PERFECT conditions greeted competitors fishing the annual BFJ Challenge on the Shoalhaven River yesterday morning. Some 55 teams and 11 juniors competed in the C&R event, organised by Gavin McCallum, Johnny Nolan and Chris Neville from popular Nowra-based McCallum’s Tackle World shop.
Target species were bream, flathead and jewfish (hence the BFJ moniker). Plenty of flathead in the lower reaches of the river meant most teams weighed in respectable bags. Bream were a bit challenging – possibly due to a fresh from recent heavy rain – while the local jewies played hardball.
Boats lined up during the weigh-in after the McCallum’s 2013 BFJ Challenge.
Top local angler Grant Kime was the only competitor Fisho heard about who tangled with a jew. Grant told us he hooked the fish, estimated at 10kg, on a blade on bream gear. He played it to the boat where it unfortunately spat the hook … The biggest bream we saw was a 36cm model caught by Scott Greenaway.
Scott Greenaway with a 36cm Shoalhaven River bream.
One of the more unusual captures was a large blackfish caught on a hard-body lure by local police inspector Steven Johnson and his crew of juniors while fishing around some oyster leases.
Local fisho Steven Johnson put his young team onto a quality lure eating blackfish.
The event was won by Mark Webber and Matt Sherlock with a bag of bream and flatties that weighed in at 4.98kg. Second place was taken by Jason Mayberry and Terry Parmenter with 4.26kg, while talented young guns Ben Malby and Tom Herbert took third place honours with 3.96kg.
Gavin McCallum (centre) presents prizes to 4th place getters Troy Parsons and Ryan Jamieson.
Team Fishing World, consisting of Jim Harnwell and Mark Luscombe, weighed in two bream and three lizards for 1.94kg.
The top ranking Junior was Jack Gourlay who weighed in a 1.4kg bag of three nice flathead.
The event was sponsored by McCallum’s Tackle World with prizes donated by Shimano, Daiwa and Pure Fishing.
To find out details on the 2014 McCallum’s Tackle World BFJ challenge, contact the boys at McCallum’s on (02) 44 212418. (Scroll down for more images)
Top local chef (and mad keen angler!) Wes Murphy cooked up a treat for hungry competitors.
Local anglers Ryan Jamieson and Lochlan Gubb enjoy a cold drink after the comp. Like the shirt, Gubby!
