FROM THE PRESIDENT
I am very proud to have been re-elected as President of this great club and would like to extend a warm welcome to the new 2025/2026 Committee. I look forward to another successful and enjoyable year ahead. We continue to progress with plans to rebuild our existing wharf. While it’s been a slow process, we anticipate that the renovations will take place next winter — the most suitable time to complete the works. To help fund this important project, we will be running another raffle, with all proceeds going directly towards the wharf rebuild. On the social side, we’re excited to be hosting two of our ever-popular Prawn & Oyster Days in November. The first will be held on Friday evening, 21st November, featuring sunset drinks, prawns, and oysters — a perfect combination! The second event will be on Sunday, 23rd November from midday. For the Sunday event, we strongly encourage members and guests to come by boat or take advantage of the ferry, as parking in Watsons Bay can be challenging. Bookings are essential for both events to assist with catering — so please secure your spot early. On the fishing scene, October has been nothing short of incredible, with an outstanding bite of Striped Marlin and Yellowfin Tuna. The action has been nonstop — and we should all make the most of it while the bite lasts! Recently, we held our Junior Fishing Day, and I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the skippers and crews who volunteered their time and boats. Your generosity and enthusiasm made the day a great success — and hopefully, we’ve managed to “ruin” a few more lives by creating the next generation of passionate anglers! Looking ahead, we have one more special event before the year wraps up — the Kids’ Christmas Day on Saturday, 13th December. Each year, we welcome families from the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick for a wonderful day of fun on the harbour, including boat rides, food, drinks, and of course, a visit from Santa. This day is only possible with the support of our amazing members who volunteer their boats and time. We’ll need skippers and crew to help families on and off the boats safely — if you’re able to assist, please reach out to Secretary Annita. Your help truly makes a difference. Thank you all for your continued support of the club — both on the water and off. Wishing everyone a safe and successful start to the summer season. Tight lines, Glenn Wright President – Sydney Game Fishing Club
Friday 21st November sunset drinks Prawn & oyster evening free Beverage on arrival start 6pm ------------------ Sunday 23rd Lunch prawn & Oyster start Midday free beverage on arrival ------------------- $50 per adult Kids $20 Small fry up to 12 put bookings are essential contact Annita secretary@sgfc.com.au
Prawn & Oyster
Calendar of Events SGFC November 2025 1st - 2nd Summer Point Score 6th - SGFC Club Meeting (Thursday) 15th - 16th Summer Point Score 15th - 16th Lord Howe Central Zone Round 21st - Prawn & Oyster Dinner at SGFC starts at 6pm 23rd - Prawn & Oyster Lunch at SGFC starts at Midday 25th - Committee Meeting December 2025 2nd - SGFC Club Meeting 6th - 7th Summer Point Score 13th - Kids Christmas party 20th - 21st Summer Point Score 30th - Committee Meeting January 2026 3rd - 4th Summer Point Score 6th - SGFC Club Meeting 17th - 18th Central Coast GFC Tournament + Central Zone 17th - 18th Summer Point Score 27th - Committee Meeting 31st - 1st Feb Botany Bay GFC Bill Heyward Memorial Tournament + Central Zone
22nd 23th
Watch a video here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=807586985576405
On the 26th of October, I took Qing and three of his friends out for their very first day of game fishing — and what a baptism of fire it turned out to be! The video from the day gives some idea of the chaos, but you really had to be there to appreciate it. Until that morning, the group’s fishing experience was limited to catching small fish from the rocks, so this was a serious step up. The day started slowly, although the radio chatter confirmed that the bait schools were still holding and that several Marlin had already been seen and tagged. After working the bait for some time without result, I decided to move on — and that’s when we got our first strike: a blind hit on, unsurprisingly, the Brad ‘J’ Bullet. One of the guys grabbed the rod while the others rushed in to help — one holding the rod, another winding, and the third holding onto the angler. It was pure mayhem. Before long, it became clear this wasn’t a Marlin, and as the fish came closer, I was surprised to see it was a solid Yellowfin Tuna of around 20–30kg. Unfortunately, with a bit of slack line and some inexperience, the fish won its freedom. Still, it was an encouraging sign — Yellowfin inside the shelf are a rare sight these days. We pushed on, and shortly after, all hell broke loose. Suddenly, five or six Marlin piled into the spread, creating complete chaos. Ron was running around like a chook with its head cut off, trying to tease them into striking properly, but despite a few brief hookups, none stayed connected. It was an adrenaline-filled few minutes — the kind of action that keeps you coming back. Fortunately, the day wasn’t a total loss, as we did manage to tag a Striped Marlin before heading back. By then, the boys weren’t feeling too well, and despite the bite firing up — with several boats hooking up as we left — they were keen to call it a day. Still, it was an incredible first taste of game fishing for them. Throughout the day, we had seven or eight Marlin come into the spread, and I even spotted a couple tailing down-sea. Reports from other boats confirmed just how hot the bite was: Rampage, Shoki, and another boat (name escapes me) had each tagged three fish by the time we left, and several others had at least one to their name. With the bite still going strong and it only being October, the coming months promise to be something special. The big question now is — are these fish holding because of the bait, or are they continuously moving through? A big congratulations to young Small Fry angler Lucas Liddall, who tagged his very first Marlin up at Port Stephens — surely the first of many more to come. Other Sydney boats also had great results: On Call went four from five over the weekend, tagging two Striped Marlin on Friday and another two on Sunday. Jack Doyle fished wider in 500 fathoms and landed a 150kg Blue Marlin. My Molly picked up a quality Yellowfin Tuna. Bonito found the Yellowfin bringing home a nice 40kilo dinner Amalfi Blue tagged & released a stripe Marlin Dylan aboard Cheeky Monkey had a few solid hits but, unfortunately, couldn’t get one to stick. Looking ahead, the next Central Zone round will be the Lord Howe Island Round on 15th & 16th November. The first tournament for 2026 will be Botany Bay on 31st January & 1st February, followed by the Billfish Shootout from 12th–15th February and the Interclub State Championship from 19th–22nd February. If you haven’t already booked your boat for Port Stephens — don’t wait! Spots are filling fast. Tight lines,
Angle of the Dangle fishing Report
Lucas Liddall
ON CALL
On Call
Amalfi Blue
Bonito
Go to link to see Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ0Ifflyc-U
A huge thank you to our fantastic club members — Rob from On Call, Ivan from Ambition, Peter from Gobble De Hook, and Dylan onboard Cheeky Monkey — for volunteering their time and boats to take 30 excited kids fishing on Sydney Harbour! The day was a great success, with plenty of smiles and some impressive catches. A special highlight was one young angler landing his very first Kingfish, measuring an impressive 70cm — not bad at all! Big thanks also to Wazza for manning the BBQ and keeping everyone well fed, and to Mia Wright for all her help behind the scenes ensuring the day ran smoothly. Makira Wright has put together a short video capturing all the fun and excitement — be sure to check it out.
