TEAM Fishing World, comprising Chris Head, Greg Reid and myself (Ian “Big E” Phillips) drove up to Queensland last week to compete in the 21st Gold Coast Flathead Classic, which was run over three days from October 2-4.
This year saw a record field of entrants with 210 teams and some 535 competitors.
After driving through the night we arrived at Mo Tackle at Coffs Harbour for some “necessary supplies” and after a few hundred dollars later we headed off to arrive mid afternoon on Tuesday at our accommodation at Rays Resorts – straight opposite the Tournament HQ at Southport – where we were looked after brilliantly by the staff and given undercover parking for both the car and the boat.
The Wednesday we headed up to Paradise Point boat ramp and launched Chris’s Top Ender and motored up to Jumpin Pin Bar for the start of our pre-fish.
The weather was great and the tides good and in no time we had boated, measured and released a few nice fish by deep jigging soft plastics, so decided to leave and check out some other spots for trolling as the tide had increased, allowing us to get up on the flats where we again had more fish. We decided that we wouldn’t overdo it on our first day and had an early finish as the competition hours would be from 6:30am to 4:00pm on Thursday and Friday and 6:30am to 2:00pm on Saturday.
Day 1 arrived and with excited anticipation we hit the water and started strong with a couple of quick fish, but then as if a switch was turned we didn’t get another fish for about four hours … but then once we were able to get onto the flats we boated and recorded a number of fish to finish off with a reasonable first day.
The “Big E” with a typical Gold Coast flathead.
Back at Tournament HQ we were placed in 36th position.
Day 2 and the winds had turned SE and we had decided that trolling around Crab Island would be worth a try and again had boated a few fish when Chris got hit by what we thought was a big girl, but after a few minutes It turned out to be an 11.3kg stargazer – looked like a big dusky that had run into the wall. Then it went quiet so we ran back up to the flats we had caught fish on the previous day and again we had instant success and remained there trolling our Micro Mullets in less than a metre of dirty water until stumps.
Chris Head with the unusual looking stargazer that the team was hoping was a “big girl” ie a monster flattie.
On the troll – The boys found Micro Mullets to be as effective as ever on the Goldie’s flathead.
Back at Tournament HQ we found that we had jumped up into 26th position.
Day 3 and as the tides were dropping until mid morning, we decided to head straight to the same flats again and work them until the water had drained and get off them before we were stranded high and dry. First pass and I was hit by a nice fish which we boated, but for some unknown reason it jumped out of the boat with the lure and landing net still attached … Chris fortunately grabbed the net but the fish had escaped; not the sort of start we needed, but in quick succession we landed a number of fish before we had to make our way off the flat.
We the ran up to the Pin to try for a big dusky in the deep but had no success. Back to trolling around the edges of the flats and the run offs and again we were onto fish and very close to the end I lost a very nice fish around the 80cm mark that wasn’t hooked well.
Back at Tournament HQ and the presentation it was announced that the “Champion Visiting Team” was Team Fishing World! Chris, Greg and myself were stoked in the result, we had finished 14th in the three-man teams and 24th overall from 210 teams. I finished in 40th position in the individuals, Chris at 74th and Greg at 296th from 535 individuals. (More results below.)
Team Fishing World (from left) Chris Head, Ian “Big E” Phillips and Greg Reid took out the Champion Visiting Team gong.
Many thanks to the event organisers and all the sponsors of this fantastic tournament.
We will be back and a special thanks to David Green who taught me to “walk on the moon”.
Fishing World’s David Green and his team Dead Fishy, also comprising Peter “Washo” Washington and Kelvin Williams, finished 4th overall.
Talking to Fisho today, Greeny said the 2014 Flathead Classic was another great event and a credit to the organisers, the Gold Coast Sportfishing Club. He also pointed out that Queensland’s slot limit on flathead, brought in around ten years ago by QLD Fisheries, has proven “an effective tool” in managing the state’s quality flathead fishery – proven by the number of 90cm plus fish caught again this year.
The Big E and event MC Merv Hughes swapping flattie tips.
Flathead Classic Results 2014
Total Flathead Caught: 5,566
Total Flathead over 40cm caught: 2,678
Longest Flathead – Overall and Casting – Joe Bonnici
Longest Flathead – Trolling – John Rafton
Longest Flathead Caught by a Junior: Aidan Scott
Longest Mulloway – Brendon Knight – 106cm
Longest Trevally – Shaun Hazza Harrington – 51cm
Longest Tailor – Matt Long – 43cm
Longest Mangrove Jack – Trent Hopkins – 50cm
Longest Estuary Cod – Josh Pagura – 41cm
Longest Whiting – Nick Milford – 40cm
Longest Bream – Dean Dibeler – 32cm
Random Junior Boat Winner – Timothy Angus
Random Senior Boat Winner – Richard Fry
Top 25 team results & points
1 163 Lowrance Whyte Boyz Senior 4895
2 150 HiSeas/AFW Senior 4049
3 171 Wilson Fishing Senior 3905
4 104 Dead Fishy Senior 3334
5 113 The Flatliners Senior 3065
6 170 Team Sands Mixed 2665
7 192 Pig Lures Senior 2609
8 189 Brumbs Marine Senior 2554
9 42 Team Next Year Senior 2546
10 39 Doug Burts Tackleworld Senior 2529
11 180 Team BCF 1 Mixed 2480
12 87 Team On Strike Senior 2462
13 141 The Mad Hueys Senior 2439
14 172 Live Fibre/Zerek Lures Senior 2433
15 167 The Reel Teasers Senior 2375
16 191 Victoria Point Bait & Tac Senior 2370
17 173 Cabbage Tree Point Bait Senior 2344
18 63 STS Marine Senior 2207
19 184 Team ZMan Senior 2183
20 121 Keep It Cool Senior 2121
21 88 CSR Bradford Senior 2014
22 196 G Train & The Cabooses Mixed 2000
23 128 Queensland Fishing Mon Senior 1867
24 26 Fishing World Senior 1866
25 140 Gem Bait & Tackle Senior 1864
More results available HERE and on the Gold Coast Flathead Classic Facebook page.
