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Weekend Competition July 6th

It wasn’t a day for the meek and mild when five boats took to the sea for the July 6 Angling Section weekend competition. The winds were never really going to be a problem but some isolated winter squalls guaranteed the 10 anglers earned every fish. Patches of sunshine kept hopes buoyant, but the water was stirred up from the run of winter weather, including swells which have been a boon for surfers but not so great for anglers.

The Angling Section doesn’t award prizes for performances above and beyond the call of duty, but if it did, then Paddy Keenan-Smith would have been a worthy recipient. With his wife Sue laid up for the day, Paddy was kicking about as many goals as the Dockers did in the Derby when he hit the water with Ray Wilson in the red hull aluminium boat they share. Paddy rarely gets seasick, but at one stage the lovely banana muffins Ray and he shared in the cabin during one period of persistent precipitation, was perilously close to becoming herring berley.

But like the trooper he is, Paddy soldiered on against the odds and his efforts were rewarded at the weigh-in when he was announced the winner of the competition after landing five species including king george, sand whiting, herring, flathead and a goatfish. Ray chimed in with a dozen or so sandies that had long ago graduated from primary school, one weighing 0.348kg, and some others around 0.3kg. He capped his day with five squid, the biggest tipping the scales at 1.06kg, on anchor with a small sandie laced to a quid spike attached with 2m of line on a herring float.

Coralie and Bob Litster were solid contributors, with sandies, herring, squid, king george and a goatie, while newcomer Chris Walkey landed a variety of fish including three skippy. While Paddy won the day with 57.40 points, Coralie was second with 51.97 points but she didn’t go home empty handed, winning the mystery fish prize – a goatie. John Bech took out the lucky boat award. The next competition, the penultimate for the Angling Section’s fishing year, is scheduled for August 10, with a 7am departure from the ramps. Contact field day coordinator Bob Litster on 0417 189 776 to join in the fun, and the chance to have $110 put in to your House Support Scheme.

Event Report by Ray Wilson