ARB Moreton Island Fishing Classic 2019
This is one for your bucket list, the Moreton Island Fishing Classic. It’s an experience you’ll never forget! There are plenty of fishing tournaments around the country but there aren’t many where you don’t need a boat! In fact, using a boat at this tournament is a big no-no.
Instead, competitors take to their 4 wheel drive vehicles which are more often than not fitted out with bait boards, rod holders and fridge freezers.
Moreton Island Fishing Classic 2019
Welcome to the 2019 Moreton Island Fishing Classic! The first week of September in these parts surf fisherman from around the country congregate at Bulwer on the Northern end of Moreton Island to compete for over 60,000 dollars in prize money. Categories include whiting, dart, bream, tailor flathead and mulloway jew all of which can be found in abundance in the waters circling the 40-kilometre long island.
The contest kicks off at midnight into the early hours of Wednesday morning. There are daily weigh-ins back here at Castaways each day through till Saturday when the major prizes are drawn. We have decided to head for the eastern beach looking for a nice gutter…of course when we get there we will need some bait so along the way. My fishing buddy Andrew has decided to stop and pull some worms.
How to Catching Beach Worms
Worming can be pleasant if not rather frustrating pastime…there is a definite knack to grabbing the worm and with enough force to extract it from the sand. It’s one of those life skills that requires plenty of practice. You will need to have done your time bent over at low with a bait bag armed with enormous patience…till that day arrives when you finally pull your first worm.
Andrew is a master worm puller but these worms are proving difficult on the making tide. Finally, success …and now Andrew is in the zone. Andrew is, in fact, a very passionate beach fisherman hailing from neighbouring North Straddie and here to help mc the Moreton Island comp in 2019. Armed with fresh worms and pippys we head to the eastern beach not far from the Blue lagoon.
The fishing is a bit quiet this afternoon and I am not surprised given this pod of dolphins catching waves on the bank in front of us. That combined with an amazing pink sky sunset has me feeling like I am in some sort of hippie car sticker but no….its a pretty regular afternoon occurrence on here on Moreton. Not a bad spot for dinner and a view with the sand between your toes…it’s the little things in life you often remember. Dinner tonight on Moretons eastern beach will stay in the memory banks for a long time to come.
After a fantastic few days of fishing making new mates and kicking back weigh-in time arrives on the final day where the big prizes get handed out. The little fishing town of Bulwer is packed to the rafters with the final fish of 2019 being weighed in and fishing reputations are being forged. Category winners both big and small reap the rewards of success and come forward to collect their prizes. Some exceptional fish have been weighed in this year and everyone has had a fantastic time in one of the most special places in the country.
The Annual Moreton Island Fishing Classic is on again soon if you’d like to take part go to the Moreton Island Adventures website.
For more fishing action at Moreton check out our story on last years ARB Moreton Island Fishing Classic.
