Heavy Tackle Tournament 2020 December 11th-13th
The Exmouth Heavy Tackle Tournament is a concept style tournament specifically designed to encourage participants to explore Exmouth’s still developing heavy tackle billfishery. Only 37kg and 60kg line classes can be used and boats must fish outside the 250m depth contour which runs as close as 12kms from the western shore of Exmouth’s North West Cape.
The tournament’s time slot sits in the height of Exmouth’s summer blue marlin season, and also in takes advantage of a shorter run of jumbo yellowfin tuna. Blue, black and striped marlin are the only billfish species eligible to be tagged or weighed-in, although the point score attributes a higher value to blue marlin in order to discourage teams from targeting smaller billfish on heavy tackle.
Any marlin to be weighed must meet the minimum requirement of 280cm short length (again to encourage the ‘big billfish only’ format of the tournament), and there are separate categories for Heaviest Tuna and Heaviest Other Pelagic Species weighed.
Entry fees are $250 per competitor, plus a 1.75% processing fee.
Your entry fee includes a tournament shirt and a presentation night meal.
Entries open soon.
The tournament’s time slot sits in the height of Exmouth’s summer blue marlin season, and also in takes advantage of a shorter run of jumbo yellowfin tuna. Blue, black and striped marlin are the only billfish species eligible to be tagged or weighed-in, although the point score attributes a higher value to blue marlin in order to discourage teams from targeting smaller billfish on heavy tackle.
Any marlin to be weighed must meet the minimum requirement of 280cm short length (again to encourage the ‘big billfish only’ format of the tournament), and there are separate categories for Heaviest Tuna and Heaviest Other Pelagic Species weighed.
Entry fees are $250 per competitor, plus a 1.75% processing fee.
Your entry fee includes a tournament shirt and a presentation night meal.
Entries open soon.
ENTRY TERMS & CONDITIONS
All competitors fishing in the Exmouth Game Fishing Club (EGFC) 2020 Heavy Tackle Tournament do so at their own risk.
The EGFC and its committee shall not be held responsible for any loss or damage sustained by any competitor to their person, personal effects or vessel.
All competitors must abide by all EGFC/GFAA rules and regulations whilst participating in this tournament.
All competitors must abide will abide by, all laws & legislation related to fishing (Fisheries WA), being on or in charge of a vessel/boat (Department of Transport WA) & any other Local/State/Commonwealth Laws where applicable.
All competitors fishing in the Exmouth Game Fishing Club (EGFC) 2020 Heavy Tackle Tournament do so at their own risk.
The EGFC and its committee shall not be held responsible for any loss or damage sustained by any competitor to their person, personal effects or vessel.
All competitors must abide by all EGFC/GFAA rules and regulations whilst participating in this tournament.
All competitors must abide will abide by, all laws & legislation related to fishing (Fisheries WA), being on or in charge of a vessel/boat (Department of Transport WA) & any other Local/State/Commonwealth Laws where applicable.
DIGITAL CATCH REPORTING
The Exmouth Heavy Tackle Tournament will use the ARFF Tackle Box phone app for all catch reporting. Teams MUST log their catches via this app for tournament points to apply. Catches called in over the radio only will not be eligible for tournament points.
Training on how to use the ARFF Tackle Box phone app will be provided at the briefing, but all teams are advised to download the app prior to the briefing. Choose a button below (Apple or Andriod phones) to download the app on your phone.
Instructions on how to use the ARFF Tackle Box app can also be found by clicking the button below.
The Exmouth Heavy Tackle Tournament will use the ARFF Tackle Box phone app for all catch reporting. Teams MUST log their catches via this app for tournament points to apply. Catches called in over the radio only will not be eligible for tournament points.
Training on how to use the ARFF Tackle Box phone app will be provided at the briefing, but all teams are advised to download the app prior to the briefing. Choose a button below (Apple or Andriod phones) to download the app on your phone.
Instructions on how to use the ARFF Tackle Box app can also be found by clicking the button below.
TOURNAMENT SECTIONS
TOURNAMENT RULES
Click the button below to view or download the 2020 Exmouth Heavy Tackle Tournament rules.
- Champion Boat Overall (Highest Point Score)
- Runner-Up Champion Boat
- Most Tagged Blue Marlin
- Heaviest Weighed Marlin over 500 pounds, or minimum 288cm short length
- Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna
- Heaviest Other Pelagic Species (non-billfish)
- Highest Point Score Boat Day 1
- Highest Point Score Boat Day 2
- Highest Point Score Boat Day 3
- First Marlin Tagged Daily
- Last Marlin Tagged Daily
- Heaviest Other Pelagic Species Weighed Day 1
- Heaviest Other Pelagic Species Weighed Day 2
- Heaviest Other Pelagic Species Weighed Day 3
- Most Meritorious Capture
TOURNAMENT RULES
Click the button below to view or download the 2020 Exmouth Heavy Tackle Tournament rules.
