Bermagui Alliance Tag & Release Tournament

The Alliance Tournament committee is in full swing organising the 2024 comp.
The tournament bags are in production thanks to the generous sponsorship of Bee Dee Bags

Tournament committee Christine meet up with Shane Wakelin tonight former Collingwood and St. Kilda footballer.

Word is Shane’s hoping to twist the arm of good mate and former Australian test cricket captain Mark ‘tubby’ Taylor to join him and come and fish next years Alliance tournament.
Looking forward to next years tournament 😁

Huge show tonight!

Join us as we’re joined by Justin from from 8pm live on YouTube!

Good news the main boat ramp will be open for the Tuna Tournament and we will get prize list and entry form out this weekend.

Gun local charter ’Head Hunter’ having a blinder for a bucks party crew.

A fish for all on board.

Great job by skipper Brett ‘Crusty’ O’Donnell and Matt Cassar running the deck.

The season is not over yet!

Will Smith the gun small fry fisho.

Congrats Will fishing on ‘Takari’ BBGAC on tagging a marlin and a hammerhead shark for the small fry win.

Catching and releasing fish and sharks of this caliber is no small feat when you are under 11 y/o. 💪🏆

We were glad to introduce a perpetual trophy for the small fry and juniors winners this year.

Congrats to Lachie ‘The Guide’ O’Reilly on taking out the major prize for our raffle of a Shimano Talica 25 with a Switchbait rod.

Word is Lachie ran the deck of Bunksey III with absolute distinction all week-end with their team coming third in the 7.1m and under category.

Thanks so much to our major sponsors who supported the major prize. Bermi Bait & Tackle, SHIMANO Australia Fishing and ROPAN Financial Services Group

Another closely contested category in our comp last week-end was the female category.

Maya Black came home with the win with 30,000 points representing Bermagui Big Game Anglers Club - BBGAC.

Maya held off a fast finishing Chloè Crampton.

Congrats Maya and the team on Bad Billy. This team has been one of the hardest working and most consistent performers fishing Bermagui this season 🏆

Well done Steven Fitzgerald on a well fought win on ‘Just Crusin’ in the junior category.

Steven managed 2 black marlin and 2 dolphin fish as this category was hotly contested.

Well done Steven, we look forward to seeing you compete in future events.

Shout out to runner-up Nicolas Gilham whom finished a close 2nd position.

pic credits - Aaron Keen

Shout out to our Chairman Award recipient Mark Haley on ‘Watermark’, whom is shown here being presented award by Matt Crampton CGFC.

It was Marks first year as skipper on his own boat. He came to the tournament with a group of close mates after a very tough year for himself and family after a workplace accident.

Mark networked hard during the tournament and things paid off after losing a couple of fish and having a blue shark disqualified for using a marlin tag on day one.

On day two however they struck gold hooking, catching and releasing a fiesty black marlin amongst the other boats.

Congrats guys on a great first tournament for Watermark and flying the flag for the Swordfish and Tunny Club.

Congrats to team Bent Over who also got hot at this years tournament.

The guys tagged 5 marlin on day one and came home with an extra fish on Sunday to lock the 7.1m and above category.

Was talk these guys were the main act pre-tournament and turned out pretty much true! Well done Daniel and Shane McLeod and Marcus Hickey 🤩

Special mention to All Bar One with 46,000 points as runner up.

Congrats to our winning team for a boat 7.1m and under - Swoopa as skippered by Steve Pearce and crew Ben Pearce and Paul Bakker.

They had the highest point score of the tournament with 83,025 from 8 marlin and a dolphin fish.

They also took out highest point score male angler to Ben Pearce. Also highest point score male angler on both days 1 and 2.

Special mention to Rogue with 50,000 in 2nd place.

What a cracker tournament for all crews, sponsors and volunteers.

We’d like to acknowledge all teams for what was our best fishing in many years. 54 marlin tagged and released from 33 teams.

First up the winning team for the week-end were team A represented by VGFC boats Xtreme and Allure and also CGFC Knot Reel with 86,000 points.

All team members contributed with 3 marlin tagged for each of Allure and Knot Reel and 2 for Xtreme.

Great effort all.

Day two and final day done and dusted.

18 marlin tagged and released with an early stop fishing today so another great day from competitors.

Congrats to all competitors. Looking forward to the Presentation dinner tonight at 7pm sharp.

