Groote Eylandt 22st Annual Billfish Tournament : Comp Calendar & Results

Matt Flynn

PRESS RELEASE
**********

GROOTE EYLANDT GAME & SPORT FISHING CLUB inc

Invites you to the

22ST ANNUAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT

Saturday 25th October to Sunday 2nd November 2008
Attention Billfish Enthusiasts,

Groote Eylandt Game & Sport Fishing Club and Escape Sportfishing Lodge would like to invite you and your team to participate in the 2008 Annual Billfish Tournament from the 25th of October to the 2nd of November at Groote Eylandt.

It is the 22nd Billfish Tournament (tag and release only) held at Groote Eylandt and 2nd tournament held in partnership with Andrew Ã¢â‚¬Å“ETÃ¢â‚¬Â

Balls · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject: Last years tournament

G'day all

I fished the Groote comp last year with Gary Quinn & John Cooper from GS Marine & Josh Ker. We boated from Gove to Groote & fished their comp for 3 days before returning to fish the Gove comp. 12 days on the water & lots of kms later it was a great trip, exceptional experience in a unique area with a good crew.

The Groote area proved to have good number of Sails & in general a lot larger then the Sails we normally catch off Broome & Darwin. Its definitely worth the trip if any one is thinking about heading there. At this stage we are going back to fish their comp. One suggestion is don't rely on obtaining local bait, if you're going there organise sufficient bait before hand, gars, mullet, small tarpon, queenfish & milkfish would be a good start.

Pretty stock standard technique for the Sails with skipping gars & small swim baits effective. Toothie critters weren't too bad on the Billfish grounds for those who prefer to cover ground with lures, the Longtail Tuna we caught in the area were all in excess of 10 kg which is big compared to Darwin.

All in all weather permitting I reckon it would be a great opportunity for the new & or experienced stick fish chaser, we didn't have any definite Marlin strikes, but the bigger baits will be taken with us this year, as there were a few landed & quite a few arses smacked by the shorter billed stick fish, cheers Balls.

2rods · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject:

BALLS don't forget to pack the "ooz...oh" ...heard you found a liking for it last trip :drinking2:

Balls · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject: Ouzo baitrigging requirements

G'day 2 Rods

What the crew didn't tell you is after wearing my favourite baitrigging shirt for 12 days I was required to be Anaesthetised while rigging new baits each afternoon while the remaing crew were flapping around in the water waiting for something to try to eat them. I have found a well proportioned Ouzo or two takes the edge of the smell of the bait rigging shirt. At the end of the two comps I had to hide the shirt as Quinnie & John wanted to keep it as a souvenir, I think?? After arriving back home after the tournament I was walking past the garbo one day & low & behold I found my favourite baitrigging shirt in the garbo, I suspect my wife may have accidently placed it in the garbo. Alls good, I retrieved it & its ready for the return trip to Groote Eylandt, I know this will make Quinnie & Johno extremely happy to know we are taking my favourite & lucky bait rigging shirt with us for good Karma. I just have to make sure my wife doesn't wash it & or turf it again. I might have to take a bit more Ouzo this year, as its seen a lot of attention from slimy hands & billfist baits, maybe the crew might even indulge in a change of drinks, all that Bourban couldn't be good for you, cheers Balls.

Matt Flynn · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:20 am Post subject:

Just got sent this from Bob Morris who is in the comp ...

He writes: Fished the first two days of the Groote Eylandt tournament this weekend. We raised nine sails for the two days and tagged four. We were the only boat to tag a fish in the first two days of the comp but it goes for another week yet so I'm sure there will be plenty more. Gary Quinn and his crew on board The Judge tagged a little black marlin the day before the comp and another was raised on Sunday so I reckon someone will nail one or two before the end of the week."

noundz · **Barrabucks points on hand:** Locked **Bank:** Locked

Not in the comp.......got to look after the kids :banghead:

Got a few mates in it, maybe I can rob a story and some pics to post :roll:

Look forward to go in it next year :mrgreen:

or maybe get out and catch one after the comp 8-)

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