FISHING World, in conjunction with Melville Island Lodge and sponsors from the Australian tackle industry, is working with the Tiwi College to help indigenous students learn about modern sportfishing techniques.
A team of six Fisho writers are travelling to Melville Island, north of Darwin, today to take part in the inaugural Melville Fishing Challenge.
The writers – David Green, John Newbery, Peter Zeroni, Sami Omari, Jamie Crawford and editor Jim Harnwell – will compete against each other using tackle, line and lures donated by Shimano, Plano, Halco, Atomic, Platypus, Gamakatsu and Rapala.
Melville Island Lodge, which is rated as one of Australia’s leading sportfishing lodges, is the major sponsor of the event.
Stay tuned to the Fisho website over the next week to see who wins – and loses! The smart money is on Fisho stalwart David Green – a noted barra expert who’s just spent the past few months fishing extensively in the NT – taking honours as the champion angler. But Greeny will face tough competition from young guns in the form of Sydney-based Sami Omari and Fisho’s SA Correspondent Jamie Crawford, both of whom are talented and dedicated anglers. NT Correspondent Peter Zeroni is sure to put his Top End experience to good use and long-time writer John Newbery and the editor, both of whom have fished at the Lodge before, will doubtless put in a big effort as well.
After the three-day Challenge, the team will visit the Tiwi College, located at nearby Pickaramoor, to donate to the college a stack of gear, lures and tackle supplied by the abovementioned tackle companies and work with the local students to develop their casting, knot-tying and lure fishing skills. The hope is that the kids will use the tackle and the experience they’ll gain from the Fisho team to learn more about sportfishing and perhaps even develop an interest in one day becoming a guide or charter operator.
The Melville Fishing Challenge is the brainchild of Mike Baxter, owner of Melville Island Lodge and a long-time supporter of the Tiwi College. The Fishing Challenge is just a small part of an extensive campaign being staged by Baxter and his team at the Lodge to help the Tiwi College and its students reach their full potential. For more info on the college, visit tiwicollege.com. For info on Melville Island Lodge, visit melvillelodge.com.au. In the meantime, stay tuned to fishingworld.com.au for all the results plus inside info on what is sure to be a hard-fought comp!
