Tuna turn it on at White Sands Tournament

THE Jervis Bay Game Fishing Club's Annual Okuma White Sands Tournament was held last weekend.

The tournament produced some of the most outstanding achievements in its 19 year history. Over 150 fish were recorded including over 100 yellowfin tuna. Blue marlin, big eye tuna, tiger sharks, makos, albacore, kingfish and striped tuna were also accounted for.

The crew of Beefa II scored a meritorious capture with angler Domenic Cimilio boating a 97.2kg big eye tuna on a 10'' JB Ripper lure (in red over pink). The fish is currently a pending Australian Record on 24kg line.

Other outstanding captures included a 217.4kg blue marlin caught on a 13'' JB Evil Dingo lure to angler Craig Douglas aboard Escape; a 55.8kg yellowfin tuna to Wayne Turner of Angie II; a 148.4kg mako shark on 8kg line to Paul Bayley on Outcast and a 232.8kg mako shark on 15kg line to Jason Sinclair aboard Childs Play.

The Tag and release section was hotly contested, with Hang Loose tagging 11 yellowfin tuna over the weekend, with both Anglers Mitch Allan and Riley Randall achieving 1st and second respectively in the Champion Angler category.

Junior angler Zoey O'Connor from Opportunatee took out both the Junior and Senior female categories in the ladies' section. The prominent Champion Boat Tag and release section was well earned by Batemans Bay's Opportunatee, closely followed by HangLoose, Reel Shattered and Team Okuma.

The winners took home of $45,000 worth of prizes which capped off an amazing three days of fishing.