Last year’s Weipa Fishing Classic senior champion Beau Graafland shows off the newest addition to his trophy cabinet alongside Darryl French and Geoff Robins. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
Competitors are set to descend on Weipa from far and wide for the hotly anticipated 21st annual Weipa Fishing Classic (WFC) – one keen angler even ventured up from Tasmania for last year’s event.
WFC president Lisa Lui said early entry tickets for the 5-7 June competition had been snapped up fast in town.
“We’re going well. We’ve only been doing it [selling tickets] for two weekends and we’re reaching the first 1000 tickets sold,” she said.
Ms Lui said organisers had taken a string of calls from people outside the area asking when they could buy tickets and wondering if they might miss out on taking part in the three days of non-stop fishing action.
Organisers held off on selling tickets remotely amid some concerns fuel prices might deter budget-conscious attendees. But interest is evidently strong and tickets will soon be more widely available.
The Weipa Fishing Classic committee at last year’s competition. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
“The furthest call I’ve had is from a guy, I think he was near Brisbane somewhere,” Ms Lui said.
“I think it’s because it is a bucket list thing that they’ll do it. It might be their only big trip this year, but they’re willing to do it.
“A couple of years ago we had a guy drag his boat from Tasmania up here.”
Ms Lui said the crowd numbered about 3000 each night during last year’s competition. It’s a case of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ this year and the format will remain “business as usual” .
“The first day we welcome everybody and we read out the rules. And then we’ve got Saturday, Sunday fishing,” Ms Lui said.
“I love the fishing comp. It’s the one event I make sure – even before I came on the committee – that I’m there for. Just the crowd, all the locals. Everybody’s there for a good time. No one cares that much about anything else.
Peter Nolan prepares to weigh in his 11.59 kg mackerel at Andoom Oval during the 2024 Weipa Fishing Classic in 2024. Photo: Lyndon Keane.
“Probably because it’s the first big event for the year after the rain. Everyone’s looking forward to it. It’s been an extended wet season for us up here and the rain has just finally, in the last few weeks, tapered off a bit.
“Everyone’s looking forward to getting out and going camping and fishing and everything again. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone.”
The annual Top 30 prize draw and other giveaways are sure to be a hit and local and interstate fishers at the Andoom Oval competition are likely to be eyeing off a sizeable prize pool, though plans are still in the works.
During last year’s landmark 20th annual competition, Beau Graafland topped the seniors after weighing in a 10.63 kilogram cobia and a 3.84 kg fingermark.
Fyn Gorman, 7, was crowned overall junior champion after landing a monster 106 cm barramundi, which was his first ever fish measuring over a metre.
Remote ticket purchases will be available soon and can be picked up when attendees arrive in town.
Visit the Weipa Fishing Classic Facebook page for more information.
