The Haines Group Fishing Classic

Brisbane’s longest running team game-fishing competition, The Haines Group Fishing Classic, will be held on February 22 and 23, from The Little Ships Club, One Mile, Stradbroke Island co-inciding with what is being hailed as the best marlin season Queensland has seen in 20 years.

Up to 40 teams are expected to contest the tag-and-release points-based event, which will see trailerboats and game boats head out through the South Passage bar to catch an array of sports fish including wahoo, dolphinfish, tuna and the prized black marlin.

The best individual angler will be the person with the highest tag points on marlin and tuna (with fish weight being irrelevant) and the boat with the most points will win the champion team. Competitors will vie for the major prize of a Walker Bay 270 PVC folding transom deluxe boat with Suzuki DF6 motor valued at $5400. Runner-up prizes include fuel, tackle, Shimano rods and reels and Garmin electronics.

The competition runs from 8.00am to 4.00pm on the Friday and 7.00am to 4.00pm on the Saturday with activities on both nights including the Little Ships Club famous ‘Raft Up’ which sees up to 40 boats tied together off the pontoon.

The Haines Group Game Fishing Classic started in the early 1970s when Haines Group founder John Haines Senior wanted to demonstrate how the boats he built could land large game fish.

As an added bonus to this year’s event, The Haines Group will pay the competition entry and fuel costs for the first five teams that register with a Haines Signature boat and Suzuki Marine motor.

Entry fees to the competition are $175 per adult and $75 for juniors (under 16) with teams constituting a minimum of two and a maximum of six.

To register your team in The Haines Group Classic contact Ian Bladin at srdfsh@powerup.com.au or on 0428 458 039.