Results 2019 Heavy Tackle Tournament
HEAVY TACKLE 2018 RESULTS
Best Dressed Team on Australia Day
Team Hold On
Heaviest Pelagic Species Daily
Day 1: 11.3kg Wahoo Alex Vecka Rouge Banana
Day 2: 14.8kg Wahoo Dean Butler Black Marlin
Day 3: 49.6kg Yellow Fin Tuna Will Roche Ibis
First and Last Marlin Caught Daily
Day 1: First: Ken MacFarlane Thunderdog
Last: Dale Hamilton Black Marlin
Day 2: First: Jason Langford Rogue Banana
Last: Lewis Nock Cin Bin
Day 3: First & Last Riley Smith Black Marlin
Most Meritorious Capture
Tasmin Kyle from French Maid with her PB Blue Marlin at an estimated 200kgs
First Marlin Caught on a Bonze Lure
Black Marlin (Dale Hamilton)
Heaviest other Pelagic Species Overall
14.8kg Wahoo Dean Butler Black Marlin
Heaviest Yellow Fin Overall
87.1kg Alex Vecka Rogue Banana
Champion Boat Runner-up
Rogue Banana 3 tags 1500 Points (by time)
Champion Boat
Black Marlin 6 Tags 3000 Points
Thanks so much to all involved in making this such an exceptional Tournament, all the sponsors, staff, volunteers behind the scenes & anglers, but a huge commendation must go to Jason Browning (JB), Hayley Dellar and Leigh Freestone, fantastic effort you 3.
Day 3 did not turn on the best weather and so was cut short, in the short time out there though the Stats were 3-2-1, and Black Marlin managed to haul one in, in very trying conditions.
Wishing all the teams that travelled and very safe journey home.
Till 2019
Best Dressed Team on Australia Day
Team Hold On
Heaviest Pelagic Species Daily
Day 1: 11.3kg Wahoo Alex Vecka Rouge Banana
Day 2: 14.8kg Wahoo Dean Butler Black Marlin
Day 3: 49.6kg Yellow Fin Tuna Will Roche Ibis
First and Last Marlin Caught Daily
Day 1: First: Ken MacFarlane Thunderdog
Last: Dale Hamilton Black Marlin
Day 2: First: Jason Langford Rogue Banana
Last: Lewis Nock Cin Bin
Day 3: First & Last Riley Smith Black Marlin
Most Meritorious Capture
Tasmin Kyle from French Maid with her PB Blue Marlin at an estimated 200kgs
First Marlin Caught on a Bonze Lure
Black Marlin (Dale Hamilton)
Heaviest other Pelagic Species Overall
14.8kg Wahoo Dean Butler Black Marlin
Heaviest Yellow Fin Overall
87.1kg Alex Vecka Rogue Banana
Champion Boat Runner-up
Rogue Banana 3 tags 1500 Points (by time)
Champion Boat
Black Marlin 6 Tags 3000 Points
Thanks so much to all involved in making this such an exceptional Tournament, all the sponsors, staff, volunteers behind the scenes & anglers, but a huge commendation must go to Jason Browning (JB), Hayley Dellar and Leigh Freestone, fantastic effort you 3.
Day 3 did not turn on the best weather and so was cut short, in the short time out there though the Stats were 3-2-1, and Black Marlin managed to haul one in, in very trying conditions.
Wishing all the teams that travelled and very safe journey home.
Till 2019
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Results for the EGFC Heavy Tackle Tournament 2016
Report 1
There were 22 boats fishing the event that raised 190 billfish, hooked 139 and tagged 67.
The majority of fish were blue marlin.
Team Waverider managed a grand slam on the third day and took out the top prize.
Champion boat overall - Waverider
Champion boat runner up - Pelagic Hooker
Heaviest Yellowfin - Hold On with a 92kg yellowfin tuna
Heaviest other pelagic - In Deep with a 14kg wahoo
Most tags day one - Pelagic Hooker with 7 tags
Most tags day two - Waverider with 6 tags
Most tags day three - Outsider with 3 tags
We also had a few other horse yellowfin at 70kg, 61kg and a great effort by the 13 year old Darcy Bryce with a 60.3kg model. Darcy also tagged 3 blue marlin for the comp. Great effort Darcy.
