Absolutely super, would be the best way of headlining the Blowhole Big Fish Classic for 2018 with plenty of Marlin, Mahi Mahi and Yellowfin tuna combining with great weather, low swell and wind, sun shining and 32 boats and 108 anglers chasing 18 categories in Capture and Tag and Release.
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This year a sponsor added a further enticement with $5,000 Cash for Heaviest Marlin.
There were a total of 19 Marlin Tagged and Released, with an estimate of triple that amount that didn’t make it to the boat.
Unfortunately for some anglers, several big Blues and Blacks were lost at the boat with one Blue Marlin of 141.5kg weighed for angler David Deans fishing on the boat Frantic skippered by Steve Banks to take out the Heaviest Marlin Capture award.
The Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna of 54.8kg’s on 24kg line was caught by Nick Sergi fishing on “Her Choice” skippered by Lance Beevers.
Heaviest Other Game Fish was a 12kg Mahi Mahi on 10kg line caught by Tracey Vaartjes fishing on “In Deep”.
“Last but not least” in the Capture stakes was Heaviest Shark that just made it to weigh station in time on Sunday with a Whaler of 251kg’s on 15kg line to angler Mark O’Donoghue fishing on “Reckless” skippered by Craig “Monty” Tuohy.
Kiama hosted the NSWGFA Junior team for the Blowhole Tournament lead by Grahame Williams NSWGFA Treasurer, fishing on Nemo and came away winning Champion Junior Angler Tag and Release for Ryan Kaczorowski with a Marlin and Mahi Mahi plus Most OGF Tag and Release Boat for “Nemo” with 17 Mahi Mahi.
Tournament Category winners as follows:
Champion Angler Capture won by Mark O’Donoghue with 15,750.25 pts.
Champion Female Angler Capture won by Tracey Vaartjes with 496.8 pts.
Champion Boat won by “Reckless” 5750.25 pts.
Tag and Release Champion Boat won by 2Small with 50,700 pts.
Highest Point Scoring Male Senior Angler Tag & Release won by Phillip Clinton.
Highest Point Scoring Female Senior Angler won by Krystal Mathews.
Most Marlin Tagged and Released Boat won by “Snoop N Round” on a countback with 3 Marlin.
Most Sharks Tagged and Released Boat won by “2Small”.
Most OGF Boat won by “Nemo”.
Champion Junior Angler Tag and Release won by Ryan Kaczorowski with 11,651 pts.
Sked prizes consisting of JB Lure for every Sked sponsored by Dave Venn at JB Lures went to following boats:
Saturday: Adrenalin Rush; Gringo; Snoop N Round; Rare Breed and Nauti Escape.
Sunday: In Deep; Chasin Tail; Out Cast and Her Choice.
With a several big Marlin lost over the weekend and a few boats that would claim “the hard luck that’s fishing award”, the crew of Chasin Tail who were hooked up to a huge Black Marlin for five and half hours on 15kg would nudge out the big Blues that managed to be “the one that got away”
Tournament crew from Kiama GFC include Matt Cameron Weigh Station Recorder/Radio operator, Gai Delavere Treasurer, Nick Hodgkins Weigh Master and Ray Cranley at the Weigh Station Kiama Harbour, and Bruce Mitchell from Marine Rescue Port Kembla who did a great job on the skeds, as the “guardian angel”, his contribution was enormous and greatly assisted in the smooth and professional administration of the Blowhole Big Fish Classic Tournament.
Sponsors as follows: Kiama Leagues Club; Shimano; Yatcon Civil; ProFishEnt Trading; A A Plus Plastics; JB Lures; Coastwide Civil; Sunset Motors and Marine; Kiama Auto Services; East Beach Big 4 Holiday Park; Gates Haulage; Evermil Pty Ltd; South Coast Homes; Illawarra Financial Services; Wellsys Tackle; Kiama Harbour-Game and Reef Fishing charters; Rosebank Meats; Ocean Storm Fishing Tackle; Kiama Sea Explorers; Eyestore Kiama; Mako Sunglasses; Kiama Coast Holiday Parks; Rapala VMC Australia; Solas and Wizard tackle; Multiquip; Black Pete quality fishing tackle; Momoi line and Kiama Tourism.