By Sheree Hoddinett
Grab your hooks, lines, rods and get that bait primed to secure the best catch ladies!
Returning for its third year is the Women’s Fishing Classic (Saturday May 6 - Saturday June 3), an all-ladies fishing competition open to every female recreational angler from every age and skill level. The brainchild of Nicole Robinson, the fishing competition is the first of its kind in southeast Queensland and came about to give women the opportunity to broaden their fishing horizons and also spread the word about what women can achieve in the fishing domain.
Fishing is a sport still often associated with males and women remain a small minority, but Nicole is working hard to bring about change and help women realise that they can do it too.
“For the past couple of years my aim has been and it still continues to be about encouraging likeminded females to just give it a go,” she said. “I have been fishing for many years and I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know everything there is to know about fishing but I love getting out there and giving it a go.”
The last two years of the Women’s Fishing Classic have already proven to be successful and Nicole would love to see even more women come on board this year.
“You don’t need to be an expert at fishing to join in,” she said. “And you don’t even have to go out on a boat, you can fish from the shore as well. We’d love to see mums and daughters, sisters, grandmothers too if they’re up for it! It’s about getting out there, having fun, sharing the love of the sport with other likeminded anglers and you may just land yourself a good catch as well.”
Through her interest in fishing and a will to encourage and inspire others, Nicole has seen other women form new bonds and connections.
“Through fishing I’ve helped create this lovely community of women who had never met each other and who are now friends,” Nicole said. “This competition is also a great opportunity for women who like to do a bit of fishing but don’t have a partner that likes fishing or don’t have a partner at all but they have all the gear to get out. They might not have any female friends to go fishing with or any friends in general who like to fish, so there’s every chance they will meet some others doing the same thing.”
The Women’s Fishing Classic is on from Saturday May 6 through until Saturday June 3. It is open to all female anglers from all ages and skill levels with juniors (aged 4-15) to be accompanied by a senior competitor. You can fish in saltwater, freshwater, from a boat or a kayak, on the shore and using bait/lures. Competitors are able to fish anywhere from Inskip Point (but not Fraser Island) down to the Tweed River with offshore competitors able to compete up to 70km out to sea. The competition does cover a vast area so if you aren’t sure on the locations, please double check with organisers.
Even if you do not catch the biggest fish or any fish at all, you’re still in with a chance of winning the major prize just by entering the competition (all competitors must be at the presentation to be eligible for this).
10% from the sale of each ticket goes to Nicole’s chosen charity of SunnyKids, which follows the idea it takes a village to raise a child, providing a social and emotional safety net for thousands of children and their families through their ‘Virtual Village’ practice model.
For all event and registration information, please visit womensfishingclassic.com.au
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