June 17, 2015
There’s a huge fishing competition happening at Lake Boondooma over this weekend, and to help South Burnett residents share in the excitement a special event is being held in Kingaroy on Thursday (June 18).
The South Burnett Regional Council and B.A.S.S. Australia Nation – the organisers of the “Tonic Lake Boondooma Battle” – have organised for some of the best anglers in Australia to gather in Glendon Street from 3:30pm for a meet and greet with the public.
Also on show will be some of the special super-quick bass boats and the competition’s live weigh-in trailer.
A Q&A segment will run for an hour and be live-streamed to B.A.S.S. Australia Nation fans.
There will also be giveaways (until stocks run out) and a chance to enter into a lucky draw to win Lake Boondooma accommodation packages and other prizes.
Bass fishing is a multi-million dollar sport in the United States, and the professional circuit in Australia is also growing with some of the best – such as Murgon’s Matthew Mott – based right here in the South Burnett.
It is a test of skill – locating the fish using sounders – and then landing two legal size Australia Bass within a set time. Using bait is prohibited so casting skills and lures are the key.
The fish are caught and kept alive in a special water well on the boat until the weigh-in, and then are released and must swim away.
Points are lost if the fish is ill or critically injured.
Friday is the “Tonic Lake Boondooma Battle” official practice pre-fish day. Competition fishing will get underway on Saturday and Sunday.
