Back doorstep winner is back again!

Coromandel catch challenges South Island contenders.

We’re not sure if it’s Tim ‘The Mate’ Zimmerman’s prowess as a fisherman, or simply the North Island’s natural bounty, but the PlaceMakers New Plymouth customer has thrown down the gauntlet to Southerners for a second time in our Back Doorstep Challenge.

Tim won back in May last year with a monster 4.5kg crayfish and has followed that up with a 20lb, 730mm-long snapper to get the 2014 competition rolling.“I was up in the Coromadel fishing in only about seven metres of water when I got hold of it,” says Tim, whose passion for fishing and diving began ten years ago.

“He put up quite a fight and I spent about 20 minutes struggling to bring him in. I thought it was a shark at first so I was pretty stoked to see this snapper come out of the water.”

Tim’s parents and uncle, who were out fishing with him, were very impressed with his catch, which is “the biggest snapper I’ve ever caught!”

Lucky for them, Tim doesn’t eat seafood and generously donated his catch for their evening meal. While he won’t say whether the ‘Naki or the Coromandel takes the prize for best fishing spot, he says there’s no doubt the North Island is the place to be.

We understand if you Southern folk prefer to keep your riches a secret, but are you happy to let the North Island have the last word? The challenge is set for another year – show ‘The Mate’ what you’ve got!