“It’s just good fun, that thrill of hearing the reel go off and being able to catch a fish is always good fun,” she said.

Sophie, 15, was introduced to the sport at age three by her father Neil.

The Emmanuel College student has loved it ever since.

She tries to throw a line in at least once a week at spots along the Shipwreck Coast – both onshore and from the boat.

“We go off Warrnambool quite a bit and Port Fairy,” Sophie said.

“We do a fair bit of fishing in the river as well, in the Hopkins, which is good, and often go down to Levy’s for some salmon.

Sophie’s biggest catch was a 12-kilogram tuna – a feat which took her more than half an hour to reel in.

“If it’s tuna, they kind of like it rough a bit, so probably during winter’s the best time,” she said.

“You’ve got to pick the right days to go out there.”

Sophie, who also plays netball for Hampden league club Warrnambool and is preparing to make her Warrnambool and District cricket debut for Brierly-Christ Church, is part of an emerging group of south-west anglers.

She was one of three Warrnambool Offshore and Lightgame Fishing Club members to win state awards at the Game Fishing Association of Australia presentations on the Gold Coast.

Dennington’s Chloe Dance and Hawkesdale’s Martin Oosthuizen, both nine, was also recognised for their efforts. Sophie said it was a welcoming club.

 “They run heaps of great events that we get involved in, to get the kids involved. It’s great fun,” she said.

Chloe said she enjoyed the sport because “you get to eat the fish at the end”.

Martin said he liked jumping in the boat and heading out to sea.

“It’s really fun and when we go out really far, you can get a lot of fish,” he said.