Go fishing for a good cause

Raising funds
The Dutch Reformed Church in Africa hosts its annual Easter Angling Competition in Henties Bay again.
The upcoming Easter Angling Competition with prizes worth N$30 000 up for grabs, takes place on 8 April along the coast.



The event, which has been hosted annually since 1992, serves as a fundraiser for the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa. “We constructed a church in Swakopmund with the official opening planned for June. The money we generate will be channelled to our construction fund and we also use these funds to sustain our congregation,” says Reverend Leon Janse van Rensburg, a member of the organising committee.



Family fun

He adds that the event has experienced exceptional growth since its inception, although “we had 1 200 anglers competing in 2019. Then Covid-19 disrupted us in 2020 and when we hosted the event in 2021, we had 900 entries.”



Van Rensburg says that the signs of recovery are visible and the organisers are looking forward to another successful event. “We’ve seen that people have begun travelling again with Henties Bay being abuzz in December. All anglers are welcome and we encourage them to bring their families along. Easter carries huge significance for Christians and what better way to celebrate it than in the company of family.”



Rules

The winners in the categories will be determined via a secret weight in each category. The weight will be determined in advance. “For example, in the less than 12kg weight category, the secret weight could be 10,325kg; for the less than 9kg the secret weight can be 7.325kg; and for the less than 6kg, the secret weight can be set at 4.325kg. The angler who weighs in a fish closest to the secret weight, will be declared the winner.”



There are also four prizes of N$1 000 to win in the lucky draw, and everyone who bought a ticket has their name in the draw. Another N$20 000 worth of prizes will be given away throughout the day at the golf club to participants who drop in.



The weigh-in takes place at the Henties Bay Sports Club. Anglers can cast their lines from 06:00 with the scale set to close at 16:00. The fishing area is anywhere along the coast and all fish must be weighed in at the Henties Bay Golf Club. Tickets are available for N$50 each at tackle stores along the coast.