Sadly on day one team Game On didn't make it to the grounds after a fire started on their vessel. Several teams raced to their aid, however the 50ft Keywest was tragically engulfed and destroyed in a matter of minutes. Luckily the quick thinking of the crew aboard had them all safe in a life raft. The crew would like to remind everyone of the importance of having a grab bag and life jackets easily accessible, for this fire was unbelievably uncontrollable and there was very little time to rummage through hatches to find safety gear. The remnants are now sitting on the ocean floor and owner Graeme Heel has named the (now) FAD location as Game Over.
To see the GWN7 News coverage of the boat fire click here
To see the GWN7 News coverage of the tournament click here
Report 2
The Exmouth Game Fishing Club’s Heavy Tackle Tournament is a concept style tournament specifically designed to encourage participants to explore Exmouth’s still developing heavy tackle billfishery. Only 37kg and 60kg line classes can be used and boats must fish outside the 250m depth contour which runs as close as 12kms from the western shore of Exmouth’s North West Cape.
Blue, black and striped marlin are the only billfish species eligible to be tagged or weighed-in, and there are separate minor categories for Heaviest Tuna and Heaviest Other Pelagic Species. Any marlin to be weighed must meet the minimum requirement of 280cm short length; again to encourage the ‘big billfish only’ format of the tournament.
The 2016 Heavy Tackle Tournament was held over the weekend of December 16-18 with 23 boats and 80 anglers competing. Along with many local boats, teams from Victoria, the Northern Territory, Broome, Tom Price, Karratha, Geraldton and Perth also made the long journey to Exmouth to get in on the fun.
With light winds forecast, a strong running current and some fantastic blue marlin fishing in the weeks leading up to the tournament, the event was shaping up to be a good one, and that was certainly how things panned out on day one. An eddying current formation had pushed the majority of fish further south than what might be considered Exmouth’s ‘normal’ heavy tackle grounds, and a few boats clued into this right from the outset to enjoy some awesome action.
While most crews saw fish throughout the day, by far the standout performer was Pelagic Hooker with Captain Eddy Lawler at the helm who found a great pocket of fish almost all to themselves and went 11-8-7 on blue marlin - a personal best on blues for this very experienced crew. By day’s end, the fleet had tagged 21 blue marlin, 2 striped marlin and 1 black marlin.
Day two dawned with even better conditions and more black marlin appearing in the spreads – the first major run of them off Exmouth for the 2016/17 season. Captain Murray Pattison and the team aboard Waverider had the hot hand on day two with 6 fish for the day to peg back Pelagic Hooker’s huge early lead, and All Bard Up and Hammer Time also had good days to stay in touch with the leaders. Final billfish stats for the day were 17 blue marlin, 9 black marlin and 1 striped marlin tagged, but the highlight of the day’s fishing was a 60.3kg yellowfin tuna for junior angler D’Arcy Bryce aboard Reckless.
A stiffening south-westerly wind and increasing swell made things harder for the smaller boats on day three, but despite this the fleet still tagged 9 blue marlin, 4 black marlin and 3 striped marlin. Diversity had the gaffs out and ready when they were on a big blue for an hour and a half but unfortunately lost it close to the boat when the 700lb leader wore through.
In a grandstand finish, Waverider tagged one blue, one black and one striped marlin for a grand slam that ultimately won them the tournament by two fish over Pelagic Hooker who were only able to tag one black marlin for the day. Another three big yellowfin were caught on this final day of fishing, topped off by a 92.9kg keg for Aaron Bailey aboard Hold On which won the Heaviest Tuna section and is a pending WA record.
Total stats for the tournament were 190 marlin raised, 139 hooked and 67 tagged, which was comprised of 47 blue marlin, 14 black marlin and 6 striped marlin. This is amongst the highest number of blue marlin ever tagged in an Australian game fishing tournament which gives some indication of the quality of Exmouth’s summer blue marlin fishery.
The Exmouth Game Fishing Club would like to thank the tournament’s major sponsors Network Power Solutions, Shimano, Bonze Lures and Tackle World Exmouth, as well as all teams who competed in what was a very successful and enjoyable event. The Exmouth Game Fishing Club Heavy Tackle Tournament will be on again in 2017/18 with a new Australia Day long weekend timeslot. For more information on the 2017/18 event, visit: www.egfc.com.au or: www.facebook.com/heavytackle2016.
Report 1
There were 22 boats fishing the event that raised 190 billfish, hooked 139 and tagged 67.
The majority of fish were blue marlin.
Team Waverider managed a grand slam on the third day and took out the top prize.
Champion boat overall - Waverider
Champion boat runner up - Pelagic Hooker
Heaviest Yellowfin - Hold On with a 92kg yellowfin tuna
Heaviest other pelagic - In Deep with a 14kg wahoo
Most tags day one - Pelagic Hooker with 7 tags
Most tags day two - Waverider with 6 tags
Most tags day three - Outsider with 3 tags
We also had a few other horse yellowfin at 70kg, 61kg and a great effort by the 13 year old Darcy Bryce with a 60.3kg model. Darcy also tagged 3 blue marlin for the comp. Great effort Darcy.
