Western Australia young gun, Joseph Gardner, the recently crowned Hobie Angler of the Year, has taken out the season ending Hobie Fishing Series 15 Australian Championship at Camden Haven on the New South Wales mid north coast recently.
The event was the culmination of nine rounds and three qualifying events, as the 54 top Hobie kayak in the country took to the shallow water inlet in search of the coveted title.
The field included the defending champion Lakes Entrance’s Stephen Pryke, and round winners Richard Patterson (Bemm River), Jason Reid (St Georges Basin), Gardner (Little Swamport), Dylan Pace (Swan River), Tyson Hayes (Woy Woy), Greg Lewis (Georges River), Ben Hanscombe (Mallacoota) and Luke Rogan (Gold Coast/Forster).
Qualifying event winners Alex Greisdorf (Kalgan River) and Travis Newland (Blackwood River) were also in the field, with the rest made up of the of the top point scores throughout the series.
Gardner dominated the event, leading at the conclusion of all three days, his nine fish total weighing in at 5.69 kilograms, finishing narrowly ahead of New South Wales pair, Grant Oliver (5.470) and Peter Cook (5.41).
The biggest bream on each day were caught by Andrew Death (.84), Zachary Morozoff (.90) and Glenn Allen (.86).
The East Gippsland region was represented by Pryke (30th), Peter Nord (44th), Paul Hardiman (46th) and Ruth Beeby (50th).
Beeby was ill and didn’t fish the final day but was delighted to have made the Australian Championship field for the third consecutive year.
“It was a disappointing finish but it’s always great to qualify and compete against the best kayak anglers in the country,” Beeby said.
Planning is underway to make Hobie Fishing Series 16 in 2025, bigger and better than ever.
