I am pleased to report the first fish of the year trophy for the Sunshine Coast Gamefish Club has finally been won! All thanks to a sailfish caught in the waters of Fraser Island aboard Keneka, Wayne Finlay’s 40’ White Cap.

Fishing out of Hervey Bay is certainly a good option this time of year. However, according to local charter boat operator, Peter Stephens of Sportfish 1770 Charters, the small black marlin are yet to make an appearance at Agnes Waters and Seventeen Seventy.

On the Gold Coast, footage of a 100kg black marlin from onboard Ross McCubbin’s 40’ Black Watch Adrenaline made a few fishing sections in the television news reports. Proving their existence, the black marlin are still not being targeted by club anglers, making the Gold Coast Gamefish Club first fish of the year trophy still up for grabs. Daniel Carlson, a deck hand on a Gold Coast fishing charter boat, reported seeing yet more marlin on the surface.

The fishing has, so far, been very poor state-wide. Todd of the Townsville Gamefish Club finally tagged a black marlin for their club in the new year. This was the first black marlin tagged off Townsville, however it took until August. Some years the Townsville fishery starts in April or May, an ominous sign for the upcoming Tournament.

The upcoming light tackle season could also be poor. Generally if the fish are not biting in Townsville season, they follow suit in South East Queensland over December and January. Maybe the recent Noosa floods will impact on the ecosystem by creating an effective food chain locally so the fish are not tempted to move on once they hit the Sunshine Coast bait grounds.

Most of the big name charter boats are making their way to Townsville or have already been pre-fishing for the tournament. The fishing by some TGFC boats and the charter boats has revealed the odd sailfish here and there. but at this stage it looks like the main marlin bite will occur off Hinchinbrook Island.

Speaking of tournaments, the calendar is filling up fast. After Townsville will be the Port Hinchinbrook tournament, followed by the Cairns Black Marlin Jackpot Tournament starting October 1. The next weekend of October 5 is the Cairns Heavy Tackle/Light Tackle Tournament, followed by my local big one, the Sunshine Coast Sailfish Shootout to be held on October 12-14. Running at the same time will be the Lizard Island Tournament from the 13-20 October.

November 1 through 4 sees the Whitsunday Light Tackle Tournament which are similar to the dates of the Burleigh Pools Bribie Island Junior Tournament. South of the boarder, Coffs Harbour Hot Currents Tournament will be the following week, from November 9. Back into Queensland, Hervey Bay run their tournament on the 15-18 November. Mooloolaba Billfish Bash is the week after on the 25-26 November and finally, the Ribbons Ladies Tournament in North Queensland from December 1-3.

Finally, a date to enter into next years calendars, the Mooloolaba Gamefish Club Tournament in April, The club have secured the AIBT (Australian International Billfish Tournament) to coincide with their Billfish Bonanza tournament also held in April.