Evans Head Classic Day 1 – Saturday
The day began with a surprising lack of rain over the waters of Evans Head. The river was packed with boats unable to fish offshore concentrating the fishing as anglers prepared for the first day of the Evans Head Fishing Classic. The quiet anticipation was almost tangible, broken only by the occasional murmur of strategy among competitors.
Richter claims Blackfish
Bernard Richter’s day was marked again by a win in one of his pet categories, Blackfish. Not long after fishing began, he managed to reel in a blackfish at 475mm, placing him at the top in the Blackfish category. Not far behind, Darcy Banks’ methodical approach earned him a 453mm catch. Shane Griffiths’ third-place finish with a 374mm blackfish demonstrated the competitive spirit shared among the anglers.
Solid bream to start off
The Bream-Tarwhine category saw a particularly close contest. Nathan Olley’s 420mm catch secured the first place, edging out Natalie Pangallo’s 387mm and Lew Morgan’s 385mm by a narrow margin.
Unexpected Win in Dart
Bernard Richter also took out the Dart category, landing a 424mm dart that took first place. Tom McCall’s 420mm dart earned him second place, followed closely by Colin Singh, whose 410mm catch demonstrated the tight competition of the day.
Family Rivalry in Flathead
The Flathead category was led by Hamish Soutar, whose 859mm catch barely surpassed his mother’s, Rennae Soutar’s 852mm. Carl North’s 811mm flathead, though impressive, placed him third amidst the strong family showing.
Noteworthy Meritorious Catch
Colin Singh’s 650mm salmon was the highlight of the Meritorious Catch category which is sure to be improved on as the fishing ramps up.
Always on the board
Ryan Kernaghan as usual banked forty days of sleep before the event started and promptly headed out chasing tailor managing a 670mm fish. Alex Klassen, a known whiting fan also spent the night sleepless chasing whiting coming up trumps with a 406mm fish.
A surprising lack of rain was the real highlight of the day allowing the organisers to complete the site set up and the anglers to enjoy the first dry day after hours of one and off rain. The attendance this year is huge so a massive congratulations to all competitors.
