The 2022 Laurieton United Services Club's Family Fishing Bonanza is offering more than $3500 in cash and prizes as the first fishing competition in the region for 2022.
The annual fishing competition will be held at Laurieton United Services Club on January 7, 8 and 9.
The weigh-in will be held at 1pm on Sunday, January 9 with drinks and a barbecue available.
The mystery bream prize is worth $500.
In the open section there are prizes for the heaviest bream, groper, teraglin, bonito, tailor, snapper, luderick, mulloway, salmon, dolphin fish, kingfish, pearl perch, black drummer, leatherjacket, whiting, flouder, morwong, mullet, garfish and heaviest 'other fish'.
There will also be prizes for lucky male and female anglers and four vouchers to Dolphin Family Restaurant.
Anglers aged under 16 are able to enter the Junior Section with prizes for the heaviest bream, whiting, sand mullet, garfish and other fish. There is also a prize for mystery bream and mystery flathead.
Vice president Bert Hayes said previous years have attracted more than 120 adults and 70 kids for the event.
"People have certainly missed this competition because a lot of the holiday makers try to centre themselves around this event, and it's a popular day out for locals to enjoy," he said.
"Everyone has a chance even if they don't have the biggest fish. There's is a separate category for the kids so they can compete with themselves, but they can also compete in the main events.
"Bream and flathead tend to be the most common fish caught during the competition. They are the ones that most people can catch and they are quite popular themselves.
"People can fish anywhere in the estuary or deep sea because there are many categories to suit each. The event has never been cancelled due to weather and people can adjust where they fish depending on the day.
"I would recommend people fish on the rivers if they have a boat. Fish around the breakwall or reef or weed beds or any type of structure because fish like to congregate.
"Fishing off the beaches you would be looking for something different such as a gutter or deep hole to hold up the fish, rather than waiting for them to swim past."
There are some regulations for the competition with all fish required to be edible condition, gilled, gutted and kept on ice.
Fish must be caught by rod and reel or hand line only. Only finfish are allowed while no sharks, rays or bass are allowed. Flathead must be a minimum of 36cm and a maximum of 70cm.
Tickets can be obtained at LUSC, North Haven Bait and Tackle or online at ticketebo.com.au/luscfishingbonanza
For more information contact Bert Hayes on 0417 685 692 and 02 6559 4481.
