The Gwydir River will soon see an invasion of fishers ready to participate in the Bingara Anglers Club Easterfish.
The competition runs over three days from Good Friday, April 10 until Easter Sunday, April 12.
All profits will go towards supporting the Bingara Anglers Club Murray Cod Hatchery river restocking program.
One of the committee members, Steve Apthorpe told The Advocate that he knows of a group of 20 coming from Brisbane.
The competition regularly draws around 200 people who are mostly locals but with a few people coming from as far as Dubbo and Sydney.
People have been claiming camp sites over the last week, with some already installed in their favoured spots.
A willing band of workers helped clean up the hatchery last weekend and the committee is now ready for the big weekend.
As the hatchery receives no government assistance, public support for Easterfish is essential for the operation of the hatchery.
It is the Club’s major fund raising activity for the year. $8000 worth of prizes ensures the fishing competition is a popular event in the fishing calendar.
Steve said that although the Bingara hatchery is quite simple compared with hatcheries like Narrandera, it is still a very successful breeding operation.
"We might be primitive but we get results," Steve Apthorpe said.
