The National Bayer Big Fish Angler of the Year for 2023 has been awarded to Tumby Bay’s Mick McCallum, captain of the Tumby Bayers team.
The two-day event was held in Jindabyne, New South Wales on March 17 and 18.
Bayer donates a dollar for each centimetre of fish caught to the Fly Program, which runs mental fitness retreats in New South Wales.
Eleven anglers fought it out in the nationals this year, Mr McCallum said.
“It was all paid for by Bayer to compete against other anglers around Australia. I really enjoy it because I love my fishing and it’s good to get something back out of my passion, it was the same for organising the Colour Tumby fishing comp the week before this,” he said.
“Three days later after organising the Colour Tumby fishing comp I got to go and compete in this and winning was kinda like good karma maybe.
“It was challenging, and the pressure was on me after uploading many trophy fish over the past four years the competition has been running for, so it was a great achievement.”
Mr McCallum picked up the first fish for the competition only two minutes in, the most points for the competition and the biggest fish – a 45-centimetre, three-pound brown trout.
Each state’s top two teams at the end of the 12-month challenge chose a member from its group to compete in the national competition.
Bayer has already put $10,000 back into the Fly Program for 2024 and the teams are competing again, including the Tumby Bayers.
