Winners are grinners
FROM THE PRESIDENT
As we welcome September, I would like to say a big congratulations to all of our Prize winners from the past season, we celebrate their achievements inside this edition. September also marks the beginning of the summer point score—a time of year when preparation is key. I encourage all members to check their safety equipment before heading out: Lifejackets – ensure they are in good working condition. Flares – check expiry dates. Life rafts – if you have one, it’s good practice to service them every two years. For Tantrum, I am scheduling routine servicing and antifoul around November to ensure she is ready for the busy summer months. Club Partners & Sponsors Assent Marine – our valued club partners who can assist with all your boating needs. Since working with them, Tantrum has never looked or run better. Boat Slipping – D’Albora Marina at The Spit and Marina Bayside both provide excellent facilities and will look after our club boats. Fishing Tackle – Otto’s Tackle World and Fishing Station remain the best in the business for all your tackle requirements. Fuel – Birkenhead Point marina is offering 15c per litre off the bowser price for club members. Insurance – Pantanius provides competitive insurance packages exclusively for Sydney Game Fishing Club members. Social Calendar Our social events continue to be a highlight of the season: Prawn & Oyster Afternoons – Due to popular demand, two afternoons are scheduled: Sunday 26th October Sunday 23rd November Kids Fishing Day – Held in conjunction with Gone Fishing Day on 19th October. We will require support from boat owners and deckhands to help make the day a success. Kids Christmas Party – Scheduled for Saturday 13th December. Again, we will need skippers and crew volunteers to assist on the day. Thank you Glenn Wright
Keep an eye on your inbox our 2025–2026 membership renewal invoices will be sent out in early July. Don’t miss out on renewing and stay part of the action for the upcoming season!
Calendar of Events SGFC September 2025 20th - Start Summer Point Score 20th + 21st SGFC Mako Tournament 26th - Committee Meeting October 2025 4th -5th - Summer Point Score 7th - SGFC Club Meeting 19th - Gone Fishing Day 18th - 19th Summer Point Score 28th - Committee Meeting November 2025 1st - 2nd Summer Point Score 4th - SGFC Club Meeting 15th - 16th Summer Point Score 15th - 16th Lord Howe Central Zone Round 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
Membership Renewal 2025-2026
22nd 23th
Team On Call
Team WAWA
Sydney Game Fishing Club TROPHY AWARDS 2024-2025
Team Tantrum
Team Casey
President's Trophies Colin Still Memorial President's Trophy Dylan Fillery Warrewi Trophy (Novice Award) Ziggy Manitsas Pot Hunter's Trophy On Call TAG & RELEASE ANGLER TROPHIES – Pointscore days Domination Trophy Champion Male Angler - T&R Nicco Marsh WAWA 300062 pts Wyn Maree Trophy Champion Female Angler - T&R Michelle Eagle On Call 51525 pts Tom Roche Trophy Champion Junior Angler - T&R Jayden Milauro 11500 pts MARLIN AWARDS Rowan Waddy Trophy (1st Marlin Tagged off Sydney) Lee Cheesman Black Marlin 27/10/2024 Nick Hanslow Trophy Boat Tag/Capturing 1st. Marlin Casey Black Marlin 27/10/2024 Les Winkworth Trophy (1st. Marlin Captured off Sydney) Andrea Sartori Blue Marlin 2/02/2025 Dick Rowe Trophy (Heaviest Marlin on 10Kg) Ziggy Manitsas Striped Marlin 82.20 kg Richard Winn Trophy (Heaviest Marlin on 15Kg) Makira Wright Blue Marlin 95.40 kg Murrawolga Cup Trophy (Heaviest Marlin on 37Kg) Andrea Sartori Blue Marlin 96.00 kg Ted Smout Trophy (Heaviest Marlin on 60Kg) Nicco Marsh Blue Marlin 140.00 kg Claude Kellion Trophy (Last Marlin of Season Capt./Tag) Lee Cheesman Striped Marlin 21/05/2025 TUNA TROPHIES Jim Worsley Trophy (Heaviest Tuna on 24kg) Jack Purkis Bluefin Tuna 88.30 kg 24 kg Terry Wright Trophy (Heaviest Tuna on 37kg) Peter Calligeros Bluefin Tuna 101.50kg 37 kg SHARK TROPHIES Piranha Trophy (Heaviest Shark on 24Kg) Lee Cheesman Tiger Shark 248.00kg 24 kg Betty Jay Trophy (1st Shark over 227Kg) Lee Cheesman Tiger Shark 248.00kg 24 kg OTHER GAME FISH TROPHIES Cecil Norton Trophy (Heaviest other than Marlin or Tuna) Makira Wright Spearfish 15.90 kg 10 kg Les Hardy Trophy (Heaviest Snapper) Philip Millauro Snapper 7.1 kg 10 kg LADIES TROPHIES Signa Trophy (Heaviest Marlin by lady) Makira Wright Blue Marlin 95.40 kg 15 kg JUNIORS TROPHIES Nathan Trophy (Heaviest Gamefish by junior) Jayden Millauro Blue Marlin 89.10 kg Newman Family Trophy (Most Meritorious Capture by junior) Ziggy Manitsas Striped Marlin 7,939 pts
