While the bite seems to have slowed somewhat, there are still plenty of big fish about.  The internet still is not helping and I expect the reports to keep rolling in for a while!

Capt. Tim Richardson’s Tradition released two at 300 and 900lbs for Herve. While I had a catch up report from Capt. Brett Goetze’s Amokura who’d been enjoying the same bite from slightly up the track with a steady last 3 days for German angler Stephan Kreupl with some nice fish going 10 from 18 over the 3 days with the best day 6 from 14.  Brett says they have had a couple fish in the 800-900lb range and a few nice ones lost as well!

No photos received today so a photo at top I took yesterday of a big fish on Capt. Luke Fallon’s KEKOA that we fought for two hours before the line parted!

Whitsundays Light Tackle Comp

Last weekends Ben Doolin Builders Whitsunday Game Fish Clubs Light Tackle Tournament was on of the best in the clubs 38 year history writes WGFC Life Member Ashley Moore.

29 teams competed in 10-15 knot SE-NE conditions to capture 39 billfish (mainly sailfish in the 35-45kg range) from more than 200 raised. Wahoo, mahi-mahi, mackerel & tuna were also caught.

The First Billfish was caught by Mackay GFC Junior Ryan Meads who was also Champion Junior Male, Champion Junior Female also from Mackay Monica Davis just ahead of her sister Karli. Champion Male angler was Amando Isgro in his first tournament. Champion Female was Kylie Rait. John Holms won heaviest Game Fish with a 17.4kg Wahoo.

10 Anglers caught their first billfish and all the juniors and smallfry took home a swag of prizes thanks to all our generous sponsors.

Champion Boat over 7m was Miami Vice while under 7m and Champion team overall was Mackay G.F.C crew on Time Out.

Accolades flowed all weekend for committee members Stacey Gerhart, Sarah Jeffs and President Luke Green for putting together such a good fun family friendly tournament thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Gold Coast GFC Shimano Blue Marlin Shootout

Report thanks to Ash Haigh, GCGFC President: The shootout is an event that has the potential to provide a serious pay cheque to any vessel big or small that is willing to participate.

A one day winner takes all tournament provides an opportunity for even the less experienced boats to run over a fish at the right time and claim the win and so a one day shootout is probably more so a game of luck than a game of skill and really should entice new comers and smaller boats to compete and get a taste of what the Game Fishing culture can offer.

This weekend the GCGFC welcomed boats and participants from nearly all the South East Qld Clubs.

The stats for the weekend were;
23 boats
29 strikes
28 hook-ups

22 fish tagged of which there were 7 blue marlin, 1 striped marlin and 14 dolphin fish

12 boats under 8m, 11 boats over 8m
80 anglers – 72 senior males, 6 senior females, 2 junior males

First place and $10,000,00 cash went to Old Mate with one blue marlin on countback.
$1500,00 to Redonkulous for the most tagged other species with 12 dolphin fish.

Sam Capel won champion junior angler tag and release with one dolphin fish onboard Nga Hua.

This year the Gold Coast Game Fish Club ran the first ever sweepstakes with a $100 buy-in seeing 23 participants take a lucky boat draw in the $2300 prizepool.

What are the odds of the winning boat taking 2 entries in the sweep and drawing first and third place, taking out first prize in the Calcutta and collecting a winners cheque of $10,000,00 all at the one event! Team Old Mate were basically those guys you see pop into an RSL on raffle night who buy $5 worth of tickets and win 14 of the 15 meat trays up for grabs Infront of the ready to kill blue rinse brigade of regulars! 2nd place was Wayne Spalding’s Nomad and 3rd place went to Broadbill.

This was the new committees first tournament and on behalf of all of us we felt a great energy among the crowd.  The Gold Coast GFC looks forward to seeing this tournament grow each year and welcome all boats wishing to join us at January Light Tackle Masters in 2019.