This friendly competition is a wonderful social event bringing together anglers from all our local clubs with Sunday's lunch to be hosted by Merimbula. Won last year by Pambula, individual anglers offer their prize catches from a group of 24 individual local species towards the Grudge Match Trophy.

Congratulations to member Ms Merrily Bell who was a finalist in the NSW section of the national Pirtek Fishing Challenge on March 17. With the Challenge boasting more that 8200 anglers from all over Australia, Merrily achieved recognition with her large tailor taken at Merimbula in the channel above the causeway bridge.

Merrily said the Pirtek Fishing Challenge's support for the Prostrate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit at St Vincent's Hospital, was close to her heart.

Some excellent ocean flathead in the 50cm range are on the chew from north of Tathra to the area of Baronda Headland. Try 13 fathoms. From Long Point and further north try 17 fathoms off Bournda Island. Tura Beach, Haycock and Aslings Beach are good for salmon, best on the rising tide morning and evening. Salted pilchards are excellent baits.

Some excellent gummy shark have been taken during the full moon period south of Haycock along the edge of the Horseshoe reef, down south as far as the Pinnacles. Best bait is slimy mackerel with some good snapper and bronze whaler shark as by-catch. Try also soft plastic crabs, these the gummys can't resist. Morwong and snapper are back on the chew. Try Long Point, Haycock and Horseshoe Reef as well as Lennards Island and North Head off Eden. Bait fish are plentiful inshore. Don't forget the artificial reefs which are full with bait.

Luderick are biting at the Merimbula Wharf, best time the hour before dark. Of note is Melbourne visitor Mario Borg's double hook-up of drummer. Calamari squid are being taken on jigs at dusk. Trevally, bream and luderick remain common about the oyster racks in Merimbula Lake. Try soft plastic lures flicked between the rows. Dusky flathead, flounder, bream, trevally, plus garfish and some exceptionally large tailor are available in the Merimbula channel. The best time is the start of the run in tide. At Pambula Lake good tailor, mullet, trevally and salmon are also on the chew. Dusky flathead, bream and whiting are all available at Mogareeka in the Bega River.

The clubhouse in Spencer Park will be open from 6.30pm on Friday, April 5.