November 21-22nd, 2020 Angling Competition

It’s Snapper-time and the Rhyll-Phillip Island Angling Club (RPIAC) held the 4th fishing competition for the 2020 / 2021 season, which also decided the annual winner of the Bill Wallis Trophy. The weekend-long fishing competition started on the 21st of November and concluded at the close of weigh-in at 5:30 pm on Sunday the 22nd.
Sunrise and a rising tide greeted anglers on each day and the bay was dotted with boats. “The early bird gets the worm” was the motivation for anglers and the boat ramp carpark was at capacity by morning-tea. Indeed, an early start proved rewarding for most. A total of 44 fish and 3 sharks were presented for weigh-in over the weekend. Celebrating better weather and some easing of state-wide Covid restrictions, the plan was to go hard and catch big. Achievements for the weekend were impressive despite the fickle appetites of our finned friends and the abundance of hand-sized juvenile snapper.
The Bill Wallis Trophy and cash incentives for extraordinary catches provided additional motivation for members to participate in this weekend’s competition. The first to catch, members only, competition weekend incentives for five eligible species remain unclaimed. The nominated species for a first-to-catch $1,000 prize, for fish equal to or exceeding the nominated weight, are: King George Whiting (1,000 grams), Snapper (10.0 kilograms), Gummy Shark (20.0 kilograms), Mulloway (25.0 kilograms) and Kingfish (25.0 kilograms).
The Squidgies Mixed Bag competition, for participants aged nine or younger, was again contested by two anglers. Zachary Gomm delivered 1 fish, totalling 20 points, runner-up to reigning Squidgie Club Champion, Denver Firth. Denver excelled and was pleased with his catch of 5 fish, totalling 90 points.
The Junior competition was limited to the points category and Pheonix Firth’s stranger whiting, worth 780 points (195 grams), was awarded the prize.
Consistent with everyone’s expectations for big snapper, the Senior Heaviest Weight contests were dominated by some worthy beasts (Pagrus auratus). The most impressive snapper was caught by David Soler, that weighed 5,350 grams, to win the male prize. The female prize was won by Tenille Firth, who caught a great snapper too, weighing 3,800 grams. The Senior Points competitions were won by James Nicolaci and Leah Valente, each presenting mouth-watering specimens of King George whiting for weigh-in, worth 1,876 points (670 grams) and 1,484 points (530 grams), respectively. James Nicolaci won the battle for flake, winning the Senior Shark competition with a gummy shark of 6,565 grams. To complete Duncan Firth’s weekend of family fishing, the Secret Weight competition prize was awarded for his 640-gram King George whiting (secret weight 612 grams).
The Bill Wallis Trophy, for the highest aggregate of units from Weight and Points categories, was awarded to David Soler, with a total of 6,764 units. David was pleased to present a 505-gram King George whiting and a 5,350-gram snapper for weigh-in, and will no doubt be pleased to see his name added to the trophy.
The next competition will be held over the weekend of the 5th / 6th of December 2020. For further information about the club, events, competitions and rules, please visit the website: www.rpiac.com