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Free Stuff!!
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For a limited time, you will receive a free Stealth or
F111 lure with every order over $50-00.
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| Keith Graham, Vice President of Y.K.S.F.C ( L) presents his son Matthew (R) with a Penn 50VSW
stand up combo as winner of the inaugural Makaira Bullfight |
Yorkeys Knob Sport Fishing Club Inaugural "Makaira Bullfight"
The Yorkeys Knob Sport Fishing Club held their second major tournament of the year the first weekend in October.
Named the ‘Makaira Bullfight’ this was the first stand up 15/24/37 kilo black marlin comp to be held in the far north.
The weather wasn’t kind and only 10 boats competed, most of whom fished off the shelf around Jenny Louise Shoals east
of Cairns and off Linden Bank to the north east. However competition was tough and those that ‘toughed’ it out saw
some memorable action as the marlin turned on some frantic action.
Vic Garret and crew on board White Pointer hooked the first 300 pounder only to lose it at the boat, and their luck
didn’t hold out as they experienced several hook ups and losses throughout the two day comp.
‘Heartbeat’ skippered by yours truly and Bill Spooner with deckhand Tristram Eley had similar action and raised 6 fish
the first day. I played out a 150 kilo black hooked in the tail and brought it almost to within tagging distance before
the sharks had a feed. Then Matthew Graham hooked a spirited 125 kilo black on a 6 kilo skipping tuna and fought him
out fair and square on his 24 kilo Shimano outfit. Tristram managed to tag it which was the first and only billfish
tagged for the tournament.
The club was happy with the outcome in view of the inclement 20 to 25 knot winds and the presentation dinner was well
attended. Matthew took out the Champion Angler and first marlin tagged. The team on board ‘Paquita’ skippered by John
Benks won the prize for the biggest other gamefish, weighing in a 22 kilo Wahoo. The balance of the $10,000 in prizes
was drawn out of the hat. This is always a guaranteed gesture by this new fledgling club that now boasts a membership
of 190 after only 4 months of operation.
Y.N.S.F.C. next comp is ‘The Bottom Bash’ on the weekend of November 11th and 12th, followed by the inaugural
'Wahi Wahi' ( Wahoo and Mahi Mahi), Tournament on December 9th and 10th. Both comps feature over $10,000 in cash
and prizes each, and anyone interested should ring Stuart Vella at the Yorkeys Knob Boating Club on 07 4055 7711 or
E-Mail him on stuart@ykbc.com.au. Numbers are limited so make your expression of interest as soon as possible.
Vip Visitors To The North Queensland Fishing Museum
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| (L to R) Keith Graham - Gail Bransford - Richard Obach. Gail, (daughter of Capt. George
Bransford), and Richard Obach, (the captor of that 1064 lbs. black marlin in 1966), visited the North Qld.
Fishing Museum recently and were fascinated by the array of memorabilia from those early days. Richard had
not been back to Cairns since that momentous day 40 years ago |
The 40th. Anniversary Black Marlin Tournament attracted a host of international visitors to Cairns many of whom
were associated with the early days of black marlin fishing.
The presentation dinner at the conclusion of the tournament hosted 800 participants and guests and was a veritable
‘who’s who’ of the game fishing world, all of whom were treated to a brilliant video presentation of the event and
some historic footage of those early captures and the personalities who flocked to Cairns in search of that illusive
‘grander’.
During the evening the Nth. Qld. Fishing Museum’s curator, Tristram Eley, and I chatted to many of the black marlin
luminaries including Dennis (Brazakka) Wallace, Laurie Woodbridge (who showed us the entry in Sea Baby 2’s log of
that memorable capture in 1966), Peter Goadby, Peter Wright, Rob Kramer ( President of the I.G.F.A.), Johnno Johnson,
(Hall of Fame Inductee), Gail Bransfords, (daughter of George Bransford), Richard Obach (the captor of that 1064
lbs. black marlin), Neil Patrick and many others. In fact we obtained their autographs on the dinner menu which is
now on display at the N.Q.F. Museum.
It was also our pleasure to welcome many of these famous anglers and authors to the Museum the days following to view
some of the early exhibits including one of Capt. Bransfords original Penn Senator reels, which Richie Obach kindly
signed for posterity.
Interesting to discuss similar views on the state of the game fishing world and to hear them reminisce about the
early days, about the ones that got away, and the ones that didn’t! A rare chance to get to know some of these
early game fishing pioneers and to compare tackle used then as opposed to now, it was fascinating stuff!
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| Rob Kramer and his lovely wife Lara visited the museum en route to a days barra fishing on the
Daintree River with Terry Holman. Apparantly they caught 8 barra on lures, not a bad effort! |
The famous New Zealand game boat skipper Snooks Fuller was particularly interested in some of our early game fishing
rods and reels and marvelled at the size of a black marlin in full flight on a photograph supplied by Capt. Col Beck
from the 1970’s. The hole it left in the water as it jumped was the size of a D12 and estimates from many a learned
skipper put it’s size at between 1650 lbs. to 2050 lbs. Sadly this fish broke the wire next to the boat after a
prolonged fight, but the legend lives on.
No doubt one day Cairns will produce the biggest black marlin - they’re here every year!
Currently showing at the museum is footage of my son Matthew catching an 850 pound black on ‘Joe Joe’. It was a
gruelling 45 minute fight before this fish was tagged and the dramatic footage is creating much interest.
The North Queensland Fishing Museum is at Bransfords Tackle Shop, Clifton Beach and is open seven full days, entry
is free.
Note: If you have any early game fishing reels used during the early days of the Cairns Black Marlin Fishery and you
wish to sell or loan them to the museum please contact Keith Graham on 07 4055 3918
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Fishing News
