Australian Anglers Association, (WA Division) Inc.
2003 State Beach And Rock Angling Championships.
The Australian Anglers Association ran it's annual 2003 State Beach And Rock Angling Championships from Myalup to
Halls Head on 29 and 30 March 2003. Weigh in was at the Preston Beach Caravan Park on Sunday.
These championships, like all Association events, catered for families and all age groups by running five different
divisions. There are two junior divisions, one for little kids, (mini-juniors up to 12 years), one for bigger kids (juniors,
over 12 and under 16 years), plus ladies, men and veterans (over 55 years) divisions. The Association encourages
family participation and there are a number of families that participate as a group in it's events.
These championships are a social event with a competitive outlook for club members, and a time when clubs get together and
talk fishing. They raise fishing to a higher level with high expectations which can be realised when your team or one of
your team members is successful in the competition.
So 34 men, 16 ladies, 21 veterans, 3 juniors and 7 mini Juniors signed on for the event and enjoyed the autumn
weather... - up to the time the thunderstorms started.
The fishing area was about 60 km long, from Halls Head to Myalup, and the weather you got depended on where you
were - like it often does with thunderstorms.
It was surprising to hear about the severe storms in Perth on Saturday night, but there was no sign of bad weather at the
sign on at 11am on Saturday at Preston Beach.
In the Preston Beach area, Saturday afternoon and up to 11 pm were really good conditions weather wise - light winds,
just a brief shower but no heavy rain or lightning anywhere near us. The stars were out, there was plenty of distant
inland and north east lightning flashs at times, but we couldn't hear any thunder, so all this was a long way off.
There was only one short and small thunderstorm and rain period during the early hours. Sunday was a calm morning
with a few rain and lightning cells well out to sea, and just a few drops of rain before it all cleared up.
There was some rain in the White Hills area overnight but the Sunday morning was good conditions.
Winds were light and variable for the weekend, except where the thunderstorm cells were, and the seas and swell were light,
making for very easy fishing conditions.
Unfortunately, as often happens with calm conditions and changes in the weather, the fish seemed to have gone on holiday.
There were plenty of tiddlers, but the usual fish were pretty scarce. Catching and returning undersize herring, tailor
and tarwhine kept us moving but didn't add to the bag.
Angelo Perna weighed in a beautiful Mulloway of 16+ kg, George Holman had two nice skippy of 1.65 kg and 1.5 kg, Daniel Bell
had a small hammerhead shark of around 4 kg.
We had sunshine during the weigh in and presentation, from 11 am Sunday. Started home from Preston Beach about
1:30 pm Sunday in sunshine, but hit the heavy rain, flooded roads and lightning about 20 km south of Mandurah.
The shovel nosed ray weighed after the AAA weigh in finished was not part of the AAA competition and that species
and possibly that particular fish would not have been eligible for weighing in anyway.
Heaviest fish of species caught were:- (Some details and photos still to be added)
