Six-year-old Harry Czabyski has won the inaugural “Small Fry” award at the 2017 Riviera Port Lincoln Tuna Classic in the ocean waters of western South Australia.
The event, held over the first weekend in April, attracted 24 boats to the two-day event.
Organiser Peter Teakle was delighted with the result.
“The future of fishing competitions such as ours is in safe hands with a six-year-old winning an award and catching an 87cm Southern bluefin tuna,” he said. “If you don’t get excited about that, then I’m not sure what else I can do!”
A total of 404 Southern bluefin tuna were caught and released over the sustainable fishing event in the waters off Port Lincoln, with one fish kept on board ‘JAZZ II’ – the heaviest fish, weighing in at 19.2kg.
The event is the largest offshore fishing event of its kind in South Australia and is proudly supported by partners Riviera, R Marine South Australia, Lexus of Adelaide, Shimano and Club Marine.
The presentation dinner on Sunday evening became something of a Czabyski family event as Harry and his family – dad Ralph and sister Alexandra – cleaned up the winner pool on board ‘Spartacus’. Harry took out the first ever Small Fry award and Alexandra won the coveted Champion Overall Angler as well as Champion Female Angler with 28 fish.
Champion Boat was ‘JAZZ II’ with an impressive 51 fish caught and released. The team won on a count-back over The Battler team which also took 51 fish but completed the feat later in the day, relegating them on time difference to second place.
A strong field of trailer boats registered for the 2017 Riviera Tuna Classic. The winner of that category was ‘In the Red’ with 34 fish.
2017 RESULTS
Champion Overall Angler – Alexandra Czabyski with 28 fish
Champion Male – Scott, Jazz II with 19 fish
Champion Female – Alexandra Czabyski with 28 fish
Champion Junior Angler – Matt Rogers with 19 fish
Champion Small Fry Angler – Harry Czabyski
Overall Contribution Award – Susan Tarbotton, TARI
Champion Boat Overall – Jazz II with 51 fish
Champion Trailer Boat – In the Red with 34 fish
Champion Heaviest Fish – Jazz II with a fish 19.2kg
Champion Boat Day 1 – Jazz II
Champion Boat Day 2 – The Battler
Runner Up Champion Boat – The Battler with 51 fish
Runner Up Trailer Boat – One More with 29 fish
Runner Up Heaviest Fish – One More with 16.4kg (Trailer Boat)
Runner Up Female – Muffett Tapley on Noble One with 18 fish
Runner Up Male – Tim Cook on The Battler with 13 fish
Runner Junior – Jamie on Broadbill with 12 fish
Calcutta winner – Jazz II with $15,320
