Angling Competition 18-19th March, 2023

With winds blowing from the north between 20 to 40 knots during the day, the start of the 11th Rhyll-Phillip Island Angling Club (RPIAC) angling competition for the 2022/2023 season, held over the 18th and 19th of March, was less than ideal.  A handful of anglers braved the gales on Saturday, whilst the silver-lined clouds brought better conditions for Sunday.  At the close of weigh-in at 5:30 pm on Sunday the weekend’s tally of fish reached 31, keeping the Weigh-in Master, Russ Gallagher, and Club Captain, Chris Leonardos fully engaged.  The eligible species included King George whiting, snapper, salmon, pike and trevally.

The weigh-in windows, between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday, provided a forum for lively conversations and fishing tales to reveal the secrets of the deep, the weekend’s hotspots and the best techniques.  Facts and fiction could only be separated by stern glares or smirks and laughter.  Certainly, all advice offered opportunities for contemplation and possibilities for future success.

RPIAC encourages all anglers to develop skills and awareness of sustainable and responsible angling and welcomes young anglers to engage in their angling competitions, offering complementary membership to children aged 16 and under.  Participation involves bringing eligible species, caught during the competition weekend, to weigh-in at the RPIAC clubroom.

Phillip Island Marine vouchers were awarded at the post-competition presentation and gourmet burgers in Bakers Delight buns re-energised anglers and supporters.  Acknowledgement and thanks were extended to RPIAC’s sponsors and all volunteers for another successful weekend competition.

The Squidgie Mixed Bag Points competition, for participants aged 9 and under, saw Saige Nicolaci perform at the highest level, winning the Squidgies competition with 1 fish worth 20 points.

The Junior competition, for anglers aged 10 to 16, congratulated Pheonix Firth for her excellence, catching a princely King George whiting worth 1134 points (405 grams), to win the Junior Points competition.

The Senior Heaviest Weight competitions were won with fish tipping the scales at just over one kilogram.  Duncan Firth and Anne-Marie Richards delivered the best in the weight competition, weighing-in a 1035-gram salmon and a 1030-gram snapper, respectively.  The Senior Points competitions were won by Chris Leonardos and Tenille Preddice.  Chris weighed-in a trevally worth 1456 points (1040 grams) and Tenille weighed-in a King George whiting worth 1232 points (440 grams).  The Shark competition and the Squid/Cuttlefish competition were uncontested.  The Secret Weight prize was awarded to Peter Cubeta for his 520-gram pike, which was closest to the weekend’s magic number (secret weight 495 grams).

With one more fishing competition remaining in the season, the odds of claiming an RPIAC Extraordinary Catch Incentive are fading.  Each competition weekend has angling members mindful of the $1000 first-to-catch prizes for eligible species that equal or exceed the nominated weight. None of these have been claimed this season, and some possibilities remain: King George Whiting (1000 grams), Snapper (10.0 kilograms), Gummy Shark (20.0 kilograms), Mulloway (25.0 kilograms) and Kingfish (25.0 kilograms). The RPIAC clubroom is located adjacent to the Rhyll boat ramp and is open to members and visitors on Fridays (from 5 pm) and competition weekends coinciding with weigh in.  The final angling competition for the 2022/2023 season will be held over the weekend of the 1st / 2nd April 2023, where the Squidgie and Junior Club Champions will be announced. 

Pheonix Firth
Saige Nicolaci
Anne-Marie Richards
Duncan Firth

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