Sadly on day one team Game On didn't make it to the grounds after a fire started on their vessel. Several teams raced to their aid, however the 50ft Keywest was tragically engulfed and destroyed in a matter of minutes. Luckily the quick thinking of the crew aboard had them all safe in a life raft. The crew would like to remind everyone of the importance of having a grab bag and life jackets easily accessible, for this fire was unbelievably uncontrollable and there was very little time to rummage through hatches to find safety gear. The remnants are now sitting on the ocean floor and owner Graeme Heel has named the (now) FAD location as Game Over.
To see the GWN7 News coverage of the boat fire click here
To see the GWN7 News coverage of the tournament click here
Report 2
The Exmouth Game Fishing Club’s Heavy Tackle Tournament is a concept style tournament specifically designed to encourage participants to explore Exmouth’s still developing heavy tackle billfishery. Only 37kg and 60kg line classes can be used and boats must fish outside the 250m depth contour which runs as close as 12kms from the western shore of Exmouth’s North West Cape.
Blue, black and striped marlin are the only billfish species eligible to be tagged or weighed-in, and there are separate minor categories for Heaviest Tuna and Heaviest Other Pelagic Species. Any marlin to be weighed must meet the minimum requirement of 280cm short length; again to encourage the ‘big billfish only’ format of the tournament.
The 2016 Heavy Tackle Tournament was held over the weekend of December 16-18 with 23 boats and 80 anglers competing. Along with many local boats, teams from Victoria, the Northern Territory, Broome, Tom Price, Karratha, Geraldton and Perth also made the long journey to Exmouth to get in on the fun.
With light winds forecast, a strong running current and some fantastic blue marlin fishing in the weeks leading up to the tournament, the event was shaping up to be a good one, and that was certainly how things panned out on day one. An eddying current formation had pushed the majority of fish further south than what might be considered Exmouth’s ‘normal’ heavy tackle grounds, and a few boats clued into this right from the outset to enjoy some awesome action.
While most crews saw fish throughout the day, by far the standout performer was Pelagic Hooker with Captain Eddy Lawler at the helm who found a great pocket of fish almost all to themselves and went 11-8-7 on blue marlin - a personal best on blues for this very experienced crew. By day’s end, the fleet had tagged 21 blue marlin, 2 striped marlin and 1 black marlin.
Day two dawned with even better conditions and more black marlin appearing in the spreads – the first major run of them off Exmouth for the 2016/17 season. Captain Murray Pattison and the team aboard Waverider had the hot hand on day two with 6 fish for the day to peg back Pelagic Hooker’s huge early lead, and All Bard Up and Hammer Time also had good days to stay in touch with the leaders. Final billfish stats for the day were 17 blue marlin, 9 black marlin and 1 striped marlin tagged, but the highlight of the day’s fishing was a 60.3kg yellowfin tuna for junior angler D’Arcy Bryce aboard Reckless.
A stiffening south-westerly wind and increasing swell made things harder for the smaller boats on day three, but despite this the fleet still tagged 9 blue marlin, 4 black marlin and 3 striped marlin. Diversity had the gaffs out and ready when they were on a big blue for an hour and a half but unfortunately lost it close to the boat when the 700lb leader wore through.
In a grandstand finish, Waverider tagged one blue, one black and one striped marlin for a grand slam that ultimately won them the tournament by two fish over Pelagic Hooker who were only able to tag one black marlin for the day. Another three big yellowfin were caught on this final day of fishing, topped off by a 92.9kg keg for Aaron Bailey aboard Hold On which won the Heaviest Tuna section and is a pending WA record.
Total stats for the tournament were 190 marlin raised, 139 hooked and 67 tagged, which was comprised of 47 blue marlin, 14 black marlin and 6 striped marlin. This is amongst the highest number of blue marlin ever tagged in an Australian game fishing tournament which gives some indication of the quality of Exmouth’s summer blue marlin fishery.
The Exmouth Game Fishing Club would like to thank the tournament’s major sponsors Network Power Solutions, Shimano, Bonze Lures and Tackle World Exmouth, as well as all teams who competed in what was a very successful and enjoyable event. The Exmouth Game Fishing Club Heavy Tackle Tournament will be on again in 2017/18 with a new Australia Day long weekend timeslot. For more information on the 2017/18 event, visit: www.egfc.com.au or: www.facebook.com/heavytackle2016.
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A blue marlin caught in the Heavy Tackle Tournament aboard In Deep
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