Angling Competition 18th & 19th January 2025

The Rhyll-Phillip Island Angling Club (RPIAC) resumed their 2024/2025 angling competition, with the 7th competition for the season, being the 1st for 2025, held over the weekend of the 18th and 19th of January.  With a lacklustre long-range weather forecast, Saturday proved challenging, with wind speeds exceeding 20 knots, but a few determined anglers braved the elements.  Sunday, however, brought calmer weather, resulting in a productive day of fishing and several standout catches.  Indeed, many enjoyed the summer weather, and with the day coinciding with a cruise ship visit the Rhyll boat ramp was a hotspot for visitors to Phillip Island.

A total of 42 fish and 5 game fish were weighed-in at the RPIAC clubrooms during the designated timeslot of 4:00 to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.  The RPIAC weigh-in master and Club Captain, Chris Leonardos, was assisted by Paul Goodwin and Russ Gallagher, ensuring the weekend’s weigh-in was swift and focussed.  The range of eligible species included snapper, King George whiting, tuna, flathead, trevally, and pike.  As Sunday’s weigh-in concluded, the results were tabulated, and the pace slowed to Island-time.  Anglers and supporters gathered at the RPIAC clubrooms, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the post-competition presentation, enjoying a meal of Cafe Bazarre pizzas, to celebrate the weekend’s achievements.  Again, a great deal of effort from volunteers, particularly Lorraine, Julie and Matt, and the great team who made the whole weekend another success.

The RPIAC’s Extraordinary Catch Incentives for eligible species, caught by members on competition weekends, remain banked.  Following Nigel Firth’s success last year with a King George whiting, which exceed 1000 grams, none of the remaining $1000 first-to-catch prizes were claimed.  Although, many remain optimistic about catching another eligible species that equals or exceeds the nominated weight: Snapper (10.0 kilograms), Gummy Shark (20.0 kilograms), Mulloway (25.0 kilograms) and Kingfish (25.0 kilograms).

RPIAC encourages participation in recreational angling and welcomes newcomers to learn more about participation in the club’s activities.  RPIAC offers complimentary membership to children, aged 16 and under, so they can develop skills and an awareness of sustainable and responsible angling. 

With the holiday season offering an abundance of summer recreation, the Squidgie competition, for anglers aged nine and under, celebrated the wonderful achievement of angling-gun Harley Griffin.  Harley presented 2 fish, worth 35 points, for weigh-in and claimed first place.  The Junior’s competition, for anglers aged 10 to 16, saw Jacob Magro return in style to win the Junior Points and Junior Weight prizes with a King George whiting worth 994 points (355 grams), and a mackerel weighing 280 grams, respectively.

With an abundance of fish in Westernport and the ocean-side of Phillip Island, the challenge was to find the biggest.  The Senior Heaviest Weight competitions were won by Len Bates, with a 935-gram snapper, and Tenille Preddice, with a 850-gram trevally.  James Nicolaci dominated in the Male Senior Points competition, setting a new RPIAC record, with a massive pike, reminiscent of an anaconda, worth 3995 points (3995 grams).  Tenille Preddice returned to the podium to claim the Female Senior Points competition with a sleek King George whiting, worth 1540 points (550 grams).  Despite reports of massive gummy sharks in Westernport, only the smaller specimens were being caught, and nothing close to RPIAC’s 60 cm minimum partial-length made it to weigh-in.  James Nicolaci triumphed again in the game fish competition, weighing-in a clean and chunky 17250-gram tuna.  The Secret Weight prize was awarded to Chris Leonardos, closest to the secret weight with a 345-gram King George whiting (secret weight 343 grams). 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 next angling competition will be held over the weekend of the 1st / 2nd of February 2025.  There are still many opportunities to take part in the scheduled angling competitions and compete for comp-weekend prizes and the club championships.  For further information about the club, events, competitions, and rules, please visit the website:  www.rpiac.com

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