“Bent Over” came in this afternoon with 5 flags as well for a fruitful day 1 of the comp.

Plenty of work to do tomorrow with a fair few boats in the mix!

Miles Georgeson with a pretty Striped Marlin today.

Early word is 33 tagged marlin today from our competitors.

Congrats all crew who battled hard and late. Some of the best fishing the Alliance has seen.

Pictured Steve Pearce on Swoopa tagging 5 💪

And we are off.

33 boats with 114 anglers.

Presentation dinner with 132 booked in.

Two days fishing ahead.

Big thanks to Bermi Bait and Tackle and Shimano Australia for sponsoring our major prize for our raffle.

The raffle is the main revenue source for sustaining our tournament into the future and a lot of fun for ticket holders 😁

We thank all sponsors who generously give to supporting our tournament and the sport of game fishing more broadly.

This can be the biggest elephant in the room for any competition angler and organising committee.

Leader and double lengths.

Please see below the rules around lengths to present a qualifying fish for our upcoming tournament. They vary between 10kg and below and 15kg and above outfits.

Our committee voted a year or so back to continue checking outfits of registered tagged fish when presented to tournament base.

Any questions please DM.

14 boats already registered for next week-ends event.

Congratulations to all boats entered. Sure to see many of you for a pre-fish leading up to the event.

Today is last day for early rego.

A big thanks to our sponsors and clubs supporting the event with raffle prizes starting to build up.

Shout out to Allways Angling Traralgon and on-line store and LVGFC for their contribution to the raffle.

Tournament registrations are trickling in.

Early entry till this Friday 3rd of March.

This year we welcome the Bermagui Chanber of Commerce whom have donated $1,000 to a lucky angler draw at the Tournament Briefing on Friday 10th March.

With warm currents and a hot season so far this year event promises to be a cracker.

Had our first registration today from what looks to be first time boat to the Alliance ‘The Uprising’.

Registration complete, insurance certificate supplied and proof of payment supplied. These guys are on it - good luck team!

By now most club members should have received an email of tournament application. If you haven’t please feel to email your club or [email protected].

Canberra Game Fishing Club is chairing the 2023 Bermagui Alliance Tag and Release Tournament.

Presentation dinner menu being organised 😋

Dates for this years tournament are Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th March subject to sanctioning.

Can’t wait for the upcoming season.

Club representatives have met recently via zoom and confirmed the following outcomes and plans for the Alliance tournament:

32 teams represented by 114 anglers competed in this years tournament.

26 Striped Marlin were tagged and released as apart of NSW DPI gamefish tagging program along with dolphin fish and striped tuna.

All trophy categories had winners with the exception of the yellowfin tuna category.

Tournament revenues generated of over $11k made up of entry, dinner and raffle revenues. Surplus achieved just short of $4k.

Estimated local community expenditure of $120,000 with many teams extending stays.

Special thanks to raffle sponsors and club volunteers supporting tournament along with BBGAC providing use of radio and club room facilities. Also the Bermagui Country Club for providing such a wonderful dinner.

It is confirmed that the 34th Alliance Tag and Release tournament will be held on the 11th and 12th March 2023 at Bermagui.

Now is a great time for visiting teams to pre-book accomodation for next years event.

Finally, clubs will be confirming their representatives for the tournament committee over coming months so now is a great time to register your interest with your club on how you may be able to support next years tournament.

Last but certainly not least.

Champion Angler other species, Texas Gawne of La Dolca Vita.

With tagged dolphin fish and striped tuna we get the feeling that Texas will be a name we hear of a lot in the future.

Congrats to captain and crew supporting Texas’s achievement 👏🔥

Pleasingly the Small Fry category of our tournament has gained momentum this year with four competitors, our biggest field in recent years.

Nicolas Gilham came through with the win with a Striped Marlin on day 1 and a dolphin fish day 2.

Nicolas also received the Presidents award from tournament chair, Gerry Rodrigues for his participation and success in the Small fry category over recent years.

We wish you luck as a junior next year Nicolas.

Our back to back Junior Champion is Sam Cunningham on the boat ‘Huntress’.

Sam held off his challengers by tagging a Striped Marlin on 15kg early on day 1.

Some say there is luck in marlin fishing but maybe some skill and persistence is the formula. Congrats Sam 👌