Team Connoisseur
Team Sammi-Jay
Team Reel Smart
BOAT AWARDS Capture Keith Whitehead Trophy (Champion Boat Sydney Waters) On Call 5 pts * Runner-up Tantrum 7 pts Tennessee Trophy (Boat T&R Line Class Pointscore) Tantrum 10 pts * Runner-up WAWA 13 pts Clive Michael Trophy (Champ. Boat N.S.W. incl Sydney waters) Tantrum 25,986 pts *Runner-up On Call 19,619 pts Joe Ritchie Trophy (Champ NSW Waters excl. Sydney Waters Pointscore days) Tantrum 10,583 pts *Runner-up Casey 5,894 pts Louis Ardilley Trophy (Highest Aggregate Marlin Points) Tantrum 24,505 pts *Runner-up On Call 17,034 pts Nahtan Trophy (Champion Boat Winter Pointscore) Connoisseur 3720 pts *Runner-up WAWA 3321 pts Tag & Release John O'Brien Trophy (Champion Boat Tag & Release) WAWA 508,151 pts *Runner-up (all waters……entire season) Casey 422,187 pts PorosTrophy (Champion Boat T&R on Pointscore Days) WAWA 397,093 pts *Runner-up On Call 144,750 pts Rick Morrow Trophy (Champion Boat T& R Tuna – Pointscore ) Tanacious 13,000 pts Stewart Donaldson Trophy (Champion Boat T& R Marlin – Pointscore ) WAWA 397,000 pts Claude Archer Trophy (Champion Boat T&R Sharks – Pointscore ) Casey 10,625 pts Gambit Trophy (Champion Boat T & R Winter Pointscore) Casey 11,500 pts Runner up Reel Smart 10,000 pts Tag & Release Pointscore Days Ambition Trophy Champion Ultra Light Tackle (4-10kg) WAWA 112,593 pts Michael Kirby Trophy Champion Light Tackle (15kg) WAWA 277,000 pts Otto Volz Trophy Champion Medium Tackle (24kg) On Call 114,525 pts Little Audrey Trophy Champion Heavy Tackle (37-60kg) On Call 22,500 pts Tag & Release - Champion Anglers Overall : Adult Male : Nicco Marsh 303,812 pts Adult Lady : Michelle Eagle 51,525 pts Junior : Jayden Millauro 11,500 pts Small Fry : Lucas Liddal 3,750 pts
2025 Central Zone Presentation
2024 - 2025 Central zone
The 2024–2025 Central Zone season was celebrated in conjunction with Port Hacking Game Fishing Club’s presentation. Sydney Game Fishing Club proudly secured Champion Club Tag & Release, thanks to the performance of all Sydney boats that competed throughout the rounds. The Central Zone competition is held across seven rounds during the season, with only the top five scoring boats from each round contributing to the overall results. Each participating club hosts a tournament weekend, and when Sydney boats enter those events, their catches are automatically recorded towards the Central Zone standings. Even if you are only able to fish one day of the weekend, your results still count—simply log on to the radio skeds as a Sydney club boat and your fish will be tallied towards your club, boat, and angler categories. This year, Club Boat WAWA dominated with an outstanding start at the Botany Bay Tournament and continued to fish consistently across the rounds, accumulating enough points to be awarded Champion Boat, and Champion Angler honours going to Nicco Marsh. There were also some standout individual achievements: Ziggy Manitsas – In his very first season with Sydney Game Fishing Club, teaming up with Rob on On Call, Ziggy impressed everyone by securing Champion Junior Tag & Release in the Central Zone Competition , as well as several individual tournament wins. On Call also recorded the Heaviest Tuna, caught by Tomas He. A huge congratulations to all our anglers and boats for their efforts and results this season. We now look forward to another exciting season ahead—bring on 2025–2026, and let’s go Sydney! Central Zone rounds Sydney Mako, Lord Howe round, Botany Bay, Central coast Sydney, Broken Bay final round Port Hacking check out Calendar SGFC website
NSWGFA Awards Night 2025
New Tuna Slam Shield
