A big thankyou to Paul Maindok who is Kalbarri Electrical Services for his sponsorship and naming rights again this year.
Thanks also to The Kalbarri RSL who donate a $50.00 voucher each month that goes to the meritorious catch of the comp.
Some pretty ordinary weather presented itself for the boaties but the fish were biting so most did not notice. Only a few fish were weighed from the bottom, a big snapper from the landbased guys and lots of bream from the river.
On the first day Steve Wiseman was out early aboard his boat “Top Deck” with Lance Turner and son Dylan fishing as a junior.. Lance had the luck landing a good mackerel on 6kg line that went 9.8kgs and Dylan had one to the boat but the hooks pulled at the last moment. Very unlucky Dylan! Stan Sutherland was out with Alan and Sue Olive aboard Alan’s new 8m boat. Powered by twin 225hp outboards, that boat must fly! And so it proves that the bigger the boat the more fish you catch! Stan had a 3.5kg tuna on 2kg line. While Ron Neumann weighed an 8.1kg mackerel on 6kg line from Paul Maindok’s boat “Santa Barbara”. Laurie Malton with Sue and Jared aboard “Bulawayo Buoy” missed out on the action, being at the right place at the wrong time and later at the wrong place at the right time!

Stan with his tuna on 2kg line and biggest mackerel for the year so far Lance Turner.

Ron Neumann’s 6kg line class mackerel.

The river produced some very big bream and looks like everyone got one. The juniors were thick on the ground with Dylan Ivey, Beau ivey, Ryley Eley, James Dooley and Luke Dooley all weighing in.
The senior section all found bream with a lot of the bream bigger than normal and mostly kept alive to be returned.. Garry Ivey had 3 bream while Son lee had 4, Peter Duigan 2 and Brett Bain 4 bream with one of them going 1.085kgs.
No one landed a fish from the beach the first day but Karen Hartig was there but no luck.

Brett Bain with his 1.085kg specimen
The second day saw the junior catch rate drop with only Luke Dooly weighing in a mullet. The seniors brought in a lot more fish with Lee Ivey with 3, Gary Ivey, 1, Brett Bain 1, and Peter Duigan 4 of which a couple were tailor. This was a surprise for Peter who won his first ever river section prize! Rylee Eley maintained her lead from the first day winning the junior section.
Karen Hartig again fished the beach without lick but Nic Bramwell showed us how it is done with a big 7.8kg pink snapper and a dart, winning him the landbased section and the RSL meritorious prize of a $50.00 voucher donated by the Kalbarri RSL.

Nic Bramwell’s 7.8kg pinky

Lee with one of her bream and Lui and Brett release the tagged bream after the weigh in.

The second day out in the ocean was windier than ever, and the bigger boats faired well. Stan, Alan and Sue found the fish with Stan weighing 2 mackerel on 3kg line, Alan had a 7.8kgmackerel on 4kg line and Sue a commendable 4.05kg tuna on 3kg line.

Sue Olive with her 3kg line class tuna and Stan holds the Overall Trophy.
Ron Neumann again had a mackerel on 6kg line but was not big enough to beat Lance Turner who won the 6kg line class prize. Alan Olive took out the 4kg line class, Stan Sutherland the 3kg line class as well as the 2kg class and the overall. Well done Stan!
The bottom section was fished by Graeme Black and Lou Palmara aboard “Southwind” but only recording a few fish between them and Phil Hearps aboard “Gunna Doo” weighed a 2.1kg baldie but Graeme took out the prize with his 3 fish.
Amy Gardner and Phil Hearps won the scratchies raffle and Phil also picked up the Mystery fish for his baldie. Sue Olive won the restaurant draw and Nic Bramwell won the RSL Meritotious as well as Mug Of The Day with his broken down car that he was bragging about that was running so well for so long, and breaking his tow strap as well.
Every thing is flowing smoothly for the big Kalbarri Classic at the end of February and info packs and entry forms can be obtained from the Kalbarri Visitor Centre free call 1800 639 468.
Next local comp is on the 21st February followed by the Kalbarri Classic on the 27th Feb. to 1st March.

Laurie Malton