THE Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association held their 14th annual Bass fishing tournament at Brogo Dam, NSW on the weekend of December 1 & 2.
The tournament was an outstanding success with 94 anglers fishing the one and a half day event to account for a total of 285 bass. Anglers travelled from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Hillston, Western NSW for the event with 43 teams competing in an assortment of boats, canoes and kayaks.
During the tournament all bass caught were measured, recorded and carefully released. State Fisheries supplied each team with a waterproof measuring rule and each competitor had a catch record card. State Fisheries will collate the catch data to determine growth rates and catch rates, with the data being used to decide future bass stockings into Brogo Dam.
During the event competitors gathered for the nightly raffles with prizes ranging from lure packs, fishing attire, to rods and reels up for grabs.
The winning team: Team Daiwa, John Parbery (left), Matthew Stapleton (right) being presented with their trophy by Taryn Beesley & Darren Redman (FSCBSA President).
Tournament results:
- The Bermagui Beach Hotel trophy for Champion Team, Team Daiwa, 3932mm (team ave).
- The Casella Wines trophy for Champion Angler, Matt Stapleton, 4329mm.
- The Sea Breeze Caravan Park, Tathra trophy for Champion Female Angler, Sue Pauline 3085mm.
- The Tathra Beach House Apartments trophy for Champion Male Angler, Matt Stapleton 4329mm.
- The Countryside Caravan Park, Kalaru trophy for Champion Junior Female, unfortunately was not contested.
- The Tony Harris trophy for Champion Junior Male, Harry Sturgeon, 1112mm.
- The J & J Interiors trophy for Biggest Bass, Steve Rollason, 375mm.
- The Pratts Tackle Box trophy for Biggest Bass caught on Fly, Mark Gibson, 290mm.
- The Pratts Tackle Box trophy for Longest aggregate Bass caught on Fly. Peter Smith 529mm.
- The Lyle Blair Wooden Spoon trophy for Smallest Bass, Josh Wilkinson, 80mm.
- The Hobie Australia trophy for aggregate caught in a canoe/kayak, Josh Carpenter, 1005mm.
- The Hobie Australia trophy for longest bass caught in a canoe/kayak, Josh Carpenter, 325mm
- The Cobargo Hotel trophy for Mystery length, Joe Clark, 222mm.
- The President’s trophy was won by Domenic Ruggiero, for being attacked by a tick on the left butt cheek.
All competitors thoroughly enjoyed themselves and are keenly awaiting next year’s event. The fish will be bigger, as will the tournament.
The FSCBSA would like to thank all the sponsors who helped to make this tournament such a success especially State Fisheries and State Water. All money raised by raffles and entry fees will be used to introduce more bass into Brogo Dam. This will ensure a freshwater fishery of a very high standard.