We are very happy to launch a new shield for our Winter Tuna Slam donated by two of our most passionate tuna fishing members Jamie Mackay (previously Groundswell) and Pete Calligeros (Bonito). Since its launch in 2016 the Tuna Slam has grown in popularity with our members, offering a great way to compete over the three months of Winter, when the billfish tend to be scarce. The Slam has grown in entries, prize pool cash and status. Even some of our most hardened billfish anglers are now ‘having a crack’ at winning the Winter Tuna Slam. And its not just about the cash prizes and trophy, tuna are fantastic table fish and when bled and put straight on an ice slurry, you can enjoy a fish that would sell to restaurants for over 20k at the Tokyo market. Despite this years slow numbers and poor weather,the last few years have seen good numbers of decent sized yellow and bluefin weighed, suggesting the East coast tuna fishery is thriving. Jamie Mackay said: “Pete and I have had so much fun chasing tuna off Sydney over the last decade, our kids have all caught the fish of their lives and we have learned a lot about tactics and sashimi preparation from the Clubs most experienced anglers. We hope this trophy encourages more members to take part each Winter and over time it becomes testament to many great fishing stories and records”. The new shield features the mould of an 85kg bluefin caught off Sydney and was crafted by legendary fish moulder Scotty Mann from Batemans Bay Fish Moulds. The timber shield itself is solid Australian red cedar and was crafted by Holger Shumann from Furniture by Holger at Mona vale right next to the Fishing Station. The new Shield will hang proudly above the club bar. No doubt many stories of epic captures will be recorded.
www.tantrumlures.com
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 www.gfaa.asn.au/juniors
Safety on the Water: A Little Prep Goes a Long Way When we’re out chasing fish, it’s easy to let safety slip to the back of our minds. It’s not what gets us to the grounds faster, and it doesn’t make that satisfying ratchet sound when a reel screams. Most safety gear stays tucked away, out of sight and—hopefully—never needed. But if something goes wrong, it’s the one thing that might get you home safely. Better yet, it could prevent problems before they even start. It may not be flashy, but safety is one of the most important tools on your boat. Recent events It’s been a difficult year for many in the local game fishing scene. Most of us have heard about the heartbreaking loss of Paul Barning, and more recently, the tragic disappearance of a solo angler off Batemans Bay. These incidents, though very different, have really made us stop and think. They’re a sobering reminder that no matter how experienced we are, it’s always worth taking a fresh look at our safety gear and routines before heading out. The Basics Every SGFC member should know the minimum safety gear checklist from the boating handbook—it’s pretty much second nature by now. But here’s the real question: are all those items actually in date, and working properly? It’s easy to tick the boxes, but a quick check could make all the difference. And beyond the basics, what other best practices could we be adopting to stay safer out there? (Insert checklist here. A simple tip: Keep your safety gear in a dedicated grab bag, Life Cell, or similar setup. When seconds count, this could make all the difference. Life Jackets / Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) Gone are the days of bulky, uncomfortable life jackets. Today, inflatable and self-inflating PFDs come in various styles and ratings. One worth checking out is the waist belt or “bum bag” style inflatable—lightweight and comfortable enough to wear all day. You can consider wearing these style PFD’s while fighting or leadering a fish. (Insert photo?) Whichever style you choose, ensure each PFD is regularly serviced—either through self-maintenance or by a professional. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for details. You must have at least one suitable PFD on board for every person, but having extra can be beneficial if one fails or other vessels need assistance. Technology: What Can Keep You Safe Modern safety tech has come a long way. While budget often dictates what you can carry, having redundancies in key areas is a smart move.
