The Masters Tournament was created by the Exmouth Game Fishing Club for anglers over 50 to target billfish and other pelagic species off Exmouth.
This year it was extra interesting with four junior deckhands taking to the cockpit to assist the seniors!
In total there were five teams with 11 anglers and 21 crew that tagged 14 billfish. The majority of the billfish were black marlin with a couple of sailfish as well.
Dale Moir drove up from Perth for the event with Scott Owens and Dale took out the Champion Sailfish and Champion Marlin sections, while Dave Thompson took out the Heaviest Tuna section and Jim Ireland won the Heaviest Mackerel/Wahoo section.
The Champion Team Mixed was won by Team Azura and the anglers reported that the conditions were perfect, especially for the seniors and juniors aboard.
Thanks Jeni for the results – and while talking about the Masters, we confirmed no Gamex report had made it onto the blog yet this year. So here is also a belated Gamex report!!
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GAMEX 2017 Results
There were 85 sharks tagged and 411 billfish raised, with 133 billfish tagged. Although this was less than previous years, it is still a great result.
The Exmouth Game Fishing Club is a leading club in Australia with scientific research, educational programs, events and satellite tagging. EGFC has also won top tagging club in Australia several times, which is testament to the efforts made by the volunteers within it.
Anglers participating in GAMEX 2017 reported that the event was fantastic, with valuable information learnt, fun social events and good fishing, despite the windy weather.
Three trophies were awarded to anglers, as well as a number of highest point scored and champion individual and team accolades.
Ryan Turner won the Steve Pitman Memorial Trophy for most skilled angler. He recorded 7709 points over 11 line classes and 10 species on board with team Razorback.
Exmouth favourite Eddy Lawler won the George King Memorial Trophy as top tagging captain. He tagged 18 billfish at the helm of Pelagic Hooker.
The Phil Tickle Memorial Trophy for most meritorious capture went to Murray Lewin from Salty Dog for capturing a 7.5kg queenfish on 1kg line.
The positives from GAMEX included some very valuable data collected by the two scientists sent up via Recfishwest to take samples and do research on fish captured. They requested three young black marlin weighing about 15kg to study growth rates. RecFishWest chief executive Dr Andrew Rowland caught a 16kg black marlin on day two of the event, which was his first ever marlin. Dr Rowland was pleased to be able to assist with the research and talked at length during the weigh-in with anglers about the fish captured. The fish was under one year old and is being sent to the University of Queensland to try to determine its age in days and where mature marlin spawn in WA.
Perth Game Fishing Club took out the prestigious Interclub Award for Tag and Release Billfish.
The Australian International Billfish Tournament was held the week prior to GAMEX and, despite the windy weather, the teams enjoyed the fishing for tagging and releasing marlin and sailfish. It is looking positive for EGFC to host this event again in 2018.
GAMEX RESULTS
Section 1: Sponsored by EXMOUTH IGA.
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 1kg
Runner up: Matt Arscott 4.5kg Queenfish on Awesum with 450 points
Winner: Murray Lewin 7.5kg Queenfish On Salty Dog with 750 points
Section 2: Sponsored by AUTOPRO/ALLENS CAR HIRE.
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 2kg line
Runner up: Jason Hornhardt 7.9kg Golden Trevally on Wet Dreams with 395 points
Winner: Alex Nelson 8.4kg Golden Trevally on JAVA with 420 points
Section 3: Sponsored by EXMOUTH AUTOMOTIVE AND BOATING.
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 3kg line
Runner up: Tayla Shillingford 8kg Golden Trevally on Reel Obsession with 266.67 points
Winner: Scott Sharpe 10.9kg Cobia On Wet Dreams with 363.33 points
Section 4: Sponsored by HOME HARDWARE EXMOUTH.
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 4kg line
Runner up: Ryan Turner 8.8kg Barracuda on Razorback with 220 points
Winner: Matt Arscott 24.8kg Yellowfin Tuna on Awesum with 620 points
Section 5: Sponsored by POTSHOT HOTEL RESORT
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 6kg line
Runner up: Matt Arscott 13.8kg NB Mackerel on Awesum with 230 points
Winner: Kade Ross 18.4kg Yellowfin Tuna on Pussee Galore 306.67points
Section 6: Sponsored by WOODSIDE.
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 8kg line
Runner up: Jeff Nelson 12.6kg NB Mackerel on Java with 157.50 points
Winner: Winner: Jeff Nelson 12.8kg NB Mackerel on Java 160 points
Section 7: Sponsored by EXMOUTH WHOLESALERS.
HPS Game fish other than billfish or shark on 10kg line
Runner up: Daniel Bullock 15.10 NB Mackerel on 3Drops with 151 points
Winner: Kade Ross 17.8kg NB Mackerel on Pussee Galore with 178 points
Section 8: Sponsored by EXMOUTH FUEL SUPPLIES.