Gone Fishing Day 2025
www.tantrumlures.com
"Hooked on the Blue: Fishing with Rob on "On Call" 1st Year Member on "On Call" - Thomas
It all started in March 2024. The sun was just beginning to warm the waters off the coast, and I found myself stepping aboard On Call, Rob’s pride and joy—a sleek Black Watch built for serious action. It was my first time fishing with Rob, and I had no idea that day would change everything. We went 12-6-3—a solid day by any standard—but it wasn’t just the numbers that stuck with me. It was the moment I got to reel in my first marlin. The adrenaline, the fight in a game chair and the sheer power of that fish—it was unforgettable. Then came the short corner strike followed by the blue marlin hooking up and greyhounding. That sight alone was enough to hook me for life. Throughout 2024, I kept fishing out of On Call, learning the ropes, chasing billfish, and soaking in every moment on the water. Rob was a great skipper—calm, knowledgeable, and always ready to chase the next bite. One standout moment from that year was fishing the Peter Goadby Tournament. The bite was tough. I ended up winding in a cracking mahi mahi early in the day—bright, aggressive, and full of fight. However the real fun happened after the call to stop fishing. Just as we were heading towards Browns, we doubled up on striped marlin. It was fun—lines screaming, crew scrambling, and two stripes dancing across the surface with the sunset in the backdrop. That double hookup was the kind of moment you never forget, and it cemented my love for marlin fishing. Fast forward to 2025, and I was fishing more regularly with On Call. By then, the crew felt like family, and we hit the season hard, chasing every opportunity to get lines in the water. The Broken Bay competition was the highlight for me. We punched through the heads into a sloppy 25-knot southerly—rough conditions that promised a long, wet day. Just after 1 p.m., we hooked our first blue marlin. Watching it greyhound across the surface and then charge the boat was an unreal sight. Around 4 p.m., we picked up a jellybean yellowfin, a nice bonus to end the day. But it was the next day that really delivered. We started strong, tagging a blue right after 9 a.m., then landed a solid 30kg yellowfin around midday. And just when we thought we were done, a 47kg yellowfin exploded on the surface—an absolute missile. That same fish clinched the heaviest other game fish for the Central Zone. From that first marlin in 2024 to the tournament highs of 2025, fishing with Rob on On Call has been a wild ride. It’s not just about the fish—it’s the chase, the teamwork and the memories. And with each season, the ocean keeps calling. Can’t wait for 2026.
HAYLEX TACKLE I supply hand made custom lures from Ali'i Kai (Shawn Rotella), Big Reidee (Ron Akana), Crampton Baits (Brian Crampton), KC Lures (Kendrick Ching) and Koya Lures ( Eric Koyanagi). Each lure maker has perfected their art over more than 30 years each of lure making.
Juniors, this one’s for YOU! The National Junior Tournament is on – and it’s FREE to enter! Monthly prizes for Capture, Tag & Release, and Measure & Release Win awesome gear like a Shimano Spheros SW 14000XG, Tackle World vouchers, Halco lures, Colorato lures, and more! Plus – you could be crowned State Champion or even National Champion! So what are you waiting for? Grab your rod, hit the water, and sign up today – it’s free, it’s fun, and it could be your chance to shine! Enter now at: https://www.gfaa.asn.au/juniors/ junior-tournament-information
Lizard Island Tournament Adventure 2025 This year, Glenn and I had the pleasure of joining Kevin and Sharon Oats aboard Bounty Hunter for the Lizard Island Heavy Tackle Tournament — and, funnily enough, our deckie for the trip was none other than Giles Cox! The tournament was held out of Cooktown, kicking off with the briefing on Sunday night before the traditional sail past on Monday morning. Lines went in at 11 a.m., and each day we fished until 5 p.m., spending five incredible days out on the reef. Fishing the Great Barrier Reef is truly like no other experience in the world — the scenery, and of course, the fish make it unforgettable. To top off an already amazing week, we returned to Cooktown on Friday night for the presentation, where I was thrilled (and a little surprised!) to be awarded Champion Lady Angler on a countback. If you’ve never experienced a heavy tackle trip on the Great Barrier Reef, it’s something every angler should have on their bucket list — an adventure you’ll never forget!
SAINTLY WHISPERS