High Amp Mackay Spanish Mackerel Shootout 2024

High Amp Mackay Spanish Mackerel Shootout 2024

This is the 16^th Year this competition has been held and is the longest running annual Blue Water Fishing event held out of Mackay. We must make a special mention to our list of awesome sponsors that have came on board this year to make the event possible, there are some great cash prizes up for grabs again this year.

The competition is getting a bit of a make over this year with:

- Ticket sales being completely managed online through Ticketebo,

- The Seabreeze Hotel in Slade Point has been set as the venue for a compulsory Friday night briefing and the Sunday weigh-in & presentations, and

- Last, but not least, a Measure & Release GT section is also being added to the lucrative prize pool this year.

This year the Spanish Mackerel Shoot-out competition will partner with the Seabreeze Hotel at Slade Point to host a compulsory briefing Friday night, and the weigh in and presentations on Sunday afternoon. We are hoping the venue will give all entrants more of a chance to socialise before and after the fishing. We will also have members from the Mackay Game Fishing Club running a bait and rigging information session on the Friday night after the briefing for those that might be looking for a few tips before the weekend. Food and Drinks we be available to purchase directly from the Seabreeze Hotel during the event functions.

$1500 cash will once again be handed out for the Heaviest Spanish Mackerel and a raft of other cash prizes for Spanish Mackerel that are not quite big enough to take the main prize. We are also again running the Longest Bottom fish prizes categories for Red Emperor/ Nannygai, Red Throat/ Grass Sweetlip and Coral Trout. A new addition to the competition this year is a Giant Trevally (GT) Measure & Release section with $1,000 cash for the longest GT.

All Juniors will win a prize for coming to the presentations night and can weigh in any legal fish they catch.

Full Event Rules & Prizes:

Nomination Procedure:

1. Buy tickets ONLINE through ticketebo (from 1/6/2024 to 12/7/2024)

2. Have at least 1 team member attend the compulsory briefing Friday night with their ticket -collect ‘mystery item” for measure & release part of comp.

3. Bring your ticket with you Sunday to enter fish entries and to collect prizes

Entries ONLY available ONLINE from Ticketebo on this webpage:

- Senior - $30*, Junior $15* (*plus booking fee (4% upto $1.20 max))

Entries Close: Friday 12^th July , 2024 6:30pm

Competition Times:

Start: Saturday 13^th July, 2024 12:01am

Finish: Sunday 14^th  July, 2024 3:00pm

Competition Pre-Brief: (COMPULSORY for at least 1 team member)

- Friday 12^th July  2024, 6pm at Seabreeze Hotel function room  - (72 Pacific Esplanade, Lamberts Beach)

Weigh-in:

- Sunday 14^th July, 2024 3:00pm – 4:00pm @ Seabreeze Hotel (72 Pacific Esplanade, Lamberts Beach)

Fish entries close 4:00pm sharp. (must be in line at weigh-in by 4:00pm)

Presentations: From Sunday 14^th July 2024, 4:15pm at Seabreeze Hotel

Boundaries: Fishing Boundaries are from the Whitsunday’s to St Lawrence

Rules:

1. Fish must be legal length. Spanish Mackerel are to be weighed in whole (no allowance will be made for gilled & gutted fish)

2. Maximum of 1 fish per species per person can be weighed/ measured for the competition.

3. All fish, except GT measure & release fish, must be weighed on certified competition scales or measured at the weigh station to be eligible.  Fish must be fresh, not frozen.  Any fish deemed frozen, old or suspicious will be deemed ineligible to weigh.

4. GT Measure & Release section -  Anglers are to take photo of fork length measurement on a brag mat with “Mystery item” handed out at the compulsory briefing Friday afternoon (as per image), Photos must show complete fish and if length cannot be easily read, also provide zoomed in measurement of fork length., Angler wishing to register a fish must be present at Weigh in with their brag mat and photos, prior to weigh in closure and send photos(with angler name and length) to 0429068296 to have photo registered in competition. Submission of all photos for competition will be taken as consent to use on Mackay GFC facebook pages.

5. For any fish weighed/ measured/ submitted that is the same weight/ length as another fish already submitted, a count back system will be based on the first fish being weighed/ measured/ submitted being awarded the prize.

6. Only the person registered on the angler ticket may weigh in/ enter a fish

7. The Weigh Master’s decision is final and no discussion will be entered into.  Any disputes will be finalized by appointed weigh master from Mackay Game Fishing Club Inc.

8. Fish that have been weighed will have their tail fin cut -do not mark your fish this way.

9. Qld Fisheries will be conducting scientific research on fish entries (please do not gill & gut your Mackerel)

10. Any evidence of fraud, fish tampering, or any action in defiance of the rule and goodwill of the competition will result in disqualification from the event, and police action may be instigated.

11. Fish can only be caught on rod/reel or hand line.  Any line class or braid may be used.  No spearing or netting of fish will be allowed.

12. Mutilation to the fish, caused by sharks, other animals or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh, prior to landing or boating the fish will disqualify the fish.

13. Fish must be whole and not presented in separate parts (ie You cannot cut a fish into multiple pieces to fit into an esky – Fish may be cut & folded as long as skin is intact and can present as a single fish)

14. All legal fish sizes and regulations apply as per Queensland fishing regulations.

15. All competitors or a person holding a competitor’s ticket must be present at the presentation to be awarded prizes within 1 minute of being called, or prize will be forfeited.

16. Juniors (15 & Under) (ie. born after 14^th July 2008) must be supervised by an adult to enter. Junior entrants are not eligible to enter fish in the adult competition.

17. Juniors will be required to present proof of age (at weigh-in and/ or presentation) if requested.

18. Highest Point Scoring Individual Game fish prize is only eligible for Mackay GFC members following Mackay GFC line class rules & Mackay GFC line class points structure (Billfish & Sharks are excluded).

19. Further amendments may take place for the Weigh-in structure & presentation if COVID or weather restrictions change for the weekend of the competition. – Registered Anglers will be notified at the compulsory briefing prior to start fishing on Friday afternoon

BOAT COMPETITORS

All competing vessels must have current registration recognised in Queensland.  Boat skippers must hold an appropriate boat license.  Boats must carry the appropriate safety equipment required for their vessel.  It is recommended all boats log on with Mackay Volunteer Marine Rescue while boating over the weekend.

WEATHER

The decision to put to sea is entirely the responsibility of the skipper of the boat.  The Organisers and Sponsors take no responsibility for decisions made by individual boat crews who decide to put to sea or not.  An announcement will be made at the pre brief, regarding conditions for offshore fishing due to forecasted weather and potential last minute rule changes. The tournament will be modified or postponed if Bureau of Meteorology forecasts winds above 20 knots.