Rig Recycle Ambassador Guy Lambert gives us the rundown of Shimano King of Kings fishing tournament in Yeppoon.
Rig Recycle Youth Ambassador
GUY LAMBERT
I’ve just returned from an amazing adventure.
From 31 January to 3 February 2025, I attended the Shimano King of Kings fishing tournament in the Central Queensland town of Yeppoon.
Our team was made up of Bodhi and me (Rig Recycle Youth Ambassadors), my dad, and Tangaroa Blue team members Aaron and Ian. We took to the road on Thursday morning, stopping to fish along the way.
Spreading the Word: Recycling Fishing Gear at Shimano King of Kings
On Friday morning we scoped out the local fishing spots to clean-up any rubbish and dip a line to catch a few cod.
That evening we attended the tournament opening with the other event sponsors and competitors, where we spoke to them about Tangaroa Blue’s fantastic Rig Recycle initiative and how they can assist in cleaning up our aquatic environment.
Currents, Crocs, and Character Building: A Tough Day on the Fitzroy River
The tournament started on Saturday. Gale-force easterlies and driving rain were with us for much of the day. This, coupled with huge tides, treacherous currents, crocodiles, sharks and the 18 snakes we came across made for extremely tough fishing. Despite this, we braved the conditions, fishing a few marks we had near the mouth of the great Fitzroy River. The ten hours spent in the boat that day were character-building, and despite minimal fish, we learned a lot about fishing in this location.
A Strong Finish at Mulambin Creek
With the weather looking much the same on Sunday, we found a more protected location to fish nearby, deciding on the Causeway Lake at Mulambin Creek. Fishing this area was more productive and our competition bag started to swell with a few nice Emperor, Grunter, and Bream. Monday morning at the same location helped elevate our rank in the competition.
With all the competitors having braved the worst conditions I’ve certainly ever fished in, the wet and windy weather at the final presentation was never going to dampen their spirits and much fun was had by all. I am happy to report that the Rig Recycle team was awarded two placings among the Top 10 juniors.
Over the two-and-a-bit days of the tournament, we spent almost 28 hours fishing, learning much along the way. Everyone we met was supportive of Rig Recycle’s goal of helping clean plastics from our waterways and recycling their waste fishing gear into exciting and usable fishing products!
Article by Guy Lambert, Rig Recycle Youth Ambassador.
