Despite strong winds and choppy seas the Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club’s 82nd Gala Fishing Competition successfully raised 71 bags of fish to supply last Sunday’s Monster Fresh Fish Auction.
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All proceeds from the auction go to the Merimbula Rural Fire Brigade. Flathead remained the staple and were very popular although a few bags of fine snapper went for excellent prices.
Shane Mayberry took out the McKays Oysters $500 Tackle World voucher for the heaviest bag of ocean flathead overall. He also won both the Saturday and Sunday prizes. Fiona Beasley won the Saturday Ladies’ prize for the heaviest bag of flathead. There was no lady entrant on Sunday. Peter Lawler won the heaviest bag of mixed fish for Saturday and Garry Hugget the Sunday prize.
On Saturday Jemma Pollock won the Juniors $100 Lake View Hotel voucher and on Sunday Kade Jenkins took out this prize. Kade Jenkins also won the Juniors heaviest bag of mixed fish for Saturday with Jack Pollock taking out the Sunday prize. From the estuaries there was no adult male entrant on Saturday with Josh Wykes winning on Sunday. Junior Jess Reid took out the Saturday prize and Jayden Galea the Sunday.
Sunday’s Gala event started at 12.30pm with the Town Crier Alan Moyse doing a magnificent job as Master of Ceremonies. Five acts were presented and the $200 cash prize was won by a dancing pair; 11-year-old Holly Bell and 14-year-old Jess Reid. This event proved very popular with the crowd as they gathered for the Monster Fresh Fish Auction and next year will no doubt be bigger.
Nearing 2.30pm the club presented its prizes to entrants of the Fishing Competition courtesy of the club’s magnificent local business sponsorship. The Kayak and Paddle Board raffle draw followed the auction. First prize was won by Alan Brown, second by Lachlan Kennedy and third by Bec Wilson. The day was finished off by the five prize seafood wheelbarrow raffle draw and fish filleting at the club’s jetty.
Offshore the first marlin of the season have arrived in our waters with some in as close as 40 fathoms. Ocean flathead both sand and tiger are on the chew off Merimbula, Tura Beach, Bournda Island and Tathra, try 20-22 fathoms.
Great luderick have been returned from Tura Headland. At the Tathra Wharf large kingfish are on the prowl and at the Merimbula Fishing Platform calamari squid are back and some large ones landed. Snapper and morwong are in good form on our local reefs. The full moon has seen gummy shark (flake) active and some fine specimens landed.
Fish in the Merimbula Lake remain active.
