Pioneer Trout Fishing Competition, Saturday 15 October

The Pioneer Trout Fishing Competition is on this Saturday, 15 October at Pioneer Lake. This is an annual event which began in 2007 and is part of the North East Rivers Festival. Anyone can enter the competition which starts at 9 am and finishes at 4.30 pm. It is designed as a fun event for the whole family, with barbeque food and beverages, and other amenities available on site.

The Inland Fisheries Service, which is a major sponsor of the event, has waived the need to buy an angling licence for the event. It has also donated two tagged fish worth $250 each to the person(s) that catch the fish during the competition. There are loads of other prizes to be given away, based on a random draw system of all entries.   

Entry forms are available from St Helens Bait and Tackle or via the internet at www.neriversfestival.com.au, or register on the day at Pioneer Lake. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children (6-14 years), while children under 6 years of age are free.

Pioneer Lake has been well stocked with brown and rainbow trout but the Service will release additional fish before the event, including more rainbow trout and possibly some large Atlantic salmon.  

The lake won’t be closed to power boats this year, so boaters are asked to respect the anglers fishing from the lakeside. A minimum distance of 50 m to a wading angler is a requirement by law. All other normal fishing rules and regulations apply, as well as competition rules on the day. Fish are to be humanely killed and all rubbish removed from the lake.

Aside from the Inland Fisheries, other sponsors of the event this year are St Helens Bait and Tackle, Tania Rattray MLC, and Serve-AG PTY LTD.

For further inquiries, please phone Lexie on (03) 6354 1013.