Fish & Game staff have completed the operation to release 30 rainbow trout with specially numbered pink tags for its Fish for Gold promotion - which gets under way on Opening Day October 1.
There are two big prizes - one is $10,000 cash, the other an outboard motor valued at nearly $1000.
Fish & Game staff released 10 of the pink tagged fish this week into each of three lakes - Tarawera, Rotoiti and Okataina.
Eastern Fish & Game manager Andy Garrick said weather conditions were perfect and the fish were randomly released at different spots on the three lakes.
"The operation was carried out by Fish & Game officers amid a certain amount of secrecy as we don't want hundreds of boats converging on a few localised areas.
"We think it adds a bit more to the excitement and anticipation of the day if no one knows where exactly they were released.
"Though we doubt it would make any difference to the likelihood of catching one as the fish are likely to spread far and wide."
Mr Garrick said no one, including himself, knew which lake the $10,000 fish went into.
The numbers on the pink tags have been matched to prizes that have been placed into envelopes and sealed by a Justice of the Peace, before being randomly numbered and locked away securely until the supervised draw.
One envelope contains the grand prize and another a Yamaha 2HP outboard motor valued at $949.
The other envelopes each contain a $200 tackle or voucher prize, so every registered angler who returns with a pink tag fish will be a winner.
Sponsors of the event include Makaira Orchards in Te Puke, Telfer Marine, Hamills, and the Outdoorsman in Rotorua.
"Hundreds of people have already registered to take part and the event is limited to the first 1200 entries," Mr Garrick said.
Fish for Gold is free to enter. All you must have is a 2017-18 Fish & Game sports fishing licence. Children under 12 are not eligible to enter on a free child's licence, but can if they are included as part of a family fishing licence.
The event runs from Opening Day to October 8 inclusive and you need to register online prior to Opening Day.
Details including entry form and terms and conditions can be found via Eastern Fish & Game's pages: https://fishandgame.org.nz/fish-for-gold/.
