We may be heading rapidly towards summer but that does not mean the events season is over in Mount Isa.
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The end of October is time for the annual Clancy Corporation Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic.
The Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group-hosted event has grown considerably from humble beginnings in 1999 to become a three day festival and now boasts the title of Queensland’s richest freshwater fishing competition.
Organisers say this is the 20th classic and there will be a host of on and off shore entertainment to live up to the Classic’s slogan “fishing is just the beginning”.
One major change this year is that the $50,000 Mount Isa Water Board tagged barra competition has been discontinued.
The prize has proved elusive in all the years it has been offered and the Stocking Group and Water Board have instead decided to invest in lucky nomination prizes for seniors and juniors.
These prizes will be drawn at the presentations on the Sunday morning and you must be there to be in with a chance of winning.
The heaviest barra competition will continue and anglers will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Mount Isa teenager Joshua Moren who smashed the barra record in 2017 with his monster 26.70kg catch.
But to be the champion angler at the event you need to bag more than just a barra.
The lake is home to a variety of other fish, including the sooty grunter and the elusive sleepy cod as well as longtoms, perch and catfish and there are 20 categories including junior and senior classes and mystery weights.
As well as all the fishing fun there is a host of other activities such as the dragon boat racing on Saturday afternoon followed by the yabby races and then a fireworks spectacular and a live band on Saturday night.
There are also Mount Isa Mines-sponsored family markets run by the Mount Isa Community Markets Saturday 4-8.30pm as well as the usual pluka-duk and casting competition novelty events, food and drink and trade exhibits.
Nomination fees for anglers are $50 for seniors and $15 for juniors which will go towards re-stocking efforts at the Lake and the fee includes complimentary camping at designated areas of the Lake over the weekend.
You can nominate in advance at Tool N Tackle or BCF Mount Isa or at the nominations table at the event from noon on the Friday right up to close of fishing at 10am Sunday.
The Classic on from October 26-28.
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