The 2006 Victorian Game Fish Classic was held at Rhyll, Phillip Island, on the weekend of February 18 and 19.
59 teams consisting of 168 anglers entered the competition, and with light winds and smooth seas forecasted it was going to be a highly contested tournament.
137 sharks were tagged over the weekend with blue sharks the most common. Only ten sharks were brought to the weigh-in and Phil Stroker claimed first place with his 85kg mako caught on 10kg line.
One of the highlights of the weekend was when a blue shark that had been tagged on Saturday was recaptured on Sunday. It was released again.
Most teams had success in the 50 to 70m line right along the coast from Cody Banks through to Cape Schanck.
This event wouldn’t be possible without the help of our major sponsors: Crawford Marine, Yamaha, Alpine Country, Penn, JV Marine, Lowrance, Fishtales Bait & Tackle, Gollers Sport Store and Elgas.
Facts
| Category | Winner | Details (Weight/Line) |
|---|---|---|
| Heaviest Capture Snr. | Phil Stroker | 85kg/10kg |
| 2nd Heaviest Capture Snr. | Andrew Arapakis | 64.5kg/24kg |
| Heaviest Capture 4-6kg | Mark Schulz | blue shark 46kg/6kg |
| Heaviest Capture 8-10kg | Phil Stroker | mako 85kg/10kg |
| Heaviest Capture 15-24kg | Andrew Arapakis | mako 64.5kg/24kg |
| Most Meritorious Snr. | Phil Stroker | 4154.38 points |
| Champion Angler T&R Snr. | Sam Taranto | 38,000 points |
| Champion Angler T&R Jnr. | Andrew Kemna | 22,000 points |
| Champion Team T& R | Home Strait B.S.G.F.C. | 44,00 points |
| Three Way Challenge | Victorian Game Fishing Club | |
| Victoria Shield (Highest T&R Club) | Bass Strait Game Fishing Club |
Blue sharks were the main species encountered during the tournament. This 30kg blue was released.
