REGULAR readers will recall that Fisho recently made the 14-hour trek to compete in the 20th anniversary Flathead Classic on the Gold Coast. (See report HERE.)
It was a great comp but strong winds and dirty water made the fishing challenging. So it was somewhat ironic that the Basin Flattie Classic, just 20 minutes from Fisho’s South Coast HQ, was staged in near perfect conditions with a swag of cracker lizards caught and released.
Staged by Basin Lure and Fly, the comp saw 40+ teams compete on the productive waters of St Georges Basin.
Team Fisho (Ken Smith and Jim Harnwell) ended up taking second place in the heaviest bag of five fish category, which we were pretty stoked about.
Jim Harnwell with one of the flatties caught by Team Fisho. Image: Harry Harnwell
Some great fish were weighed in including an 890mm beast for Peter James Hewitt, an 870mm beauty for JBFF’s Dave Johnson and an 855mm croc for Dean Gill.
Team Shimano (Guy Jamison and Wal Balzan) took heaviest mixed bag with some great flatties and bream.
Fourteen-year-old Harry Harnwell, fishing as a junior on the Fisho boat, took out the “senior” junior prize with a cracker 730mm fish, his PB lizard, that weighed 2.515kg. Other standout junior captures included quality fish by Michael Borg, Isaac Galea and Connor McColl.
Anthony Kalsow with a cracker Basin chopper.
Dave Johnson, from Jervis Bay Flatty Flickers, with a quality 870mm fish.
Harry Harnwell with a 73cm flattie. Image: Ken Smith
All up, the 2013 Basin Flattie Classic a great comp with quality fishing. Check out www.basinlureandfly.org.au for more details* and stay tuned to Fisho for exciting news about what looks to be the imminent return of a very popular bream tournament series…
(*We have just been notified that the Basin Lure & Fly website has been hacked and will hopefully be up and running again soon… Ed.)
Team Shimano’s Wal Balzan with one of the lizards that won them the heaviest mixed bag category.
2013 Basin Flattie Classic results:
Heaviest Flathead
1 – Peter James Hewitt 5.870kg – 890mm
2 – Dave Johnson 5.230kg – 870mm
3 – Dean Gill 3.920kg – 855mm
Heaviest Flathead Female
Joanne Bonaccorsi 1.820kg
Heaviest Flathead Junior
“Senior” junior winner
Harry Harnwell – 2.515kg
1 Michael Borg – .800kg
2 Isaac Galea – .670kg
3 Connor McColl .550kg
Heaviest Flathead on Fly
Glen Godwin – .315kg
Heaviest bag of 5
1 – Cooee Hotel – 11.040kg
2 – Fishing World – 9.309kg
3 – Phishin – 8.360kg
Heaviest Mixed Bag
1 – Shimano – 5.540kg
2 – Catchadafish – 5.185kg
3 – Damiki Pontoon 21 – 5.020kg
Heaviest other Species
Anthony Kalsow – Tailor 2.260kg
Basin lure and fly stalwart Jason Mayberry with his best fish from the comp.
Steve Johnson with a solid 780mm flattie.
Joanne Bonaccorsi, female winner of the largest flathead with a 1.82kg fish.
