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A regular column from Daniel Kent covering the Apollo Bay area and points immediately east and west. |
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Apollo Bay and
surrounds The 9th of February saw the running of the second annual Big Catch fishing competition held as part of the Great Ocean Sports Festival in Apollo Bay. Although the weather was against us, some braved the strong southerly winds to target such species as snapper, flathead, whiting and sharks while others kept their feet on the ground to chase trout, bream, salmon and whiting from the safety of the shore. This years event also saw the introduction of a kayak fishing section which included the species of whiting, flathead, snapper and bream. The event kicked off on Friday night with organiser Daniel Kent and cricketing legend Merv Hughes giving competitors a run down on all the rules, a fishing report and expected weather conditions. Despite the average weather report, spirits remained high and anglers arrived for the 6am start the following morning full of enthusiasm.
Andrew Stephenson of Lara and Brad Rowe from Wedderburn were so excited they couldn't sleep and were waiting in the dark with their boat at the ramp when organisers turned up at 5.30am. With anglers scattered along the rivers and coastline from Kennett River to the Aire River, no-one knew what had been caught until anglers arrived back at the boat ramp for the 4pm measure-in. Anglers were given rulers and could take digital photos of their fish allowing them to be released if desired or they could bring them back to the measuring station at the boat ramp.
After an action packed day which included plenty of funny stories and some spectacular fish, anglers then converged on the Surf Life Saving Club for the presentations. Big Merv again provided some tall stories and a mountain of prizes were handed out to the victorious anglers. It's said history often repeats itself and last year's Grand Slam winners in the Boat, Land-Based and Junior sections came back and did it again. Matt Kearton, Boat Grand Slam winner two years running, says he is now hoping for rough weather again next year! The event was again very successful and all proceeds were donated to the SLSC. The Great Ocean Sports Festival would like to thank Merv Hughes, Daniel Kent, Matt Learmonth, Wavedance Kayaks, Diawa, Shimano, Stormy, Jarvis Marine, Yamaha and fishvictoria.com for all their help and support of The Big Catch Fishing Competition. See you there next year.
WINNERS:
LANDBASED GRAND SLAM: Lance Cahill, Jarvis Marine electric motor, Diawa surf combo, Yamaha pack, trophy
And, last but no least, here's some awards we DIDN'T present on Saturday night..... MOST UNUSUAL ITEM WEIGHED IN AWARD - Big Merv Hughes. Merv, I think that empty stubby was undersize anyway - better luck next year. HOSPITALITY AWARD - Kenty, for outstanding dedication to ensuring competitors had a good time at the pub by staying till stumps 2 nights in a row (even if he WAS an hour and a half late to the ramp on Saturday!). BRIEFEST FISHING TRIP AWARD - Dean and Ned from Ballarat who spent 15 minutes on the water between launching and retrieving. Obvious reasons included: A - they had been at the pub with Kenty the night before; B - it was pretty rough out there; C - they were both in serious trouble with their better halves due to "A" above. MESSIEST BOAT AWARD - Matt Kearton, who had the odd rod busted and his boat covered in blood and guts after single-handedly landing a 40kg Mako Shark, 15km offshore in appalling conditions (and managing to win the boat section of the comp in the process). SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE AWARD - Ned from Ballarat. Yes, you guessed it, break-dancing late Friday night at the pub. GIVING IT A CRACK AWARD - Not to be deterred by the weather, these boaties gave it a damn good crack for most, if not all, of the day: .... Dale March and Danny Nulley, Matt Kearton, Rob Kearton, Andrew Stephenson and Brad Rowe, Noel Kenneally and mate Rob. LOST SEA ANCHOR AWARD - Danny Nulley for not making sure there was a rope tied to the sea anchor before flinging it overboard off Dale March's boat. Apparently they sink! MOST ENTHUSIASTIC JUNIOR AWARD - Jed Holland, who at about 5 years of age, turned up 3 hours after the weighin finished with a fish that wasn't part of the comp. He received a rod and reel combo for his efforts. COODABEEN A KAYAK AWARD - Milt, for dropping a first-prize-winning whiting back into the water. Condolences Milt. THE "YOU NEVER KNOW" AWARD - Michelle M for embarrassingly presenting a photo of her minimum legal size salmon which, as the only salmon weighed in, won her the land-based salmon category and prizes including a Diawa surf fishing rod and reel combo, a fishvic LED cap and a medallion. BIGGEST IDIOT AWARD - The unknown person who passed a car and boat on double lines, not realising until too late that it was the Water Police. GENEROSITY AWARD - Brad Rowe who, after winning the fresh crayfish raffle on Saturday night, promptly cracked it open for all the fishos in attendance, and Merv Hughes for starting a 20-plus beer shout!
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