BATHURST’S 2009 BCF Carp Blitz is over, but Mr Big the monster 8 kilogram European Carp has eluded 500 fishers who took part in Bathurst’s big family fishing day yesterday on the Macquarie River.
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It was proud father Jim Squibb who partnered his 19-months old son Dusty Squibb to land 18 carp, most of them ranging from 3-4 kilograms.
The father and son combination proved lethal for the resident carp population in the vicinity of Eglinton yesterday morning.
And for the disbelieving is was little Dusty who got out of his stroller to bring four large fish to the net.
“There were carp twice as big as the ones that Dusty and I caught,” Mr Squibb said. “We were putting bait right under their noses, but they just wouldn’t bite.
Needless to say, Mr Squibb collected the the Bathurst Builder’s prize for mystery weight carp at 1.65kgs and Dusty was the mystery weight runner-up with a carp 3.05kgs. In all about 80 fish were landed most of them carp ranging from 2-4 kilograms.
Large family groups gradually accumulated about 80 European Carp and European Perch [Redfin} in six and a half hours of intensive fishing activity.
Some of the groups had spent overnight on the river bank to secure the best spots. All of the anglers were using Simplot corn kernels and red wriggler worms, but Ken Smith, who was credited with the biggest 3.7 kilogram carp, caught his three biggest fish on well presented red and black artificial flies.
Visiting Huskisson RSL Amateur Fishing club members will take home many of the carp to use as berley during a deep sea outing next weekend on the South Coast.
Bathurst RSL Fishing Club was still counting the gold coin donations yesterday to add to $1,000 Tooheys gave to start the 2009 native fish re stocking program.
Central West Catchment Management Authoirty’s Clayton Miller attended the big fishing day amazed to hear that Bathurst’s BCF Carp Blitz will soon be repeated wityh a blitz for carp on the Turon River at Sofala and another to follow at Wyangala Dam.
NSW Fisheries Education Officer, Brett Smith conducted the first Kid’s Fishing Workshops as part of this years Blitz.
The prize list was:- First mystery weight, Jim Squibb; second Dusty Squibb; smallest fish, Matthew Duncan 0.1 kilogram redfin; youngest angler to land a fish Ray Green prize, Seth Richards; BCF first prize junior, Sam Peacock Carp 3.43kg; second junior, Alex Campion 2.99kg; third junior, Josh Corby 1.7kg; BCF first prize adult, Ken Smith, Carp 3.7kgs; second, Phillip Morrow; 2.77kg; third Cheree Taylor, 2.72kg; biggest redfin, Teigan Kane 0.28kg; most fish senior, Warren Wilson; most fish junior, Brent Macri; junior girl encouragement prize, Gabrielle Bennett; junior boy encouragement prize, Ben Andrews; Senior most fish, Melissa Evans.
