Fishing tournaments are a welcomed part of many angler’s lives and the Shane Stewart Memorial Fishing Competition has a very special place in the hearts of the fishers around the Sunshine Coast.

Shane Stewart had a real passion for the sport but was tragically killed in a boating accident when returning from a fishing trip. Sadly this was an accident that could have been avoided.

Shane’s parents, Bev and Dennis Stewart, were devastated by the tragedy but found the courage to organise an annual tournament as a memorial to Shane and bring stronger awareness of the importance of safety on the water. Bev and Dennis take great joy in being part of the major presentations and look forward to awarding prizes to the worthy winners.

The success of the tournament is growing stronger each year with more participants joining in. This year the Shane Stewart Memorial Fishing Competition had over 200 entrants signing up on the Friday and Saturday.

The weather for the weekend was not favourable, with strong southerly winds up to 30km/h that made fishing very unpleasant. However, it didn’t dampen the spirits of those that participated, and on the day of the presentation in Apex Park, the area was full with contestants and spectators all lining up to hear the competition winners announced and to participate in the random draw.

Every tournament needs a group of committed sponsors to bring about success and there were no shortage of top prizes for angling participants. The event gave away $20,000 worth of prizes and cash giveaways, thanks to all the generous sponsors.

The big prize money of $1,000 is held for the biggest snapper, which is a real incentive for the competitors. For the other species, first prize was $350 and if you score a couple of those, like one contestant, it makes for a great weekend.

Young Trent Cronau was the only junior angler to weigh in an offshore species and his snapper put some older anglers to shame. It is good to see the growth of junior anglers within tournament circles, a trend that everyone hopes will continue in the coming years.

The Caloundra Coast Guard took on the role of running the tournament two years ago and should be complimented on their professional approach and strong organisational skills shown throughout the tournament. Jonathon Walker won the Stacer Major Prize sponsored by Queensland Boating World, and Adrian Taylor won the tinnie and trailer package sponsored by Topgun Trailers.