A classic 2014 Flattie Classic

Rundown on Australia's greatest flattie comp from runner-up champ Christine Hunt...

This 2014 Flathead Classic was another record breaker, with 210 teams competing across an extended three-day tournament that concluded on Saturday night. There were 5566 flathead (up from 3817 last year) caught during the competition, with 2678 of them measuring more than 40cm in length.

The Classic is a catch-and-release only tournament using lure or fly and considered a valuable management tool and window into the status of the Gold Coast's flathead stocks. The competition is growing and attracting celebrity attention with the likes of Merv Hughes (pictured) getting among the flatties this year.

The longest flathead for 2014 was caught by first-time competitor Joe Bonnici. The 94cm fish was caught early on day one. The longest mulloway was caught by Brendon Knight, measuring 106cm.

Overall Champion team for 2014 were long-term competitors, the Lowrance Whyte Boys, scoring a massive 4895 points.

The Lowrance Whyte Boys reported that everything went their way from start to finish . Their preferred technique is fishing the deep and they have spent many years searching out deep-water banks where the fish gather to spawn. The runners up were the experienced locals from Team Hi-Seas/AFW including Ross McCubbin, Ben Job and Brad Job with 4049 points

The overall Champion Angler was Robbie Payne with 2135 points, who was fishing with Wilson Fishing, the champion two-person team. Runner Up Champion Senior was Club member Paul ‘Shagger’ Neilsen with 1893. He was also awarded the Champion Club member trophy.

Champion Junior went to a Bribie angler Aidan Scott with 1116 points. Runner-up Junior was club member Cooper Sands with 1111 points. He took away the Big Flathead trophy as Champion Junior Club member for the second year running. Champion Female angler was club member Fay Rohweder and runner up was this author, Christine Hunt (pictured).

Full results can be found by following this link www.goldcoastsportfishingclub.com.au/gold-coast-flathead-classic/previous-results/flathead-classic-results-2014/

BLUEFIN BOAT PRIZES

A highlight for this tournament is the random major-prize draw. Richard Fry was lucky enough to take home a brand-new Bluefin Wildcat Pro. The boat is the first off the production line for Bluefin and from the feedback it is going to be a real winner. The package included a Mercury four-stroke 60hp outboard and a Dunbier trailer. Finished off with a Bonza wrap, the package was worth over $30,000.

Club member Tom Ryan won a holiday to the Papatura Holiday Resort in the Solomon Islands thanks to Papatura Resorts, Go Tours and Solomon Airlines. The rest of the 28 lucky-draw members took home a great assortment of prizes including Lowrance electronics, Hobie Fishing Kayak, Humminbird and Minn Kota electronics, as well as a bounty of fishing and boating gear.

The Junior Boat winner Timothy Angus scored a Bluefin Scallywag with a Watersnake electric motor. Bluefin Boats has announced it is recommitting its support for another three-years in partnership with Nitro Marine, who are offering a five per cent manufacturer's rebate on any Bluefin purchased by a Classic competitor for the next three years!

The weather, as always, is a key factor and a S/E wind on the first day sent a few teams into a bit of a spin looking for cover. Friday was a spectacular day with only slight northerlies for most of the day that picked up in the afternoon. Saturday again the N/E came into play but the sun was out for most of it and all three days were tee-shirt and shorts fishing weather.

If you like your flatties, the Gold Coast Sportfishing Club is staging the annual Dash for Cash flathead competition on Sunday November 2. See http://www.goldcoastsportfishingclub.com.au/gold-coast-flathead-classic/2014-dah-for-cah-flathead-competition/.

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A classic 2014 Flattie Classic

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