Despite trailing behind team Big Boy from day one of the 2024 Onderberg Species Invitational Bonanza, the Aquaholics crew snatched victory away on the final day of competition.

Held over five days between March 4 and 8, this year marked the 23rd edition of the Onderberg Species Invitational Bonanza, which has been held every year since its founding in 2000, and is organised by the Nelspruit District Angling Club.  It only missed a beat in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But regardless of this one-year hiatus, the competition is an established mainstay of the local angling calendar, with anglers from all over the Lowveld and the country at large crossing the Mozambican border every year to take part.

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This year’s competition was held on Barra Beach in Miramar, in the northeastern portion of Mozambique, with 170 anglers and 29 boats making up this year’s competition contingent.

Three marquee tents were pitched on Barra Beach, which acted as the base of operations for the duration of the competition. These included a beach kitchen and beach bar, which came in handy after the long days spent out on the water, casting lines.

While competition is fierce and anglers battle it out tooth and nail for the top prize, the social aspect of the competition is perhaps one of its most redeeming factors.

This shines through in the fancy dress night that was held smack-bang in the middle of the competition, on the night of the third day.

This year’s fanciest dressers were the crew of the Fanagalo boat, who donned racing ostrich costumes to take home the top prize.

But once the anglers took to their boats and left the comfort of Barra Beach, they meant business, as is evident in the quality of the angling that was on show from day one through day five. The leading boats managed to haul in at least seven different species during the competition.

This year’s Calcutta Prize for the biggest fish on the scale went to Ethan Kriek from the Big Boy boat, who managed to muscle a 19.6kg barracuda in.

A Spirit Trophy was also handed out for those who brought the best gees to the party, and this year it went to the Media-buite-beheer team, which comprised the event’s media team and beach management crew.

While the overriding competition was for the teams, individual categories and prizes were also handed out. Emile du Plessis, part of the My Pleasure boat crew, was the junior section winner with 77.8 points.

In the ladies section, the top prize went to Elana Cronje from the Big Boy crew, having earned 82.8 points in the competition.

Braam Cronje from the Aquaholics crew was the men’s section winner with a brilliant 376.5 points to his name. In the overall team competition, the Big Boy crew had one hand on the trophy from day one. However, the Aquaholics crew had different ideas on the fifth and final day.

They managed to close down the gap to ensure they returned home with top prize courtesy of a total of 804 points. Big Boy finished second on 786.3 points, while Challenger finished third on 671.5 points.

“The committee would just like to once again thank the sponsors and anglers for another brilliant competition. Without all of you and the help you provide, it simply wouldn’t be possible to host one of the biggest fishing competitions in Mozambique,” said one of the organisers, Jaco Sevenster.