Gippsland Lakes Angling, Game and Sports Fishing Club will host a snapper competition over the weekends of January 19 and 20 and 26 and 27.
A prize presentation and barbecue will be held from 3pm on the final day of competition at the Gippsland Lakes Fishing Club clubrooms on Bullock Island.
Registration forms must be filled in and conditions/rules of the competition accepted and signed by each competitor. Forms can be found on the club’s Facebook page or at the Lakes Entrance Caltex.
Each fishing day will be declared before 7pm the night prior. Fishing will commence from 12.01am of each declared fishing day.
Fish will be weighed from 11am to 12pm and 5pm to 6pm on the first weekend. Weigh in times are the same for January 26, however weigh ins on the final day will go from 2pm to 3pm with presentation start at 3.15pm sharp.
Committee member, Ryan Ware, is hoping to see a large fleet hit the water in search of that prize-winning snapper.
“We are hoping that we get a lot of entries. So far we don’t have that many, but hopefully people are just leaving it until the last minute to sign up,” he said.
“We are keen for everyone to get out there on the water.
“This is the first one we have organised. A fair bit of organisation has gone into it. We have also been figuring out public liability because it is an offshore event. If the weather is bad and we tell people to go out and fish it could leave us liable.”
“The competition should be good. We have planned it over two weekends so if the weather is bad one weekend, there is still time to catch a decent snapper.
“With one of the competition’s weekends being over the Australia Day long weekend, hopefully there will be plenty of people here that will want to have a go. Instead of going to chase participants, we have organised it when lots of people are going to be in town. While they’re here hopefully they bring their family along to have a go.”
There will be a $1000 senior, $500 junior (under 16) and secret weight prizes with everyone welcome to enter.
“There are plenty of prizes and lots of different small ones for kids as well,” Ryan said.
“We are encouraging families and kids to go. Everyone is welcome to participate, you don’t have to be a member, you can just rock up and fish on the day after filling out the registration.
“We are looking for more members so if people like what they see they are free to join, but you don’t have to be a member to compete.”
