Top Angler Martin Kraulis has won the Snapper Point Angling Club Tea Tree Snapper Competition for the second time in three years. He is the only angler in 26 years of the competition to win twice. The second heaviest went to Sean Walker-Donnelly and the third heaviest to Greg Dixon with fish of 8.6 kg and 6.54 kg.

Kraulis fished Westernport and pulled in the monster 10.82 kg (24.2 lb) snapper to take out the prestigious Victorian Snapper Championship. He won a prize pack, which included the competition hallmark Hand Carved Snapper, which is donated each year by Peter Adcock of Mornington, a life long traditional wooden boat builder.

The Junior Heaviest Fish winner was Dylan Anderson with a fish of 6.10 kg with runner up Taylor Close and second runner up Patrick Polistina with fish of 6.07kg and 5.82 kg.

The competition attracted 1858 anglers fishing from 786 boats from all over Victoria and some even flew in for the event from Sydney for the event which is open to Port Phillip & Westernport bays. Friday 30^th October was a mixed day weatherwise and by late afternoon thunder, lightning and showers had set in and some anglers retreated to the shelter of launching areas for a time. By Saturday morning the weather has settled and a glorious day of 28 degrees allowed all to fish with great results.

The fish were in patches with some anglers having little luck but others caught and released many. A total of 1631 fish were weighed. Westernport was particularly productive with fish reported from many areas and a total of 427 weighed. Almost all areas of both bays showed fish on sounders making for a great season ahead.

The presentation began at 3 pm at the Mornington Racecourse with 80 prizes awarded in divisions of Juniors and Seniors Random Captures, Third, Second & Heaviest Fish Junior & Senior and 10 Lucky Draws. The prize pool included three Quintrex boats with Suzuki motors on Dunbier trailers with Ace All Covers canopies sponsored by JV Marine World. The 430 Escape boat went to Jason Jennings. The other boats were won by Chris Brown & Anthony Bertucci

Jarvis Walker again sponsored the junior casting competition, which saw 20 juniors win rod & reel packages as well as sponsoring a fantastic array of Rovex rods & reels for every prize pack.

The 2010 event will again be held on Melbourne Cup weekend. Look for details in this magazine next September. Log onto www.teatreesnapper.org.au