The 2017 Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic wrapped up yesterday with a tense day of fishing for tournament leaders (and winners) on Absolute.

There were only 6 tags for the shortened final day among the 20 boat tournament fleet however with many going to boats in the chasing group, the team on Absolute must have been on tenderhooks until hooking up with 5 minutes to go they tagged their 8th for the tournament putting them two tags clear in the end. That wraps up a great week for Peter Yates, his first at the helm with the 8 tag win and the 1188 on Sunday which was DQd.

Updated more standings thanks to Brett! Amokura came 2nd with a few other boats on 6 tags all on count back including Little Audrey 3rd and Zulu, Doghouse and perhaps Hellraiser all on 6. Champion Male angler was Darren Sandy on Amokura and Champion Female Sharon Poulter on Think Big.

Hopefully we’ll hear more as the week goes on and boats head back into internet range for changeovers.

I missed an update from Myles Westin’s Elempi yesterday who tells me had a great time fishing up at Jewel Reef smashing the mackerel and bottom fish although the popper fishing was slow. They also caught a bonefish on a knife jig! On the marlin, they raised 5 for 3 bites and caught one jumping another off.  Following up again yesterday with one bite and jumping him off. All small fish.

Following up from yesterday’s awesome video of team Hardcore on Askari, Capt. Corey Hard tells me that since their last report 11 days ago they have caught another 25 fish (although 0 from 2 yesterday) they caught 15 in the 4 days prior and that three have been over 700 with one he estimated at around 900.  And Corey also reports that mothershipping is not over rated – good times, happy days!

Capt. Luke Fallon’s KEKOA put the traveling behind to begin the big southern Coral Sea adventure yesterday with a small black for Dan, a 400lb blue for Jada and a morning successful quad hookup of 50-70lb yellowfin followed by an afternoon successful triple hookup of the same.

Fishing off Fraser Island for the past several days Capt. Simon Carosi on Assegai released this blue (top) he put at 500lbs yesterday. Simon said that they had 4 bites yesterday jumping three off and converting that one. Previously its been two bites a day for them. They head back home to Gold Coast base today.

Capt. Glanville Heydenrych’s Mufasa took out the win at yesterday’s Gold Coast GFC Shootout with two blue marlin. Hopefully a report to come but seems like a fair bit of action off the Gold Coast again as well.  That came off the back of a 4 from 4 prefish the day before. On fire!

Coffs Season Kickoff

Report from Solitary Islands GFC and Glen Booth yesterday for a promising start to season 2017 yesterday. Glen says that after lousy weather delayed the start of the game fishing season by nearly two months for the Solitary Islands Game Fishing Club boats, they finally got a weather window on Saturday and found the marlin waiting…