Howqua Area / Nillahcootie fresh water comp Sept 28-30 2018
Friday: 10 members attended this event. The members stayed at the Howqua lodge with much anticipation of the native fish on the chew and Collingwood winning the Grand Final. Most members launched from Mac’s cove to good boating weather, but with a southerly change coming through late in the day. Patras Surna and Andrew Barclay fished the rivers with both blokes catching trout in the measured fish comp. The Deveson brothers did well with both catching yellow belly and John catching a brown trout. Andrew Brandi fished one up and caught a nice brown trout and a yellow belly. Meanwhile new member Jeff Aylward, fishing with Tony Dorner, enjoyed his trolling masterclass catching two Brown Trout. Tony also caught Two Brown trout, with a beautiful buck of 1.450g. Richard Higlett fished Nillahcootie for three Yellow’s the largest of which weighed in at 1.450g.
Saturday: With much anticipation and a Collingwood win in his sites Richard was again fishing Nillahcootie, managing to catch a few undersize yellows. Meanwhile Ray Everest caught and released a stonking Yellowbelly of over 4kg (57cm) on a cheap Kmart lure bought from Eildon. The Fish of the day has to go to Andrew Brandi with a 1.745g Redfin. The biggest Redfin seen for some time, it had been feeding well with Andrew pulling out a half digested redfin, the tail of which was protruding out of its mouth. Petras again fished the river for a 44 cm trout. Fishing came to a halt for most members as The Grand Final took centre stage. In a thrilling Match, West Coast got the chocolates.
Sunday: Lake conditions were calm and sunny, and most of us fished out of Macs Cove in the Howqua arm of Eildon. The Natives were definitely biting with Richard dropping a big one that snagged him. John Deveson caught and weighed in a beautiful Yellow of 3.405g, brother Neil caught a similar sized fish but released it. At weigh in that lunch time John Deveson took out the trophy with a bag weight of 6770g. Andrew Brandi, second with a bag weight of 3325g and Tony Dorner, third with a bag weight of 2621g. Winner of the measured Fish comp was Patras Surna with two fish.
Thanks to all who participated as well as the referees and we look forward to our next freshwater comp at the Goulburn River.
Richard Higlett