The Gippsland Lakes turned it on for the Vicbream Classic on the weekend, the waterway confirming its place as the undisputed big bream fishery of Australia.
The event, which was based in Metung, was taken out Samurai Rods, Dan Mackrell and Declan Betts, who put together two incredible days of fishing, their 10 bream haul for the two days weighing in a mammoth 13.165 kilograms.
They finished narrowly ahead of Team Apollo Bay Fishing Charters, Phil Partington, Daniel and Jarvis Kent, who weighed in 10 bream for a total of 12.945kg, while in third place was Team Two Old Legends, Peter Howell and Mike Newman with a total bag of 11.940kg.
An impressive field of 57 teams took to the water between 7am and 2pm on both Saturday and Sunday, launching from Shaving Point, Lakes Entrance, Tambo River, Nicholson River, Mitchell River, Paynesville and Hollands Landing.
Mackrell and Betts were delighted to take the win in one of their favourite events.
“It was a great weekend, we had plenty of luck down the Straits on plastics, Sunday was tougher, but thankfully Saturday’s bag was enough to get us over the line,” Mackerell said.
The best bag of the tournament was Howell and Newman’s five fish extravaganza on Sunday which weighed a whopping 7.190kg, including the biggest of the event, a giant, 1.745kg ripper.
The classic is a lure and fly, tag and release tournament, with some of Australia’s best anglers taking to the picturesque water in search of glory and bragging rights.
The monster movers prize was won by Team MPW, Peter and Harry Marshall who weighed in a quality bag on day two of 5.170kg, moving them 21 places up the leader board to finish in 24th position.
The junior angler prize went to Jarvis Kent from Team Apollo Bay Fishing Charters who finished in second place.
The biggest flathead prize went to Team Just Winging It, Chris and Jack Allwood who caught a flathead that measured 72.5 centimetres.
The highest place local team was the father and son combination of Lindsay and Steven Pryke, who finished a solid ninth, with a total of 10.885kg.
Other Vicbream events will be held this year at Nelson (April 27-28), Warrnambool (June 17-18), Mallacoota (August 17-18) and Marlo (October 12-13) before culminating with the 2024 grand final at Nelson on November 23-24.
