The Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Classic was held in Coffs Harbour over the June long weekend. The 150 anglers and 60 teams were faced with atrocious conditions of three metre swells and 70 kmph winds.

The team of Michael Guest, Mark Phillips, Blake Hughes and Brian Perry took out Champion Team, Michael Guest winning Champion Angler and Mark Phillips Runner-up Champion Angler.

The competition was reduced to one big session on Sunday 5.30 am to 1.00 pm. The lads used the Pirtek Noble SuperVee to their advantage in the rough conditions catching and releasing 16 snapper, six of which were over 70cm. This was more than double the fish of any other team.

Guest was especially excited about winning Champion Angler two years in a row, but said it was a team effort.

Mark Phillips was extremely unlucky not to take it out this year, being annihilated by a couple of big fish early in the morning and having a stellar performance with rod and reel on the cancelled Saturday session.

Guest commented, “We fished in some really ugly country, shallow reefs with three metre swells breaking around us. You have to be confident with your equipment and the Honda BF150 was used on a couple of occasions to blast out of the breaking waves.

“Also the accuracy of our Lowrance GPS and sounder is almost an unfair advantage allowing us to fish right on the edge of the drop offs which is where the snapper roam.”

“All fish were caught on Berkley Gulp baits in five and seven inch right across the colour range – as usual.”

The team is booked in to head north next year to defend what has become the biggest snapper catch and release tournament in the Southern Hemisphere.