The competition featured catch and release only, with fish length photographed on a “brag mat” for prizes.  The fishing areas were the Bega River, Merimbula and Merimbula Back Lakes and Pambula Lake. 

Congratulations to Dean Greenwell winning the Watersnake Shadow Bow Mounted Motor with his magnificent 38cm bream from Pambula Lake, also David Hay’s winning 72cm dusky flathead from the Merimbula “Golf Course Lake”.  Other winners include Matt Collins with a stonker sand whiting at 40.5cm, Ian Neilson with a 35cm trevally, Herb Betar’s 41cm tailor and Shane Shaw’s 31.5cm luderick. 

Junior anglers featured with five-year-old Max McBain taking out the bream prize at 30.2cm.  Jardie Palmer won both first and second prize for dusky flathead at 60cm and 58.6cm respectively from the Bega River.  First prize for sand whiting was Rali Badullovich with a lovely fish at 34.5cm.  Trevally was won by Julie Riches with a 37cm fish – larger than the seniors prize!  Max McBain had a second win with his 34.4cm tailor.  No luderick were landed by junior anglers and no salmon or jewfish were landed at all.

At the Merimbula Fishing Platform local angler Denis Moss landed a 1.4m, 20kg kingfish, congratulations to Denis, rewarded for his dedication and showing what magnificent fish are locally available.  Stonker calamari squid remain plentiful for those who have missed the kingfish.  Australian salmon are also active, mornings and evenings are the best time to hook up, metal spinners and hard body plastics both work well.

A cool current has slowed snapper on our local reefs but morwong seem to have remained on the chew and respond to bait and soft plastics.  The same cool current has slowed flathead as well, so seek areas protected from the current such as Merimbula Bay and Twofold Bay off the radio tower as well as Quarantine Bay. 

The Bega River continues to provide plentiful dusky flathead and is now fishing well at Mogareeka for whiting, try Sugapen Whiting Poppers.  As we reported, the largest bream came from the Pambula River and Merimbula Lake is firing for dusky flathead, bream, trevally and whiting.  All that’s needed is a way to out fish the voracious schools of chopper tailor. There are also a few garfish about, these need lots of berley to get them onto the bite.

This Friday, December 8, the club will be holding its Xmas party for members and family from 6.30pm.  All other Fridays the club is open from 6.30pm.  Visitors are very welcome.  Come and enjoy the fishing report, the ambience, friendship and lovely views with very competitive bar prices.  Darragh Reynolds is the scheduled host.  All inquires to John McKay on 0427 639 585.  Membership Application, Membership Renewal and everything you need to know about local fishing is on the club’s website www.mbglac.com.au.      Keep your rods bent!