HPS billfish weighed in on 1-15kg line VACANT:
Section 9: Sponsored by EXMOUTH SMASH REPAIRS.
Heaviest billfish weighed in on 24-60kg line VACANT
Section 10: Sponsored by. BHP BILLITON
Champion Boat Tag and Release Shark
Runner up: 3 Drops 12 Tags 2400 points
Winner: Team Muddy 20 Tags 3500 points
Section 11: Sponsored by TOLL EXMOUTH FREIGHT COMPANY.
Champion Angler -Junior
Runner up: Trent Gregory 2043.33 points 5 Line Classes 4 Species -Team Bullistic
Winner: Jesse Sutton 2706.67 points 10 Line Classes 3 Species Team- Got ‘im on
Section 12: Sponsored by DRIFTWOOD JEWELLERS.
Champion Angler -Female
Runner up: Ayesha Salkild 3739.17 points 10 Line Classes 8 Species Team Muddy
Winner: Tayla Shillingford 4454.17 points 11 Line Classes 5 Species Reel Obsession
Section 13: Sponsored by ENGEL REFRIGERATION.
Champion Angler -Male
Runner up: Matt Arscott 6070 points 11 Line Classes 7 Species Awesum
Winner: Ryan Turner 7584 Points 11 Line Classes 10 Species Razorback
Section 14: Sponsored by EXMOUTH TACKLE AND CAMPING.
Champion Angler (HPS) Tag and Release Billfish -Junior
Runner up: Alex Nelson 500Points 1 tag Java
Winner: Riley Smith 4900 Points 10 Tags Pelagic Hooker
Section 15: Sponsored by RAY WHITE EXMOUTH.
Champion Angler (HPS) Tag and Release Billfish -Female
Runner up: Jaquie Rushford 1600 Points 4 Tags Real Teaser
Winner: Janelle Hodgson 3300 Points 7 Tags Innkeeper
Section 16: Sponsored by MANTARAYS NINGALOO BEACH RESORT.
Champion Angler (HPS) Tag and Release Billfish -Male
Runner up: Dave Levey 2500 Points 5 Tags The Tom Cat
Winner: Jason Browning 3900 Points 8 Tags Pelagic Hooker
Section 17: Sponsored by WESTERN ANGLER MAGAZINE.
Champion Team Kayak VACANT
Section 18: Sponsored by MANDURAH JETTY CONSTRUCTIONS.
Champion Team Tag & Release Billfish – Boats 7m & Under
Runner up: 2900 Points 6 Tags Nail It
Winner: 3400 Points 7 Tags The Wench
Section 19: Sponsored by QUADRANT ENERGY.
Champion Team Tag & Release Billfish – Boats over 7m
Runner up: 3900 Points 8 Tags The Tomcat
Winner: 8800 Points 18 Tags Pelagic Hooker
Section 20: Sponsored by FURUNO.
Champion Boat (HPS) Tag & Release Sailfish
Runner up: Innkeeper 800 Points 2 Tags
Winner: Pelagic Hooker 800 Points 2 Tags (By Time)
Section 21: Sponsored by TACKLE WORLD EXMOUTH.
Champion Boat (HPS) Tag & Release Marlin
Runner up: 3900 Points 8 Tags The Tomcat
Winner: 8000 Points 16 Tags Pelagic Hooker
Section 22: Sponsored by STARMART EXMOUTH.
Champion Boat (HPS) Overall Capture/tag and Release
Runner up: 6070 points 11 Line Classes 7 Species Awesum
Winner: 7709 points 11 Line Classes 11 Species Razorback
Section 23: Steve Pitman trophy -Most Skilled Angler.
Thanks to WHITEY’S TACKLE IN AUSTRALIND
Angler with the most species on the most line classes
Winner: Ryan Turner 10 Species 11 Line Classes Razorback
Section 24: George King Memorial Trophy – Top Tagging Captain.
Thanks to MAHI MAHI FISHING CHARTERS
Captain with the most tags
Winner: Eddie Lawler 18 Tags Pelagic Hooker
Section 25: Phil Tickle Memorial Trophy -Most Meritorious Capture, Greatest weight to line class ratio
Thanks to SIESTA PARK
Winner: Murray Lewin 7.5kg Queenfish on 1kg Line Class Salty Dog
Again, the EGFC would like to thank all anglers, volunteers and sponsors who assist in helping the club with research, education and events to enhance the awareness of the benefits of recreational fishing through GAMEX.
Further information on EGFC and GAMEX can be found via www.egfc.com.au or www.gamex.net.au
Dates for GAMEX 2018 are March 16th-24th.
