Port Macquarie boat, Eastbound won the 53 boat competition with an overwhelming score of 68,750 points and was announced as the winners at Port Panthers on Saturday, January 18.

Bear was the runner up boat on 32,531 points with crowd favourite fisherman, Michael O'Brien who tagged two marlin during the comp.

Port Macquarie's The Menace charged into third on 32,500 which was a single dolphin fish off second. Jervis Bay Game Fishing Club craft, Gamechanger was fourth with 28,781 points and Newcastle's Weapon was fifth on 27,021 points.

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Port Macquarie Game Fishing Club president Janeck Kaczorowski said Eastbound had won quite convincingly after many years of placing well in the annual event.

"The locals took out the trifecta this year in tag and release. Fishing was very tough this year and no boats tagged a marlin over 150 kilos," he said.

"Eastbounds score was almost double that of the next closest boat, so they won quite convincingly. They received first prize which was $7500 cash, fishing tackle and a $1000 Garmin voucher.

"They also won the Calcutta and champion angler so they stand to take home about $14,000 as a group, they've done very well.

"There were lots of different species caught this year with blue, black and striped marlin. There also Mahi Mahi, wahoo, short-billed spearfish and lots of hammerhead or whaler sharks."

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The Junior Angler Capture award went to Sydney Game Fishing Club's Makira Wright for her first Blue Marlin on Thursday, January 16.

"It took about an hour on the rod but it came up with sharks on it so we quickly got it into the boat," she said.

"I've tagged some yellow-fin tuna as well and the competition has been really fun."

The fish was one of two marlin captured during the competition, while over 50 were successfully tagged and released.

"The water was a bit funny and there was no current it was very hard going this year," said Mr Kaczorowski.

"The surprise of the competition was how many very large marlin there were inshore. Traditionally people fish with light tackle inshore so a lot of people got busted up and came home fishless."

The competition received anglers from Sydney, Newcastle, Jervis Bay and the Gold Coast this year according to Mr Kaczorowski.

"We had a boat travel from Sydney by sea and we even had anglers come up from Ocean Grove, Victoria to fish at the tournament," he said.

"Our dates are locked in for January 8 to 16 next year and we do know that a lot of boats have already rebooked accommodation. We expect it to be bigger and better next year.

"We've raised more than $2500 to go towards the Mid North Coast Cancer Institute this year and equally we raised more than $1000 for Marine Rescue Port Macquarie. We are very supportive of them as they are of us."

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