About Mooloolaba Game Fishing Club

The Mooloolaba Game Fishing Club Inc. (“MGFC”) is based at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club at the Wharf Mooloolaba Marina on the doorstep of some of the best light tackle game fishing in Australia. Dominant species targeted in the area include juvenile Black Marlin, Sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna and a myriad of other species. On the wider grounds Blue, Striped and larger Black marlin are encountered on a regular basis using heavy tackle.

The club predominantly tags and release the majority of the Billfish with the information being used by the NSW Fisheries Department to assist in their research of the species.

Mooloolaba Harbour also boasts one of the safest harbours along the Eastern Seaboard and excellent facilities for the visiting and resident angler. The recognized Billfish grounds start just 8 miles from the harbour to the famous “18-mile” grounds where Sailfish and Juvenile Black Marlin congregate on the bait schools that inhabit the area for most of the year. These areas are inside the Barwon Banks and days of 10 Billfish per boat are not uncommon with the current unofficial record at 23 Billfish in one day.

Fishing is fun for the whole family! That’s why we offer a range of affordable membership options to suit a growing family. Membership costs $100 per annum for adult anglers and $35 pa for juniors under 16. Family memberships are available for 2 adults and juniors for $200 pa.

Each meeting the club aims to have a guest speaker to present a topic relative to our sport to update or educate our members on issues such as conservation, tackle, techniques or technical matters. The Club also has several social functions and outings each year including weekend camping trips to Double island point and some of the dams in SE Queensland as well as our annual presentation and Christmas party.

Our anglers and boats are active in South East Queensland participating in most major tournaments and regularly taking out some of the major prizes. The club itself holds major tag and release tournaments each year and a number of smaller socially orientated events.

The Billfish Bash is held in late November or early December. An light and heavy tackle tournament that attracts a large number of small and large craft from 5.2 to 20m in length. This tournament usually coincides with the run of juvenile Black marlin as they head south from the grounds North of Cairns. Our Billfish Bonanza is held over the Anzac Day weekend each year. This light and heavy tackle event is one of the most popular events in South East Queensland and regularly attracts a large field of boats and anglers from destinations such as Western Australia and New Zealand. We also run a ladies only tournament each year called the Billfish Babes which is a light tackle one-day shootout in February.

Foundation Members Permanent Membership Numbers:

1. THIS NUMBER NEVER TO BE ALLOCATED.
2. Geoffrey Shorthouse
3. Harry Carter
4. Rob Werry
5. Clayton Black
6. Denise Black
7. Robert (Bob) Forbes
8. Dawn Shorthouse
9. Jane Martin
10. Chris Brookes
11. Jason Carter
12. Brian Black
13. Robyn Cavill
14. Allan Forbes
15. Steve Massey
16. Mike Kenyon
17. Bevan Dingle
18. Dean Shorthouse
19. Lynne Bennett
20. Chris Hollingsworth
21. John Smith
22. Mark Hol