The competition runs from Friday to Sunday and is held at Copeton Waters State Park.

The prestigious fishing competition has been running for about 15 years and has been held as a catch and release competition since 2003.

This year the festival boasts $20,000 worth of prizes including the Club Challenge cash prize of $1000 for the overall winner and the ‘Fisherman’s Dream Raffle’ (boat, motor, trailer and safety equipment).

Entry fees are $20 for seniors $15 for children or pensioners and $30 for families. The different competition categories include senior male, senior female, junior and over all winner (Australian inland freshwater fisherman of the year). For the non-fisher there are plenty of other activities and attractions including art exhibitions, busking competitions, yabbie and duck racing as well as the normal recreational activities such as sailing, golf and fossicking.

Copeton Dam has a capacity three times that of Sydney Harbour. Even after recent rains the dam is currently only about 13 per cent capacity.

Festival organiser Darrel Kratchel said this hasn’t stopped the fish.

“The fish are going mad at the moment. There are a lot of fish being caught,” he said.

The dam is home to golden perch, catfish, silver perch, redfin and Murray cod, however due to the earlier than usual starting dates Murray cod fishing season does not start until the second day of competition.

Fishing is one of the main attractions to the park.

“The best time to fish is spring but there are plenty of fish all year,” Mr Kretchel said.

When fish are caught they are taken to one of 15 red flagged boats to be measured. Results are displayed at the end of each day. Since the first year of catch and release competition began the record size is 112cm.

All profits from the festival go towards improving fishing in the region and in particular the release of fingerlings. Last year’s festival helped to fund the planned fishing development facilities on the southern foreshore of the dam and the recent application for a number of golden perch fingerlings to be released next spring.

For more details, call the information line on 1800-067-626.