There is one thing that the organisers of the 90 Mile (Bonanza) Comp could do to make better catches, more fun for competitors, and a more even playing field,and that is to have a wading ban for the first hour each day.
I fished 14, 90 mile contests and fished the beach up to five or six times a year for many years. Not as experienced as some but I gathered a fair knowledge of the beach.I also learned the movement of the fish on the beach.
Outside contest times 80% of our snapper are caught from the beach with little wading. One evening Steve Hunt from Marton and I caught several nice snapper at Hukutere, the best was over 8kgs and we didnt even get our feet wet.
Often first cast and quite close in. Admittedly once 1000 anglers are wading out the fish are moving out. Then the guys that wade out to the banks catch shoalies while the inshore guys get kahawai. Often though the biggest fish will come out behind the line of deep wading anglers just to keep everyone honest. I saw the winning fish caught one morning at Twin Streams. First cast without wading out more than shin deep.

90 Mile is a great experience and I would reccomend anyone to go, (I think I took Snappa up for his first visit) You will grow an inch after fishing there for a week.

If you forget the comps and just go for a week in the winter when the snapper are bigger and trevally rule the waves you will have even more fun. You will also have it all to yourself.