A fish out of water

Bent rods, screaming reels and big fish are nowhere to be seen. Matt Watson is a long way from the fertile fishing grounds off our coastline. Fieldays attracts a large range of outdoors people, including a large number of keen ‘fishos’. This makes Watson’s presence a breath of fresh air between the hundreds of agricultural stands.

Watson has become a household name with his stunt fishing, everything from catching a marlin off a jet ski to hand-lining a bluefin tuna. He has achieved what many have only dreamed of, catching an array of big game fish and meeting the benchmark 20 pound snapper numerous times, all on film for everyone to see.

“I think fishing is as iconically kiwi as sheep are. Farmers are usually outdoors people and so am I,” Watson said.

New Zealand’s larger than life fishing icon has joined the team at Waikato Toyota for the week of Fieldays. Watson will be holding two presentations a day at the Waikato Toyota display at 11am and 2pm. He is also around throughout the days to share his trade secrets and tales with the Fieldays visitors.

Before chasing fish all over the world Watson also was a young exhibitor, like the many that come to talk to him.

“I came to Fieldays when I was seven or eight, I have clear memories of mud, fog and cattle prods. It’s where my love of tractors began,” Watson said.

The team at Waikato Toyota enjoys having Watson for the week, bringing the site to life.

Glenn Carter from Waikato Toyota said “He’s brilliant, it’s really good when he does his presentations, it’s chocka. The kids gravitate to him and he’s very approachable.”

Watson and Waikato Toyota are giving away a fishing trip of a lifetime at Fieldays. Four lucky winners and a choice of friends will be spending the day on the water with Watson during the peak of the snapper season. The prize will be drawn at 3.30pm on Saturday.

With many possible new workhorses on display, Watson enjoys talking to the many that pass through.

“Blokes that buy Hiluxes tend to be good buggers,” Watson said.