The weekend of the 17th/18th of August saw 12 club members descend on the TALTAC, (Tongariro and Lake Taupo Anglers Club), Lodge conveniently situated on the banks of the Tongariro River. We were there to contest for the annual Winter Trophy awarded for the biggest rainbow trout caught on the Saturday of the contest. We are a reasonably serious bunch of anglers but at the same time take every opportunity to take the proverbial out of each other; there was ample material on this weekend. One member had to race back home to get his rods having left them behind, another was a short a rod after a DOC ranger confiscated it when he discovered that the individual had forgotten to renew their license. Someone forgot their sleeping bag and someone else forgot to pack undies and then there was the case of the angler who forged ahead on the track, forgetting about his fishing partner, who subsequently got lost. There was no forgetting the fish though of the 12 competitors 7 landed 20 fish between them the winner of the Winter Trophy being Veteran Angler Ken Collier with a 4.6-pound fish and Kane Steward was second with a 4.25-pound fish. After a shower and change we all headed off to the local RSA for dinner and to watch the All Blacks beat the Wallabies and retain the Bledisloe Cup, much to the pleasure of everyone except our lone Australian member.