Angling Competition 19-20th February, 2022
The 7th Rhyll-Phillip Island Angling Club (RPIAC) angling competition of the 2021/2022 season enjoyed light to gentle winds, periods of sunshine, and comfortable temperatures, which were perfect for fishing. Of course, that didn’t necessarily translate to a lot of catching! The weekend-long competition, on the 19th and 20th of February, celebrated the efforts of angling members, who gathered with supporters at the clubrooms for weigh-in, concluding at 5:30 pm on Sunday.
With a total of 36 fish entered in the competition, there were stories of persistence, success, and failure, giving enthusiasts an idea of where the fish were and weren’t biting. The consensus was that there were fish in the water, at the bottom and near the surface, sometimes in the deep, the shallows, or in between, which inevitably changed with the flow of the tide. Locations spanned from around the corner, to the middle, or over the other side, from Rhyll and around Westernport. For those on the water, it was a matter of monitoring the whereabouts of boats relative to the time of day, listening to stories of recent success, or following the guidance of those in the know.
Eligible species, encountered over the weekend, included King George whiting, snapper, flathead, trevally, pike, yakkas, slimies, and grass whiting, with the first two species abundant at weigh in. The RPIAC Extraordinary Catch Incentives for eligible species, caught by members on competition weekends, stay in the bank with 3 more competitions remaining. None of these $1000 first-to-catch prizes have been claimed this season, although anglers are optimistic about catching an eligible species that equals or exceeds the nominated weight: King George Whiting (1000 grams), Snapper (10.0 kilograms), Gummy Shark (20.0 kilograms), Mulloway (25.0 kilograms) and Kingfish (25.0 kilograms).
The sausage sizzle, sponsored by Baker’s Delight in Cowes and mastered by chief sizzler, Ron Soolsma, provided anglers and supporters an opportunity to enjoy the club, engage and relax at the close of the weekend. Certainly, the efforts of all volunteers for the weekend were appreciated, especially those of Debra Orr at the bar, and Russell Gallagher as weigh-in master.
The post-competition presentation awards included vouchers from club sponsor Phillip Island Marine and started with the Squidgie Mixed Bag competition results, for anglers aged nine and under. The reigning Squidgie Club Champion, Denver Firth, excelled again with a full bag of 5 fish worth 85 points to claim the first-place prize. The Junior Weight and Junior Points competitions, for anglers aged 10 to 16, saw Isabella Bland congratulated for winning each category. Isabella weighed in the biggest snapper of the weekend, weighing 2940 grams, and a respectable King George whiting worth 994 points (355 grams).
The Senior Heaviest Weight competitions were won by Sam Orr and Helen Izzard, who each presented a feast-worthy snapper, weighing 2310 grams and 1585 grams, respectively. The Senior Points competitions were won by Wayne Izzard and Debra Orr, each with a very happy meal of King George whiting, worth 2072 points (740 grams) and 1708 points (610 grams), respectively. Despite an abundance of mini-gummies and mini-schoolies nothing was big enough for the Senior Shark competition, which was uncontested. The Secret Weight prize was awarded to Carrianne Peatey for her 330-gram King George whiting (secret weight 292 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 is scheduled for the weekend of the 5th / 6th of March 2022. For further information about the club, events, competitions, and rules, please visit the website: www.rpiac.com
