Following last year’s successful Port Douglas Marlin Challenge, this Sunday’s re-scheduled Port Douglas Mackerel Shootout will be the culmination of the wishes of many local anglers.

The inaugural fisho’s tournament, hosted by the Port Douglas Fishing Club, will offer a prize purse of $1000 in cash and a trophy for the heaviest line-caught mackerel caught, proven by a photo taken of the live mackerel and accompanied by an item given out by the Fishing Club on registration.

There will also be $3000 in other prizes up for grabs.

A strong wind warning and high seas forced the cancellation of the mackerel shootout on July 16, but anglers of all ages and in all boat sizes are keeping their fingers crossed for calmer conditions on North Tropical Waters, with a forecast of 20 knots or higher sure to see another postponement.

Fifty-five nominations were received for the first tournament, but new registrations are welcomed at the Meridien Marina office this Friday, August 5 and Saturday, 6 August, between 9am-5pm.

Existing registrations will need to pick up new mackerel photo cards on the Friday 5 or Saturday 6 August between 9am-5pm at the Marina office.

Fishing starts at 7am on Sunday, with the weigh-in of one mackerel per angler conducted between 5pm-6pm at the Hog’s Breath Café on the marina board walk.

The day’s excitement will conclude with presentations at 6.30pm.