THE best thing about the Port Stephens Family Fishing Competition is that you do not have to be an experienced angler to enter.
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And, you do not even have to catch a fish to go in the running to win one of the $10,000 worth of prizes that are up for grabs in the inaugural competition, held by Soldiers Point Marina.
Fisherman Laurie Chadder, organiser and weigh master, said there were many perks to entering the competition.
"It's family oriented, there are a lot of prizes, you don't need a boat to enter and every junior that presents a fish to the weigh station is given a small prize," he said.
"Just entering is a very easy way to win some quality prizes and you don't have to be an experienced fisherman to enter."
There are 10 species prizes for senior and junior anglers, both for heaviest fish.
The 10 target species are bream, whiting, flathead, salmon, snapper, bonito, tailor, mulloway, luderick and drummer.
Bream, whiting and flathead must be live at weigh-in and then released.
Fishing is restricted to an area from Seal Rocks to Stockton and inside Port Stephens.
Anglers can fish off breakwalls, beaches and jetties or out of a boat.
Maritime, marine parks and NSW Fisheries laws must be followed at all times.
Every registered entrant will be eligible for the grand prize of $5000, five cash prizes of $1000 and one prize of a three-night accommodation package - regardless of whether they have caught a fish or not.
The competition will run February 7 and 8.
Entries are open now and will be right up until weigh-in on the last day of the competition.
For more information or to get a contest entry form head to soldiersptmarina.com.au.