The ever-popular Yamaha Cod Classic event has been described by organisers as the best event they have been involved with after keen fishers took to Lake Mulwala in droves from Friday, December 6 to Sunday, December 8.
The 25th running of the annual event by Mulwala Football Netball Club was the best one held since covid with numbers down marginally on Friday with the wet weather before picking up for competition on Saturday.
The football netball’s Lonsdale Reserve Oval was a hive of activity, along with the fishing from Bundalong to Yarrawonga/Mulwala with anglers and family members from throughout Australia enjoying the fishing on offer over the three days.
“We had 1868 adults, 395 kids for a total of 2263 anglers,” event organiser Tony Bennett told the Yarrawonga Chronicle.
“Overall, I reckon there were 3,000-4000 people, the figures this year were very pleasing with Lonsdale Reserve packed with people sitting on the oval.
“The storm on Friday scared a few away but there were well over 2000 people in attendance for the draws.”
Approximately 500 cod, 60 yellow belly and 1200 carp were reeled in, in the catch and release competition.
The biggest cod was 118.1cm by Brodie Hartford, the second biggest 116cm by Keaton Mount, with a 115.6cm by Kade Blow and 114.5cm by Noah Crook rounding out the Senior cod competition.
A 58.4cm was the biggest yellow belly caught by Peter Minchin with a 57.5cm caught by Paul Breeze and 56.7cm by Wayne Tyquin following closely.
A monster 85cm carp was also caught and returned to the water by Neville Gillett.
In the junior competition, a 85.9cm cod caught by Oscar Harvey took out the competition with a 79.9cm caught by Hugo Vardell, a 76cm caught by Bella Dominick and Hugo Vardell claiming another spot on the leaderboard with a 75.4cm rounding out the cod results.
A 56.9cm yellowbelly claimed top spot for the junior yellowbelly competition with Jack Hewat claiming bragging rights whilst Emmett Garner reeled in a 54.6cm, Blake Creech a 53.3cm and Julian Barnes a 53.2cm.
The town’s cod classic is the biggest inland fishing competition in Australia.
Once again fishing guru and champion Australian Test cricketer Merv Hughes made his way to Yarrawonga Mulwala for the event, describing the Yamaha Cod Classic as “massive”.
“It’s a wonderful event with so much organisation and anglers love it,” Merv said.