TGFC finds Sucess at Innisfail

By Greg Gibert (Gilbert Group QLD)

Just a quick e-mail to let you know that my team representing The Townsville Game Fishing Club fishing on our boat G'd Up, won the Innisfail Game Fishing Clubs annual billfish tournament last weekend, Our team consisted of Mick Mears (Skipper) Rob Vearing (decky and angler) Craig Fitzsimmons (angler) Jan Gilbert (angler) and myself (angler and team captain) all TGFC members.

We had perfect conditions all through the three days from Saturday through to Monday afternoon. We caught a sailfish and a small black marlin and were coming second on count back at the end of on day one, the second day condition were fantastic but we failed to land one sail fish and two black marlin that failed to hook up, this saw us going into day three in fourth position with Mauna Kea leading, and Iona and Kanahoee second and third respectfully,

We got a strike by a large black marlin just after start fishing but did not hook him up, shortly after a nice sail fish took the shotgun lure and we had him at the boat in about fifteen minutes tagged photographed (see attached) and released, soon after the sail fish was released a small black marlin took a swimming scad and we had it tagged and released in five minutes, this brought us back into contention as none of the lead boat scored any fish on the first sked's. Not long after the first sked was finished a nice black marlin took another swimming scad and after about ten minutes we had a tag in him and let him on his way. We now were leading the tournament and held the lead with no other lead boats tagging any bill fish on day three, this saw us win the event by one billfish. Our team won the champion team, Mick Mears won champion skipper, Rob Vearing won Champion Decky and I won Champion angler days one and three and also won champion angler and champion visiting angler.

We all had a great weekend at Innisfail with twenty four boats competing, it was great to win a large tournament against some of the best boats and skipper in the country and in our own boat. The event was very well run and was the best in it long history.


CONGRATULATIONS TGFC!!!