KNYSNA NEWS - One competition that has been a staple of the Knysna Oyster Festival for many a year, is the SuperSpar Winter Skins competition held by the Knysna Angling Club. 

Set to take place this weekend, the competition promises to be as spectacular as ever.

The competition has been going for over 30 years and, for the last 22 years, Knysna SuperSpar has been its main sponsor alongside generous support from local businesses and friends of the Knysna Angling Club. 

"It is one of the main events in the Knysna Oyster Festival and this year our competition promises to be the best yet with unbelievable prizes including a Suzuki outboard engine," said chairperson of the Knysna Angling Club, Glynn van Straten.

The competition takes place on Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July, with registration taking place on Thursday evening, 29 June, at 19:00 at the Knysna Angling Club.

"The competition consists of four skins on Friday and four skins on Saturday, each skin with a duration of three hours," Van Straten explained. "Each skin has a first, second and third prize."

It is also strictly a catch and release competition. When a fish is caught it is put in a container to be kept alive, before being taken to a marshal boat for it to be measured and photographed with the angler's weigh card. The fish is then released unharmed.

"We have anglers coming from all over the country to take part in this annual event culminating in the prize-giving lunch on Sunday 2 July. Our profit from the competition is donated to a designated local charity," Van Straten said. 

"On behalf of the Knysna Angling Club committee, I would like to thank all the sponsors for their generous support."

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