Recapture and more » Black Marlin Blog

Proving that if the bait is there, the fish hang around, a great recapture story from the weekend on board James Holt’s French Look 3. Not only was the fish originally tagged and recaptured (tag retrieved) on the same boat, but it was the same angler Luke Flemming…26 days later!

Also on the Gold Coast on the weekend, Capt. Ross McCubbin’s Lucky Strike accounted for 5 blacks.

And how is this for *action*?!? Shortcorner had a fun day fishing off Narooma Friday on both stripes and blacks. Ben Donegan reporting that this guy gave them some memories and great pics. Don Cahole on the leader and Tommy “P Plates” Web on the rod. Close call!!

Jordan Flood fished his boat Seaduction as Team Garmin for the Sunshine Coast Garmin Classic (report below) over the weekend for a6-4-2 blue and black. Jordan said they had 2 double hookups and raised some big ones!

Outside the comp on the Sunshine Coast, Jamie Behrens reported from Ymer Sunday who went 4-3-2 on blue marlin. Jamie’s 13 year old son Mitchell tagged a 90kg blue while Dave Morton tagged a 115kg fish.

SCGFC Garmin Gamefish Classic 2020

22 boats and 70 anglers including 8 female anglers and 6 juniors participated in the annual SCGFC Garmin Gamefish Classic over the weekend. With heavy tackle billfish scoring 3 to 1 points wise over light tackle the choice of which to target was a big part of strategy.

The final stats were 49 strikes, 36 hookups resulting in 26 fish tagged or captured. This number was made up of 20 billfish (11 blue marlin, 7 black marlin 1 striped marlin, 1 sailfish) with all other gamefish to weigh non qualifying (wrong species or didn’t exceed line class).

Major trophies in order

Champion Team Overall – Big Business – 3 tagged blue marlin

Champion Angler Overall – Brent Burton (Big Business) 2 tagged blue marlin

Champion Angler Runner Up – Dan Halliday (Sicario) 1 tagged blue marlin on time

Champion Male Angler Heavy Tackle – Brent Burton (Big Business) 2 tagged blue marlin

Champion Male Angler Light Tackle – Hunter Armytage (Capricorn) 2 tagged black marlin

Champion Female Angler Heavy Tackle – Amy Richards (Site Office) 1 tagged blue marlin

Champion Junior Angler – PJ Bennett (Infinity) 2 tagged black marlin

Champion Boat 7m and Under – Reel Nauti – 1 tagged sailfish

Champion Boat 7m and Over – Big Business – 3 tagged blue marlin

Runner- up Champion Boat 7m and Over – Sicario – 2 tagged blue marlin

Meritorious Effort Award – Nate Laurie – non line class spotty mackerel from substitute boat after first boat broke down with engine problems.

Hard Luck Story – Wild Ocean breaking down (Jason Allen, Chris Laurie, Nate Laurie)

Earlybird Entry – Charles Le Coste (No Frills)

First Billfish Day 1 – PJ Bennett (Infinity)

Last Billfish Day 1 – Daniel Arnold (Privateer)

First Billfish Day 2 – Mick Hay (Capricorn)

Last Billfish Day 2 – Jordan Flood (Team Garmin)

Lucky Angler Sked 1 – Peter Bain (Scaley Tail)

Lucky Angler Sked 2- Steven Murphy (Tag n Brag)

Lucky Angler Sked 3 – Josh Flood (Team Garmin)

Lucky Angler Sked 4 – Chris Laurie (Wild Ocean)

Lucky Angler Sked 5- Brett Barton (Sicario)

Lucky Angler Sked 6 – Tom Kalic (Team Seakeeper)

Calcutta

1 Big Business bought by Todd Kalpus

2 Sicario bought by the Ben Campbell Syndicate

3 Site Office bought by the crew

Major Lucky Draw Winners

$3,000 Garmin Dollars – Brent Burton (Big Business)

$2,000 Garmin Dollars – Braden Byrne (Reel Crazy)

$1,000 Garmin Dollars – Ethan Harrington (Tag n Brag)

ARB Fridge – Tom Kalic (Team Seakeeper)

Big Evakook Icebox – Duane Jay (Get n Any)