For real safety benefits, invest in a transceive model. This allows others—and shore stations like MarineTraffic—to see your near real-time location. In the event of trouble, this could be a lifesaver for search efforts or loved ones checking in. It is a system that SGFC highly recommends using for its safety benefits. EPIRB and PLB An EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) is mandatory for vessels more than 2nm offshore. These beacons can be manual, automatic, or float-free, and should be tested regularly using the self-test function. Don’t forget to register yours with AMSA. A PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) is a smaller, wearable option. It typically transmits for 24 hours and is registered to a person, not a boat. A PLB in your pocket might be your best chance if you’re separated from your vessel. Other Useful Gear ● Kill switches, like the FELL Marine system, can shut down the engine remotely in a man-overboard event ● Battery jump starters can get you out of trouble if your main battery fails ● Fishing/tool vest can be worn at all times to keep important items with you ● And when all tech fails: paper charts and a compass are still worth their weight in gold Before You Head Out We all run mental checks before heading to sea—but having a written pre-departure checklist can save you from forgetting something critical. Here are some things to consider: ● Weather conditions suitable for vessel and crew ● Fully charged batteries ● Adequate fuel, food, and water ● Motor serviced and fluids topped up ● Operational bilge pumps and backups ● Working scuppers/self-draining decks ● Fuses and understanding of electrical system
VHF Radio A working VHF radio is essential when boating more than 2nm offshore. But what if it fails? A second radio—whether fixed or handheld—is a great backup. While handheld models may not have the same range, they’re invaluable in a ditching situation or if your main batteries go flat. Add one to your grab bag for your next trip. A good antenna also makes a big difference. VHF signals travel by line-of-sight, so mounting a longer antenna, higher up increases your transmission range. Did you know, Marine Rescue can track your position while you transmit using a Radio Direction Finder! This can assist in locating you in an emergency. You might not know where you are, but they can still find you. Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Many modern VHFs come with DSC—a feature often overlooked. The core function is the distress button, which, when activated, sends your position and vessel details over Channel 70. But there’s a catch: it only works if your radio is correctly set up and programmed with an MMSI. MMSI A Maritime Mobile Service Identity is a unique nine-digit number, much like a phone number for your boat. It links your radio (and other devices like AIS and EPIRB) to you and your vessel. To get one, register with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). Keep in mind, you’ll need a marine radio licence (yes, it’s legally required, even if not always enforced). AIS: Automatic Identification System AIS has long been used in commercial vessels, and it’s now becoming more common in private boats. It transmits your position, MMSI, and other data to nearby vessels and shore-based receivers within VHF range. There are two types: ● Receive-only units, which let you see other vessels ● Transcieve units, which also broadcast your position
● Complete tool kit ● Up-to-date charts ● Safety gear checked and in date ● Fully stocked first aid kit ● Fire extinguishers ● Drain plug fitted ● Crew skill levels appropriate for the trip Every boat is different, so customise your checklist. SGFC strongly recommends fishing with at least one other experienced crew member. While at Sea Good seamanship is still your best defence against trouble. Here’s some general advice: ● Keep a safe speed at all times ● Maintain a proper lookout—watch for logs, debris, or whales ● Log on with Marine Rescue or tournament base (a radio log-on also checks your gear) ● Keep decks tidy—secure hooks, gaffs, and gear ● Wear the right clothing and PPE: hats, sunscreen, gloves, etc. ● Use proper techniques for leaders and handling fish. SGFC run workshops on leading and bringing larger fish in. ● Consider wearing items such as, PFD, PLB, portable radio, pliers and/or line cutters at all times. Another tip: items such as PLB’s, handheld radios, line cutters and pliers can be attached to a waist belt PFD or a fishing vest Functionality Matters Just like your fishing gear, your safety equipment needs to be in top working order. It should be stored somewhere dry and easy to reach—because let’s face it, buried in the front of the V-berth isn’t going to help much in an emergency. Just as important, everyone on board should know where the gear is and how to use it. A quick walk-through of the boat before heading out—pointing out key items and even running through a few “what if” scenarios—can go a long way in building confidence and readiness. Emergencies can escalate fast, and that’s not the time to be rummaging around or guessing what to do. A good tip? Keep your EPIRB and grab bag life cell stored as high as possible in a spot that’s likely to stay accessible, even if things go sideways.
SAINTLY WHISPERS
Final Thoughts If you’ve read this far—well done! Safety might not be the most exciting part of boating, but it could be the most important. There’s plenty more to cover, but I hope you’ve learned something valuable and picked up a useful tip, or two. For more information, visit the Marine Rescue Port Jackson website or consider volunteering. Better yet, come down to a club meeting and have a chat. I might not have all the answers, but I’ll gladly point you in the right direction. Tight lines and safe boating, Dylan Fillery