Jackson Van Ginneken put his name on the two tickets his mum, Kristie, purchased before the presentation at Warrnambool Breakwater on Sunday morning. 

A passing comment that “another kid is leaning on my boat” rang true when Jackson’s name was drawn as the winner of the Richardson Marine boat package. 

“I thought it was going to be some other kid,” he said. 

“We only caught one legal fish, really, and we didn’t win anything else so I was happy with the boat.” 

Anglers tried their luck in saltwater and freshwater from the Yambuk River through to Peterborough from February 10 to 18.

Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Fishing Club’s Peter Kavanagh said while entries were down, a strong contingent remained. The competition was moved forward to avoid a clash with the March long weekend. 

Outstanding catches included a large mako shark and a large yellowtail kingfish. Tuna catches were high.

“A smallfry (competitor) caught a bigger bream than the seniors – and that was in the Hopkins River,” Mr Kavanagh said. “The Hopkins is firing up really well because the mouth is open and the river is so clean. The bream are just really, really healthy. It’s a healthy water system at the moment.” 

Mr Kavanagh said the competition prided itself on being family orientated.

“It gets the little ones out into the rivers and streams and estuaries and it’s something for all ages and the whole family and that’s good for the community,” he said.

Final leaderboard:

Smallfry: Australian salmon, Harry Eldred; bream, Oliver Sharp; whiting, Abby Pohlner; snapper, Jesse McEwen; silver trevally, Harry Eldred; yellow eye mullet, Tomm McKane. 

Juniors: Snapper, Ryan Scoble; Australian salmon, Luke Eldred; bream, Kailyn Kelly; estuary perch, Luke Gercovich; trout, Aiden Gordon; shark (gummy or school), Joshua Harry; King George whiting, Luke Eldred; mulloway, Atlanta Kandage; silver trevally, Luke Eldred. 

Seniors: Snapper, Darrian Innes; mulloway, Andrew Primmer; morwong, Clayton Smith; Australian salmon, Bernie Drake; bream, Nathan Kelly; estuary perch, Dylan Pace; trout, Joel Bishop; flathead, Neville Dance; shark (gummy or school), Clayton Smith; yellowtail kingfish, Scott Gray; King George whiting, Rodney Bawden; tuna, Tiah Drake; game shark, Scott Neal.

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