Hundreds of anglers will take to the water around Te Anau this weekend for New Zealand's biggest fishing competition.

The Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic runs for three days over Labour Weekend on Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri and the Upper Waiau River.

Last year, some 952 people took part, catching 508 fish, mostly brown and rainbow trout. There were also 82 salmon hooked from McGregor's Pond in the ancillary Take a Kid Fishing event.

"We've never quite cracked a thousand entries, but it was a record last year and we're looking good again, with 450 so far," Shevaun Taberner, event coordinator for the Te Anau Community Events Charitable Trust, says.

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"We expected last year would be well down due to Covid, but it people still turned out.

"There's always a good atmosphere over the three days, town is very busy, and we hope it will be again this year to help out our businesses who are struggling."

The main prize is a brand new Stabicraft 1550 Fisher with a 4 stroke 50-hp Yamaha outboard and trailer package, worth about $40,000, sponsored by Stabicraft Marine, Yamaha and Navico.

But it won't be awarded for the biggest fish.

"All people need is to enter and catch a fish, and they go in the prize draw for the boat," Taberner says.

"There's no prize for the heaviest, because people would go out and spend three days fishing, just pulling fish out the lake for the hell of it."

Fish are judged on condition and length, rather than weight though, and there are many other prizes up for grabs too in the competition, which is now in its 14th year.

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"The only one we have for the heaviest fish is for perch, which is a pest fish in Lake Manapouri, but some years there's none caught and on average there's only four or five caught."

The competition runs from 2pm this Friday until 2pm Sunday ,with prize giving at approximately 3pm. That will be in-person if the weather is fine, or online due to Covid restrictions if wet.

Online entries close this Thursday at 5pm, priced $40 for adults, $15 for Junior Licence Holders (12 - 17 years) and $15 Child Licence Holders (11 years and under).Entries will be taken on the day at Te Anau Rugby Club, on Friday (2pm-9pm) and Saturday (7am-2pm / none Sunday), priced $45 and $20 respectively.

Saturday's Cruise Milford Take a Kid Fishing 2021 is run in conjunction with the Fishing Classic but is a separate competition. It gives youngsters 11 years and under the chance to give fishing a go, running from 7.30am-6pm, with expert anglers on hand to help with setting up rods and lines and to give a few tips on how to fish. The pond is stocked with fish in the days leading up to the competition giving everyone the best chance to bag a fish. It's also priced $15 (pre) and $20 (day).

Funds raised will be shared between local clubs, such as the Fiordland Netball Club, and put back into next year's event.

Visit the Te Anau Events website for full details and competition rules.