Game on for mighty marlin

Published 6:00am 6 March 2023

Words by Nick Crockford

Anglers and crews will be looking to reel in close to $100,000 cash and prizes at Newport Game Fish Club’s (NGFC) Marlin Extravaganza this weekend.

Sanctioned by Queensland Game Fishing Association (QGFA), the boat-only tournament on March 11-12, has one of the biggest prize pools in the state.

Last year’s champion boat Tango sailed away with $30,207. This year’s winning vessel will be looking at more than $40,000.

Categories include $15,000 to the overall champion team, $5000 to champion boats in both the 8m and under and over 8m categories, plus a host of individual prizes.

Tango crew members with their overall winners' cheque.

Sponsored by Trask Land and Garmin, the two-day competition with "junior” sections, is attracting entries from far and wide.

“Boats come currently from as far north as Hervey Bay and as far south as to the New South Wales border,” NGFC Secretary Brad Greinke said.

“The intention is to grow the tournament each year to be one of the largest on the east coast of Australia.”

This weekend anglers are chasing billfish (targets marlin and sailfish) - tagging and releasing catches with light tackle billfish getting 1500 points, heavy tackle billfish 3000 points.

The fishing ground will be an area running due east of Double Island Point in the north down to a line east of Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

Mr Greinke said boats using light tackle would be fishing a depth of 20m-150m and typically catch black marlin with a bi catch of wahoo, dolphin fish and spanish mackeral.

Heavy tackle would reach depths of around 150m-1000m and typically catch striped marlin and blue marlin, with a bi catch of dolphin fish and yellow fin tuna.

Newport Game Fishing Club was formed in 2017 “for mates, by mates with a passion for fishing and creating the next generation of keen anglers”.