Sunshine Coast angler Chesley Lennon set out to hook something special in the 2023 Mercury Avator BASS Electric Series – and he certainly achieved that, hauling in both the champion’s title and a powerful prize.
By taking out the series grand final at Wyaralong Dam in southeast Queensland, Chesley won himself an all-new Mercury 7.5e Avator electric outboard fitted to the back of an Alloycraft P395.
And Chesley couldn’t be happier with his prize.
“It was amazing to win against such tough competition, so to get the Avator 7.5e as part of the prize only made the victory even sweeter,” he said.
“I’m so humbled to have fished so well that weekend and to win the Mercury Avator powered prize boat was a dream come true.
“As soon as I won it, I took it for a test spin and loved the way it performed. It’s powerful, it’s quiet and it will be the perfect equipment for my title defence in 2024!”
The event marked the first year that Mercury has been the major sponsor of the event, reflecting the company’s rapid expansion into the electric outboard market with the launch of the Avator series.
“Mercury are thrilled to be the proud sponsors of this year’s BASS Electric Series, showcasing our ongoing commitment to being a leader in the electric outboard market,” Mercury Marine ANZP Senior Marketing Manager Anthony Brown said.
“The Avator has truly taken the market by storm since its launch earlier this year, as evidenced by the overwhelming response at our recent boat shows where the outboards attracted the crowds.
“Mercury congratulates Chesley on his outstanding effort and we are sure that the exceptional performance of his new Avator will exceed his expectations.”
The Mercury Avator BASS Electric Series took place on electric-only dams and ran over four qualifying rounds. The first two were held in New South Wales at the Richmond River in late February and Clarence River in March, before heading over the border to Queensland to Lake Macdonald in May and Hinze Dam in August.
29 anglers competed in the grand final at Wyaralong Dam in mid-October, with Chesley smashing the competition to finish with a combined weight of 8.07kg from his four fish – 2.33kg more than second place.
The Angler of the Year award was calculated based on an angler’s best three events from the four qualifying rounds and the grand final, with Chesley finishing on a total of 295 points to take out the title.
And it was no fluke – Chesley dedicated every Sunday for a month to a ‘pre-fish’ at Wyaralong to work out the best way to win.
“I found in my pre-competition fishing that every tree had fish around it but they were a smaller size, so I ended up fishing in a part of the dam called ‘the graveyards’ which was shallower and clear of structures – and that’s where I found bigger fish in packs of four or five,” Chesley said.
“The extra time I put in definitely helped me and I am absolutely stoked to win.”
Along with taking home the Mercury 7.5e Avator, Chesley also walked away with a trailer, Minn Kota PowerDrive electric motor, Humminbird Helix 7 sounder and a pair of Green Marine Lithium batteries with matching chargers.
The Avator 7.5e is now available from Mercury Outboard dealers.
To learn more about the latest in electric propulsion and check out the Avator 7.5e. head to the Mercury website.
