SCGFC Garmin Gamefish Classic 2020

 

70 anglers comprising 8 female anglers and 6 juniors fronted for the annual SCGFC Garmin Gamefish Classic on the first weekend of February 2020 at the Kawana Waters Hotel on the Sunshine Coast.  With great weather forecast 22 boats nominated.  Heavy tackle billfish score 3:1 points wise so that was the gamble for the boats first thing Saturday morning, go for numbers of sometimes prolific black marlin or try and tick over 1-2 blue or striped marlin per day.

 

At the end of the weekend 49 strikes had been recorded for 36 hookups resulting in 26 fish tagged or captured comprising 20 billfish (11 blue marlin, 7 black marlin 1 striped marlin, 1 sailfish) with all of the other gamefish non qualifying (wrong species or didn’t exceed line class).

 

Major trophies in order

 

Champion Team Overall – Big Business – 3 tagged blue marlin Champion Angler Overall – Brent Burton (Big Business) 2 tagged blue marlin Champion Angler Runner Up – Dan Halliday (Sicario) 1 tagged blue marlin on time Champion Male Angler Heavy Tackle – Brent Burton (Big Business) 2 tagged blue marlin Champion Male Angler Light Tackle – Hunter Armytage  (Capricorn) 2 tagged black marlin Champion Female Angler Heavy Tackle – Amy Richards (Site Office) 1 tagged blue marlin Champion Junior Angler – PJ Bennett (Infinity) 2 tagged black marlin Champion Boat 7m and Under – Reel Nauti – 1 tagged sailfish Champion Boat 7m and Over – Big Business – 3 tagged blue marlin

Runner- up Champion Boat 7m and Over – Sicario – 2 tagged blue marlin Meritorious Effort Award – Nate Laurie – non line class spotty mackerel from substitute boat after first boat broke down with engine problems.

Hard Luck Story – Wild Ocean breaking down (Jason Allen, Chris Laurie, Nate Laurie) Earlybird Entry – Charles Le Coste (No Frills) First Billfish Day 1 – PJ Bennett (Infinity) Last Billfish Day 1 – Daniel Arnold (Privateer) First Billfish Day 2 – Mick Hay (Capricorn) Last Billfish Day 2 – Jordan Flood (Team Garmin) Lucky Angler Sked 1 – Peter Bain (Scaley Tail) Lucky Angler Sked 2- Steven Murphy (Tag n Brag) Lucky Angler Sked 3 – Josh Flood (Team Garmin) Lucky Angler Sked 4 – Chris Laurie (Wild Ocean) Lucky Angler Sked 5- Brett Barton (Sicario) Lucky Angler Sked 6 – Tom Kalic (Team Seakeeper)

 

Calcutta

1 Big Business bought by Todd Kalpus

2 Sicario bought by the Ben Campbell Syndicate

3 Site Office bought by the crew

 

Major Lucky Draw Winners

 

$3,000 Garmin Dollars – Brent Burton (Big Business)

$2,000 Garmin Dollars – Braden Byrne (Reel Crazy)

$1,000 Garmin Dollars – Ethan Harrington (Tag n Brag) ARB Fridge – Tom Kalic (Team Seakeeper) Big Evakook  Icebox – Duane Jay (Get n Any)