Cars and boats started rolling into Dartmouth on 7 June for the long awaited 2012 Yamaha Dart Cup. This year was the biggest competition yet, with over 600 entrants, with 45 juniors and a huge prize pool including three boat giveaways.

There were reportedly over 150 boats and trailers parked at the boat ramp over the three days of competition, as many of the competitors camped out on the lake for the weekend. The weather was superb and, although cold, campers kept warm around the camp fires that spotted the lake shores. The boat ramp buzzed with activity and the Dartmouth Alpine Anglers Crew, lead by John Maskus, escorted anglers on and off the water in a timely fashion that comes with years of experience.

Over 820 trout were weighed in over the weekend, with an unusual number of rainbow trout being caught compared to previous years. This year, three rainbow trout were caught to every five brown trout, whereas 2011 saw the ratio of one rainbow to three brown trout.

The live weigh-in at the boat ramp on Saturday afternoon produced some great trout with the Best Live Weight being won by Lachlan O’Keefe with a brown trout weighing 1.115kg. The runner up Live Weight was won by Robert Ansell, with a brown trout weighing 1.005kg.

This year we had a Junior Live Weight Section, which was won by Hunter Butler, with a rainbow trout weighing 760g.

Brad Thomson of Wodonga won the major prize of the weekend: a Makocraft 387 BMC Tournament Tracker, with a Yamaha 15hp two-stroke outboard motor, and trailer with Redco RE1213 alloy wheels.

The Major prize in the raffle was a Makocraft 387 BMC Tournament Tracker, with a Yamaha 15hp two-stroke outboard motor, and trailer with Redco RE1213 alloy wheels, and was won by Robert Da Ros from Melbourne.

The Makocraft Topper Tracker was won by John Ozlins from Dederang.

Many other great prizes were won on the weekend with over $45,000 in sponsorship and prizes. We thank all our sponsors of the competition for making a fantastic weekend.