One of the standout catch and release tournaments of ABT's tournament calendar is the World Sooty Championship held at Eungella Dam each May.

The major fund raising activity for the Mackay Area Fishing Stocking Association (MAFSA), the event follows a similar format to the popular ABT BASS Pro events, with two days fishing, three angling sessions and a two-fish bag limit on offer for competitors.

The target species for the tournament, sooty grunter are one of the premier sportfish of the north, with their aggressive, hyper active nature the perfect match for tournament angling. Tournament BASSers that have experienced the thumb burning action of a hot sooty bite openly rate them as one of the must-catch species.  

For anglers keen to tap into this kind of action there's no better place than Eungella Dam. Littered with laydowns and standing timber Eungella is home to XOS fish willing and able to liberate you of your favourite Jackalls, Megabasses, and Bassman Spinnerbaits.  

Akin to the hot timber bass bites of the late 90's and early naughties on Glenbawn, Boondooma and Somerset, a turned on sooty bite in the trees at Eungella is hard to beat, with 20lb braid, 30lb leader and a roll call of lost lures par for the course.  

For the uninitiated May's event is the perfect place to experience the sooty buzz. ABT is hitting the road and fielding a team for next year's event, and we're keen to get a few of the BASS and BREAM guys onboard to do likewise. You can travel and fish the event as a team, with the popular individual/ teams-paired format of the BARRA Tour an attractive draw card to new and returning entrants.  

For Brisbane and South East Queensland based anglers the trip north is a comfortable single day drive, with Teemburra and Kinchant Dams offering added incentives, with barra and of course sooties on the menu at both locations.  

If you're keen to get involved or have any question regarding the event feel free to contact Jeff Eales from MAFSA on 0409 552 103.
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