PLENTY of flathead and good times on Lake Wagonga have made the inaugural Magic Waters Million Dollar View Fishing Club Flathead Challenge a success.
And the fishing competition continues with the Narooma Sport and Gamefishing Club hosting the 40th annual Australian National Sportfishing Association Convention and more visiting anglers this weekend.
More than 65 anglers in 27 teams battled it out on the inlet on the weekend retiring to O'Brien’s Hotel each afternoon to compare fish stories.
The Narooma flathead challenge was organised by Graeme Dawson and Paul O'Brien of O'Brien's Hotel, which is the home of the Million Dollar View Fishing Club.
The event was taken out by Team Wolf consisting of legendary fishing identity and Tuross Head resident Steve Starling and his partner Andrew Badullovich of Moruya who netted 918 points.
This was only 10 points or 5cm ahead of second place getters Team Lagudi consisting of local lads Dean McGrath, Tim McPherson and James Lagudi.
Another local team, Team Lizard consisting of Bruce Robbins, Neil Morrison and Luke Slade, took home some major prizes winning the largest fish, measuring 75cm, and also best by-catch for a 40cm whiting caught up the top of the estuary on a plastic fished deep.
There was great excitement as Neil fought the biggest fish because Bruce hooked into a 60cm flathead at the same time.
"Everything we touched turned to gold," Bruce said of the second day of fishing.
Locals Aida and Joe Zapasnik took out biggest woman's fish and biggest fish on day one, while brothers Luke and Shane Ovington got the junior award.
The weekend was not without its drama with a competing vessel sinking at a Forster's Bay jetty after the first day of competition.
Jed Murray and Andrew McKinlay were on hand at the presentation to pick up the "jockey wheel" award that was literally a jockey wheel and were able to laugh about the 19-foot Haines they recovered from the bottom after a hole unexplainably appeared at the bow.
They were not deterred and fished the next day in comfort on Jed's dad's big cruiser Ragnar.
Team Liquorland pulled out at the last moment after team member and former Narooma local Vaughn Peters had to go to his wife's side as she had a baby girl six weeks early.
Winner Steve "Starlo" Starling said he had a great time spending a fair bit of time fishing the shallows of the channel, noting the fishing was tough with the flathead off the bite due to the recent rains.
Fishers not only had to deal with still dirty water but also a tsunami warning.
"It's excellent that it's a catch and release tournament and it shows that the organisers are looking after the fish," Starlo said.
All the fish caught in the challenge were caught on soft plastic lures and released after being measured.
Judges Stuart Hindson and Graeme Dawson were on the water during the competition checking progress and motoring over to competitors as they landed big fish.
Dawso said overall the fishing challenge went very well and would be even bigger and better next year, perhaps making use of the Apex ramp to alleviate congestion.
The organisers hope to soon have a website featuring all the results and photographs with all competitors encouraged to enter next year.
All the sponsors were thanked as well as Scotty Cavanaugh from the Raw Prawn praised for feeding the competitors on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
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