The Jervis Bay Game Fishing Club’s Annual Okuma Whitesands Tournament was run and won over the last weekend in November.
The tournament produced some of the most outstanding achievements ever seen in its 19 year history. Over 150 fish were recorded including over 100 Yellowfin Tuna. Blue marlin, Big eye Tuna, Tiger Sharks, Mako Sharks, Albacore, Kingfish and Striped Tuna made up the balance of the numbers.
The most outstanding achievements would have to go the crew of “Beefa II”, where angler Domenic Cimilio captured a 97.2kg Big eye Tuna. The fish is currently a pending Australian Record on 24kg Line.
Other outstanding achievements include a 217.4kg Blue Marlin to angler Craig Douglas aboard “Escape”, a 55.8kg Yellowfin Tuna to Wayne Turner of “Angie II”, a 148.4kg Mako Shark on 8kg line to Paul Bayley on “Outcast” and a 232.8kg Mako Shark on 15kg line to Jason Sinclair aboard “Childs Play”. The Tag and release section was also hotly contested, with Hang Loose tagging an amazing 11 Yellowfin Tuna over the weekend- with both Anglers Mitch Allan and Riley Randall achieving 1st and second respectively in the Champion Angler section. Junior angler Zoey O’Connor from the boat “Opportunatee” put on a great performance to take out both the Junior and Senior female categories in the ladies section. The prominent Champion Boat Tag and release section was well earned by the Batemans bay boat “Opportunatee”, closely followed by Hang Loose, Reel Shattered and Team Okuma.
Team Okuma did extremely well, tagging 7 Yellowfun Tuna over the weekend. What a great start for the newly wrapped 24’ Caribbean “Reel Game” from the Band of Brothers crew. Their success was thanks of the great effort of the crew, Dennis Minuti, Aqua Pucciarelli, Iain Houlford and Caige Fenech. Trolling around the canyons with their selection of Pakula and Rapala lures, paired with the Okuma Makaria’s, proved to be lethal combination.
The winners took home of $45,000 worth of prizes which capped off an amazing 3 days of fishing.
Big thank you to all the JB committee including Dave Fenech, Eddie Johnson, Terry James, Paul Trotter and Ron Simpson. Many thanks to all those who participated and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.
Anthony Raco
Vice President
JB GFC
