Krystal Hadley won the junior Heaviest Coral Trout division with this capture
Yorkeys Knob Sports Fishing Club - YKSFC - is based at Half Moon Bay Marina at Yorkeys Knob, Cairns, Australia. They hold regular
tournaments and competitions, as well as information nights and fishing talks to educate new and old anglers about different
techniques and equipment, sustainable fishing through practicing catch & release and tag & release.
The club takes an active approach towards junior anglers, and membership structure encourages family memberships. For the 2008/2009
season, the club counts 50+ boats big and small as members, with a very active tournament schedule throughout the year.
For enquiries, including membership enquiries, call Stuart on 07 4055 7711 at Half Moon Bay Marina.
Boat Scene Fishing Classic
Following a postponement of this bottom bouncing comp. It was re-scheduled for the weekend of November 1st & 2nd
and still the winds blew 15 to 20 knots, however this didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the 38 boats and teams competing.
The consolation for most competitors was that the fish were on the chew and some mega sized reds and coral trout
were brought to the weigh in. The rules were simple, use any legal tackle you like up to 37 kilo line - even
handlines were OK.
The prize list was, as is always the case with YKSFC, quite incredible with the major 5 prizes being Saltiga Z40
Overheads and custom built Wilson Live Fibre rods. In addition to this there were a number of lucky door prizes,
a 3 course presentation dinner and a ‘Calcutta’ that ran into the thousands. Not bad for a nomination fee of around $100!
Krystal Hadley won the junior Heaviest Coral Trout division with this capture
The presentation dinner seated 150 anglers and some guests as they all waited with baited breath (sorry about the pun)
for the results. As it was a team event the winners were announced by boat name as follows:
- Heaviest Coral Trout - ’REEL RUNNER’
- Heaviest Nannygai - ‘PROWLER’
- Heaviesr Red Emperor - ’AFTER HOURS’
- Heaviest combined of all 3 species - ’GOOSANKA’
There was one individual prize for the heaviest junior capture of a Coral trout, and that went to Krystal Hadley.
A big thankyou to all the sponsors especially the major sponsor Boat Scene of Mulgrave Road in Cairns, who have
already agreed to sponsor the event next year!
Another great comp for the fast growing Y.K.S.F.C.
Membership enquiries to Stuart on 40-557711
Junior Member Celeb James with his first ever Nannygai - his biggest fish to date
Yorkeys Knob Sport Fishing Club Bottom Bouncing Comp!
It’s amazing how the weather gods can sometimes shine on us! The last Saturday in March turned on 8 to 10
knot sou easters for the Yorkeys Knob S.F.C. Bottom Bouncing comp with over 60 anglers in 18 boats taking part.
The three target species were Coral Trout, Nannygai and Red Emperor with all the keen anglers setting off
for the start by midnight on the Friday whilst the civilised mob set off at first light Saturday morning.
There were no excuses for skippers not to fish their favourite grounds and the radio chatter soon revealed
some big fish were being caught. My son Matthew and I headed off south around Flynn Reef and opted to drift
fish in 50 to 60 metres.
We had some tough struggles with XOS Chinaman and Bludger Trevally, then the sharks moved in. We couldn’t
win a trick until early in the afternoon when Matthew hauled in a respectable 7.5 kilo Emperor. I followed
this up with a 6 kilo specimen and we thought we were in for a hot session. Those bloody sharks moved in
again and we lost the next three reds to those men in grey suits. Not Happy!!!
We ended up by trying for Coral Trout on some shallower bommies and luckily snared six decent fish to 2.6
kilos before heading home.
The weigh in was staggered as many anglers began to filter back to the ramp from mid day onwards. Good
captures were being celebrated by most crews and the final weigh in saw Matthew Graham
fishing on ‘Heartbeat’ take out the biggest Emperor at 7.5 kilos, and Brian McKinnley
fishing on Silver Spur with Capt. Barry Wiseman took out the other two prizes for his 4.5 kilo Coral
Trout and 6.6 kilo Large Mouth Nannygai.
Another great comp for the fast growing Y.K.S.F.C.
Membership enquiries to Stuart on 40-557711
Matthew Graham with a pair of 7.5 kilo Red Emperor taken whilst drift fishing near Flynn Reef
Interesting Quizz, and Ponderings on Fishing Rules and Regulations!
At the last monthly meeting of the Yorkeys Knob Sport Fishing Club a ‘fishing quiz’ was tabled by the
committee to test members general knowledge of fish ID, minimum/maximum legal sizes, zoning rules and
regulations, plus a couple of ‘googlies’ thrown in for good measure. The results were very interesting!
From a total of 18 ‘fair dinkum’ questions scores varied from a low of five to a high of 15, with a couple
throwing in the towel. Answers to questions relating to minimum sizes, bag limits etc. were a definitive
answer that all agreed upon however there was some confusion and discussion over EXACTLY what can and can’t
be done in Yellow Zones and what constitutes a ‘combined take and possession limit’, is it per angler or
per boat? And does that possession limit apply per trip or does it apply to what each angler may have at
home in their freezer?
One interesting question asked "if you are going on an extended trip do the same possession limits apply?".
Now before you make the comment "It’s so obvious" it begs the question ‘Are our Rules and Regulations Obvious?'
I believe the rules need to be paraphrased and printed onto a ‘stick on’ label that can be attached near
the helm of most boats. At a glance the skipper would be able to see how many, how big, combined limits,
total possession limits, what Zones can be fished with how many rods and hooks.
To check out all these facts you now have to fold out oversized reef maps, then get out the reference book
and/or check your fish measure or tide charts!! Sadly, many anglers won’t have the patience or inclination
to do this and as a result will face the consequences.
Another question the authorities should be asking themselves is; “If the rules are so easy to understand
WHY are so many recreational anglers being fined for accidentally and unintentionally breaking these rules?"
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