Hunter Anglers Scheme Big Win
Newcastle Herald
Friday October 13, 2000
NEWCASTLE and Lake Macquarie anglers are respected throughout the fishing world ? the performance of a few at Coffs Harbour's recent gamefishing competition explains why.
Jason `One For' Nunn, from The Fisherman's Warehouse, who perhaps should change his nickname to `The Best Bar' after this comp, was one part of the mighty triumvirate that won the tournament aboard the aptly named boat Schemer.
He, along with John `Socrates' Sock (the thinking man's fisho) and Alan `The Bus' McCafferty, won champion boat tag and release with 40,000 points, with four marlin nabbed over the four days of competition.
The striped marlin varied between 75kg and 95kg and took about 35 minutes each to get in.
Jason also took out champion marlin angler with his two beakies, an award that he won on countback from Alan because Jason got his first fish about 35 minutes earlier.
The boys aboard Schemer also won the prize for most billfish tagged.
Another Lake boat that deserves a mention is Optional, skippered by `The Do' Ron Jones and crewed by his brother Greg and sister Bev.
In a strong field of bigger boats, the relatively humble Optional finished runner-up in the tag and release, and won gold for the most other gamefish tagged.
`They almost pipped us at the post for the overall title,' Jason said of the fast-finishing Optional team.
Bev was a star in her own right, landing the heaviest yellowfin tuna at 58.5kg, and thus earning the tag `Bev the hev'.
She also won champion female angler tag and release, and champion lady angler in the capture division.
Local boat Yahoo Too landed the heaviest marlin of the tournament, a 223kg blue marlin. The Hunter River is thick with bass right down to Singleton, `Neon' Reon Shearman said.
And silver perch are starting to show up in Glenbawn, particularly if you're armed with garden worms.
Local yabbie breeder Rob McCormack and his family took out the prestigious Glenbawn Classic tag-and-release team prize over the long weekend.
Champion angler was Anthony Hayne, who hails from Muswellbrook and is a member of Aberdeen Bowling Club Fishing Club.
© 2000 Newcastle Herald