What a wonderful weekend for families, fishing and having fun! The inaugural Austackle Flathead Fishing Classic has been run and won with many happy winners, including our own club and the whole East Gippsland area.
The weather was perfect for what turned out to be a great first fishing classic for the club. With 158 entries (including 29 juniors), it was full steam ahead with registrations taken over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Anglers came from all over the state; Geelong, Preston, Traralgon, Orbost, Maffra, Wodonga Bruthen, Lakes Entrance, Bairnsdale and so much more.
The 'catch and release' method proved a popular method of fishing but the brag photos were something to behold. One story we heard was about a fellow fishing at Nowa Nowa who had caught an 84cm flathead, but he wasn't entered in the competition! We did see the photos of this fish and it was massive (almost prehistoric)!
There were plenty of other stories over the weekend as well: a young lad who landed a big flathead had (mentally) spent the $250 junior prize already on a remote controlled car actually did win the Juniors section; 3rd place-getter was getting 'razzed' by other members of his party because he didn't even know he had a huge flathead on his line; the girls who stopped off for a 'pit-stop' and threw in a line to catch the biggest whiting of the day; and the list goes on.
The Fishing Club Team event went to the GLFC rivals, the Lake Tyers Beach Angling Club. There was a lot banter before the event about who was the better fishing club. The challenge is now on for next year.
The average size of the flathead caught over the weekend was 542mm.
I would like to thank all the sponsors who supported our competition and all the local businesses who also promoted us. We received plenty of reports of how the local bait shop/carvan park/etc… advertised the comp to competitors.
Congratulations on all who fished and caught something for their efforts. Better luck next time if you missed on catching a flathead or it just ‘got away’. – Austackle Fishing Classic
Seniors
1st: | Andrew Kikidoplous | 790 mm |
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2nd: | John Bouke | 740 mm |
3rd: | Casey Goudswaad | 722mm |
Juniors
1st: | Rhys Bryant | 753mm |
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2nd: | Will Shoppe | 728mm |
3rd: | Matthew Pearce | 595mm |
'Pinky Baade' Memorial Trophy:Kerry Jones | Longest Whiting, 386mm | |
U16: | Wilson Gaudian | |
U12: | Jessica Erbs | |
U8: | Jake Perrett | |
Female Prize:Michelle Wright | 595mm | |
Fishing Club Team:LTBAC, John Bourke, John King, Gary Verrall, Ray Schmidt | 2412mm. |