Anglers get ready for Billfish Shootout

Preparations for major Pilbara fishing competition the Billfish Shootout have officially started, with less than one month remaining until cast-off.

Last Wednesday, Nickol Bay Sportfishing Club held their introductory rigging night at Hampton Harbour Boat and Sailing Club to get competitors up to speed on how the competition will run and lure in a few new participants in the process.

Competition committee members Ken MacFarlane and Hamish McLeod assured the crowd the shootout was for everyone from beginners through to advanced fishers, before talking them through bait-rigging and tactics to maximise their chances of successfully catching a target species.

“We’re very fortunate here in the archipelago of Dampier to have some of the best billfishing in Australia,” Mr MacFarlane told fishers.

“Billfish are one of the target species that a lot of people aspire to catch for the rest of their lives and might have one chance at it. Fortunately, in the archipelago here in Dampier, even with a modest boat of five to six metres you can actually catch quality billfish.”

Club secretary James Gorham said they were very pleased to have gotten a big turnout and up to 20 new sign-ups from the rigging night.

“It was fantastically successful, especially with a month still to go to the competition,” he said. “It’s great to see the interest so early.”

The Billfish Shootout competition will be held off the Dampier coast over the three days of the WA Day long weekend, June 4-6.

New to the tournament this year will be the presence of celebrity angler and former West Coast Eagles footballer Glen Jakovich, representing Fishing WA.

For more information or to download an entry form, go to the Nickol Bay Sportfishing Club website at www.ansa.karratha.com .