The Hawkesbury Classic is the largest estuary fishing competition in Australia with more than 700 anglers participating and around 1500 people attending the massive weigh-in.

From the recent 19th annual event, Pitt Town Fishing Club, along with Major sponsor Blakes Marine at McGraths Hill, look to have raised more than $20,000 for Camp Quality and the Windsor Park Public School special education unit for underprivileged kids.

As in the past, every angler that registers back at the weigh in on the Sunday goes into the draw to win the lucky door prize, a Savage Big Boy 385 with Yamaha outboard motor and trailer, donated by Blake’s Marine. The winner of this was Ronald Small, of Ambervale.

Another boat/motor trailer package, worth more than $6,000, was won by Ben Ramsay, of Glenhaven.

At the weigh-in there was a carnival atmosphere with food, drinks and lots of bargains at the huge auction. Ex-local auctioneer Mike Hocking travelled from the Mid North Coast and made the auction a real blast.

John Mcdonald was crowned King of the Hawkesbury River with his jewfish of 8.410kg.

Thanks go to Pitt Town Fishing Club Hawkesbury Classic Committee members; it takes months of planning and countless hours of voluntary work to make the day one of the biggest attractions in the Hawkesbury District. – Brett Chain

Hawkesbury Classic winners: Heaviest Fish John McDonald jewfish 8.41kg, 2 Brandon Hirsch 6.855kg (junior), 3 Bill Zilian 6.8kg. Heaviest bream Chris Knobs 1.245kg; flathead Joshua Garth 3.58kg; jewfish James Mooney 6.625kg; whiting Gabe Querossi 655g; other species Jeffery Thomson 2.250kg salmon. Juniors heaviest fish1 Will Akhurst 4.130kg jew, 2 Corey Ridge 3.06kg jew, 3 Jim Giannis 2.54kg flathead. Ladies heaviest fish 1 Barb Moellmer 5.635kg jew, 2 Rayna Sharma 3.59kg jew (junior), 3 Jordon Hirsch 3.545kg jew (jnr).