A cracker weekend in SEQ for the annual Sunshine Coast GFC Spring Shootout with enough fish to keep everyone entertained! Seastar became back to back champions having won the SCGFC Classic earlier this year. Both events are qualifiers for OWC 2017.
26 teams and about 100 anglers competed and by all reports the Sunshine Coast looks like it is about to get a sailfish bite for the first time in a few years as well!
2016 SCGFC Spring Shootout Results
55 Strikes
42 Hookups
19 Billfish – 12 Blue, 3 Striped, 4 Sailfish
7 Tuna
1 Mahi Mahi
1 Cobia
Champion Team – Seastar (2 Blue 1 Striped Marlin)
Champion Team R/Up – Site Office (2 Blue Marlin)
Champion U7m – Reel Affair (1 Blue Marlin)
R/Up U7m – Beat (1 Blue Marlin)
Champion Angler – Brett Barton (1 Blue 1 Striped Marlin)
Champion Angler R/Up – Dave Moreton (1 Blue Marlin
Champion Female – Wendy Pendrick (1 Blue Marlin)
Champion Junior – Bryce Bartleson (1 Sailfish)
Photos: including a sequence from on board Catapult, Seastar winners are grinners and one of James Robinson’s fabulous drone shots from the overnight raft up!
More from Cairns & 50th
Unfortunately we’re not able to report that post-50th comp the fishing has fired just yet, with boats spread out the length of the reef from Cairns all the way up to Lizard Island looking for the main body. After an unprecedented approx 3 weeks of calm, we are set to get a bit of a blow that many are hoping will stir things up again. Capt. Danial Carlon’s Little Audrey and Capt. Bill Billson’s Viking were the only two boats I know of to report fish yesterday. Although there are plenty of yellowfin etc around to keep us entertained. Still plenty of time to fire and with the 30th Anniversary Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic starting this Sunday, plenty of boats putting in the time on the water.
From the 50th, David Granville’s published some video from his time on board during the comp, and lets not forget the the 800lb blue marlin, on board Capt. Tim Dean’s Calypso well worth the watch below!
