Traralgon’s Joel Crosbie has taken out round two of Hobie Fishing Series 16, held at the Bemm River last weekend in warm conditions.
The event attracted 108 starters, down on last year’s huge field of 122 competitors, but still outstanding numbers for the kayak fishing event.
The tournament is a cast and retrieve, lure and fly only event, and involves an angler returning to the weigh-in area, with their heaviest bag of their live and legal fish (three per
day), which are released after weigh-in.
Crosbie bagged out on both days, his six fish catch for the tournament weighing in at 5.58 kilograms (kgs), finishing narrowly ahead of reigning Hobie, Angler of the Year and Australian champion, Western Australian young gun, Joseph Gardner (5.52kgs) and another Victorian angler, Brad Clark (5.47kgs).
Clark caught the biggest fish of the event, an impressive 1.21kg species.
Popular Bairnsdale angler, Ruth Beeby (4.39kgs) won the women’s section and finished an impressive 18th overall.
Another Western Australian angler, Greg Cooper (5.16kgs) was winner of the masters section, finishing in fourth place overall.
In the youths division, East Gippsland’s Riley Whelan (3.45) was victorious, continuing his good early season form.
The event is always a great boost for the local economy, as well as showcasing everything that is great about the picturesque region.
Event organiser, Chris Purnell, said it was a huge wrap for the venue.
“Bemm River offers the single best bream fishing down the east coast of Australia,” Purnell said.
The event saw 302 fish caught on day one and 311 on day two, at an average weight of 0.65kgs.
The series will now head to Forster in New South Wales for round three on April 12-13.
