THE Carlton Mid and Blue Water Legal 30th Golden Lure fishing tournament in Port Macquarie wrapped up on Saturday.
Thirty one boat competitors entered from as far as Dubbo, Sydney and Lake Macquarie with 143 anglers competing for more than $40,000 in cash and prizes in the four-day event. The weather was great and the fishing was spectacular. There were 117 game fish tagged over the four days’ fishing, including 56 marlin and five sharks. There were 16 fish captured including a 331kg mako shark.
Port Macquarie locals featured in the winners list. Tag and Release Champion Boat went to local That’s Gold II skippered by Rikki Baird and the Champion Male Angler to local Dave Wilson Jnr on That’s Gold II. Champion Female Capture was won by Kylie MacBeth on Mustang and Champion Small Fry Tag and Release was won by 10-year-old Ryan Kaczorowski, who tagged nine mahi mahi on Hermans Heroes. Heaviest Marlin went to Sean Murphy on Eastbound.
Other winners from visiting clubs include Champion Capture Boat, won by Sea Baby IV, and Champion Male Capture angler, Barry Wile on Wave Rider. Champion Lady Tag and Release was Valentino Raco on Team Simrad and Champion Junior Tag and Release was Ebony Brown on Rarely In.
On Tuesday the Tammy and Richard Kirkby Memorial Charity Day was held for lady and junior anglers. Seventeen boats competed with many of the anglers experiencing game fishing for the first time and raising more than $1500 for the Oncology Ward of the Port Base Hospital.
