by H&F) Daiwa 25 Saltiga 10000-H Reel ($1499 retail value)
Helios Hooded Fishing Shirt Kingfish + B2B Kingfish cap $160
Veza Lure Pacakge - $250
SMITH Optics - Guides Choice $309 Value
Hutchwilco Pro Fish lifejacket
Black Magic X13 Rainbow Braid (500m, PE8, 80lb, 0.47mm):
3x Black Magic Fluorocarbon Leaders (100lb, 120lb, 200lb):
3rd Place - Value $1,000Hunting and Fishing voucher $200
OOSH Lure Package
Hutchwilco Pro Fish lifejacket $179
Zephyr Top Kingfish + Born to Battle Cap Kingfish in Bluestone
Black Magic X13 Rainbow Braid (500m, PE8, 80lb, 0.47mm):
3x Black Magic Fluorocarbon Leaders (100lb, 120lb, 200lb):
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1st Place - Value $2000
More to be announced
Malosi Lure Package $150
Smith Optics Guides Choice $309
Elevate Jacket in Ash and Orange
Elevate pants in Black
Beaufort Lite Hood in Black + Black AOP
Helios Pro Hooded Fishing Shirt in Ice Water (Men’s or Women’s)
Ripline Shorts in Khaki (or Elevate Leggings Women’s)
Bommie Gloves
Helios Vented Cap Kingfish in Navy
2nd Place - Desolve Value $950
Swordfish Mojo - hoodie - $189
Ironloft Jacket in Ash
Thermocline Pro Hood in Navy
Helios Pro Hooded Fishing Shirt in Ice Water (Men’s or Women’s)
Ripline Shorts in Khaki (or Elevate Leggings Women’s)
Bommie Gloves
Helios Vented Cap Kingfish in Navy
3rd Place - Desolve Value $730
More to be announced
Fathom jacket in Black Charcoal
Fathom pants in Black Charcoal
SolarDry Hooded Fishing Shirt in Shift Grey (Men’s or Women’s)
Ripline Stubbies in Black
Bommie Gloves
Helios Vented Cap Kingfish in Navy
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JUNIOR | OVERALL
1st Place Junior $800 value
DAIWA PACKAGE
Born to Battle Hoodie Kids’ Kingfish in Kelp
Born to Battle Towel Poncho Yellowfin Kids’ in Spruce
Kingi Cap in Corsair Blue
2nd Place Junior- $600 Value
SHIMANO PACKAGE
SolarDry Hooded Fishing Shirt Kids Ahi
Kingi Cap in Corsair Blue
3rd Place Junior $400 Value
LURE PACKAGE
Born to Battle Tee Kids’ Kingfish in Sand
Kingi Cap in Corsair Blue
Junior competitors must be under 16 as at 31 December 2026 and can also take out an applicable overall podium position if their score is good enough.
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1 Winner : $2000 value
26 Certate SW 14000XH
Spartan II PE5/8 Rod
Saltiga Frother Stickbait
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1 Winner | Traeger Woodridge BBQ
You do not have to land it. Capture the eat, capture the fight and capture the moment. The judging panel will decide the winner.
Winner judges by 3 independent judges, video must be raw footage and sent in before 12pm Sunday 22 November
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At the close of the New Zealand Topwater Classic, the average size of all eligible measured kingfish entered into the competition will be calculated.
All eligible measured fish lengths will be added together and divided by the total number of eligible measured fish.
Average Kingfish Major Prize Package
(Provided by H&F) Daiwa Saltist 14000-H Reel ($649.99 retail)
(Provided by H&F) H&F Voucher $100
Black Magic X13 Rainbow Braid (500m, PE8, 80lb, 0.47mm):
3x Black Magic Fluorocarbon Leaders (100lb, 120lb, 200lb):
SVORD filletting set
OTL Lure
Veza Lure
Oosh Lures
Swordfish Mojo Icey Tekchilly bin
Smith Optics
The angler with an eligible kingfish measurement closest to the final competition average wins the Average Kingfish Major Prize.
If 2 or more competitors are equally close to the final average, the competitor who uploaded their qualifying fish to the competition app first will be declared the winner.
The app timestamp will be used as the official tie break.
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Rods. Reels. Stickbaits. Poppers. Technical equipment. Terminal tackle. Apparel. Fishing gear. And plenty more.
With prizes and support from Daiwa, DESOLVE, Shimano, Smith Optics, meatery, SVORD, Swordfish Mojo, Soundboks, Hutchwilco, Hitchwilco, Malosi lures, Veza lure and more still to be announced.
You do not need to win the Classic to win something seriously good.
Spot prizes are attendance based. You must be present at the official prizegiving to win when your name is called.
Full prize packs and individual prize details will be revealed over the coming weeks.Item description
Scoring
Simple. Transparent. Earned.
Every fish is measured in Millimetres using the official SnapCatch measure mat. Image sent in via the competition app on the mat, the fish will then be a provisional score until it has been authenticated.
Your score is built from three parts:
1. Fish length
Your base score is the total length of your fish in millimetres,
2. Release bonus
Release your fish and earn an extra 5 points
Keep your fish and receive no bonus points
3. Technique bonus
Catch your fish land based earns an extra 5 points
Boat based captures receive no bonus
Example
A 1000mm kingfish caught from land and released from land scores 1010
A 1000mm kingfish released from a boat scores 1005 points
A 1000mm kingfish kept & caught from land scores 1005 points
A 1000mm kingfish kept & caught from a boat scores 1000 points
The system is designed to reward skill, decision making, and ethical fishing.
Not every competitor needs their own mat. You can use one official mat per boat, or one shared across your land based crew. All fish must be measured using an official event mat.
Best eat WINS a traeger - Capture the eat!
Capture the moment. Get rewarded.
BEST EAT wins a Traeger Woodridge BBQ
How? we will have a panel of expert judges, with a score card who will judge your eat based on the scoring criteria
To qualify, your footage must show:
The eat on a topwater lure, showing the technique aka big sweeping pull of rod, then the EAT
The fight from hook up through to landing
Its all about the eat, if you lose it, send in your video, you might still win!
The video must be continuous with no edits and have accurate time stamp
Clear video, date stamped between 17-22 November 2026 must also show:
The fish on the official measure mat (bonus points)
The lure visible in the fish’s mouth (bonus points)
Verification
If it is not recorded, it does not count
All fish must be submitted digitally through the official SnapCatch app and then they are provisional until confirmed by judges.
You will need to upload your images and video for verification, and share content into the event group.
This is about keeping the comp honest while also showcasing the best moments from the water.
The measure mat
The standard that everything is judged against
Every valid entry must be measured on the official NZ Topwater Classic measure mat or a official SnapCatch mat, if you measure a fish on a mat that is not verified as official snapcatch mat (these can be purchased online at www.topwaterclassic.co.nz or in some NZ Hunting and Fishing Stores).
The number 1 rule is that your kingfish needs to be measured on a official SnapCatch mat, and uploaded to the SnapCatch app in the NZ Topwater Classic event.
No mat means no score. It is that simple. You can have one mat in your group, not every angler needs a mat, you just need to measure on a official SnapCatch mat whether a Topwater Classic Mat or other SnapCatch mat.
This keeps the competition consistent, fair, and credible across all locations.
The bottom line
This is not about luck or numbers.
It is about execution.
Make the right call.
Throw the right lure.
Be ready when it happens.
That is what this event rewards.
