First prize reeled in at Kingston fishing competition

BIG FISH: Damo Little (centre) proudly displays his catch, which won him the Polycraft dinghy for the biggest mulloway in the annual Kingston surf fishing contest. He is pictured with fishing chairman Lion Lyle Griffen and Kingston Lions Club president Stephen Lomman.

A RECORD crowd was in attendance for the Kingston Lions Club 40th annual surf fishing contest presentations held over the weekend.

Around 2000 people attended the Lions Park for the presentation of prizes after a total of 1345 competitors – 1154 adults and 191 juniors – competed.

Those keen anglers landed 36 mulloway, 34 scale fish, 35 shark and 23 junior fish for a total of 128 fish, which kept the Lions members in the shed busy weighing all weekend.

First prize for a mulloway – weighing in at 18.4kgs – went to Mount Gambier angler Damo Little, who won the Polycraft dinghy.

Second prize for a mulloway – weighing 11.2kgs – went to Scott Hollow of Piccadilly, who won a car fridge, while third prize, with a 9.3kg mulloway went to Kingston’s Brett Vanstone, who claimed an esky with 40 years of winners names.

For the juniors, Keith’s Alex Bradley took the win, ahead of Mount Gambier’s Jake Corrigan and Port Pirie’s Ava Cridland.

Shark honours went to Mount Gambier’s Ross Stafford, ahead of Kingstons’ Peter Ewer and fellow Kingston angler Matthew Hille.

Winner of the lucky rod tag prize had an unusual twist this year.

As it was the 40th anniversary, an Ezytrail camper trailer was up for grabs, with the first lucky rod tag drawn from Angas Bawden, who generously donated it back to the Lions Club.

The Lions Club then had a redraw and the winner was Stephen North from Murray Bridge.

Grocery raffle winners were Deb Haines, Mark Gibbs, the Anglican Church and Karly Saltmarsh.

The surf rod winner was Alexandra Bristow, the crayfish victor was Lyle Griffen, while the swag went to Keith Jarrod.

The Kingston Lions Club thanked all sponsors, competitors and families who attended, along with the Lucindale and Millicent Lions Clubs and volunteers who helped throughout the weekend.