Throw a line at Queensland's best fishing events

EVENT

By Craig Tansley

Published 6 months ago

Queensland may well teem with fish – but where should you go to catch them (and win prizes and money doing it)? We’ve got you, and your next fishing getaway sorted. Here are the best fishing competitions in Queensland for every kind of angler.

Mackay Isaac's Lucky Catch and Snap | Mackay

When: 5 - 26 April 2025

Compete with your friends and family amongst the empty beaches and rivers of one of Australia’s most underrated tourist areas – the Mackay Isaac region of the Central Queensland coast. The Lucky Catch and Snap event incorporates the best fishing locations in the area – and allows family and friends to compete against each other in live time with catches measured on a mobile app. There’s daily cash prizes and merchandise across multiple categories for fish species and fishing locations. While you’re here check out the region’s stunning beaches and its picturesque blue river and take the time out to explore its wild rainforest hinterland.

The Boyne Tannum Hookup | Gladstone

When: 2 - 4 May 2025

There’s no bigger family fishing event anywhere in Australia! Held every Labour Day long weekend, The Boyne Tannum Hook-Up brings together family, friends, businesses and sponsors from all over Australia who descend on these stunning coastal communities just south of Gladstone. Held across three days, there are categories for adults and kids, with lots of cash and prizes up for grabs.

Located on the Central Queensland coast, Boyne Island and Tannum Sands are separated from the mainland by narrow channels with stunning beaches to fish from. With less than 10,000 people in the towns, the Hook-Up is the region’s biggest event and locals are hell-bent on grabbing the prizes - there’ll be folk fishing from every vantage point.

Hinchinbrook Catch and Release Tournament | Townsville

When: TBC May 2025

Far from a mellow float-and-flick, there's nothing like a shotgun start for 50-plus boats to kick off the adrenaline and excitement at one of north Queensland’s premier sportfishing tournaments. Held in one of the most breathtakingly picturesque locations in Queensland, the Hinchinbrook Channel, the Hinchinbrook Catch and Release Tournament is a race to snag, measure, snap and release as many fish as you can across ten eligible species, including the highest point-scorer, barramundi. Prizes go to the champion team, champion angler, and champion and runner-up flyfishing titles, plus a gong for the biggest barra.

Isisford Fishing Competition | Outback Queensland

When: TBC July 2025

Round up your mates, shake off the camping tent and make a weekend of this annual fishing comp that will see you round up the likes of catfish, yellowbelly and black bream. With a Friday night meet-and-greet, cash prizes up for grabs and a bar, entertainment and activities happening across the weekend, this family-friendly event is a boatload of fun in the country.

Karumba Anglers Classic | Karumba

When: 3 - 5 October 2025

Karumba is one of Australia’s best fishing towns, a beacon for every fisherman dreaming of catching a holiday’s worth of fish. It’s where the red dirt of outback Queensland ends spectacularly at the edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria. But this fishing competition isn’t just for salty, life-long anglers – it’s for people of all ages, with an emphasis on family fun. Held in October, there’s a prize pool of over $ 25,000 to be won, including the highly coveted $10 000 tagged barra prize. Karumba’s one of Queensland’s best-known fishing destinations, but there’s plenty to do on land – join a croc-spotting tour, or go bush, or toast a Gulf sunset at the iconic Sunset Tavern.

Cardwell Barra Bonanza | Townsville

When: 25 - 26 October 2025

After being cancelled several years in a row due to cyclonic weather, this resilient event moved its timeslot to coincide with the close of barra season and has been thriving ever since. Fish the pristine blue waters off Hinchinbrook Island to catch, measure and release barramundi along with mangrove jack, javelin and threadfin salmon, then let your hair down with the locals at the finale's live entertainment.

Fitzroy River Barra Bash | Rockhampton

When: 28 – 31 October 2025

There’s over $80,000 in cash and prizes (you can even win a boat) for keen anglers heading to the Rockhampton region this Spring. The Fitzroy River - which runs right through town - has one of the most diverse range of fish of any river in Australia. Try and catch as many as you can in one of the richest saltwater barramundi fishing competitions in Australia, The Fitzroy River Barra Bash. It’s big too – there’s 105 teams this year battling it out for the top prizes. And it’s not just rivers you’ll fish – the estuaries by the coast north and south of Yeppoon are spectacular to visit, and full of fish waiting to make you rich.

Capricorn King Of Kings | Capricorn

When: TBC Jan/Feb 2026

There’s nowhere you’d rather be than the Capricorn Coast, trying to catch the biggest fish in the King of Kings fishing competition. There’s $60,000 in cash and giveaways for keen anglers in 35 categories for every kind of fisherman – there’s even a lucky door prize for those who don’t fish. Everyone gathers beside the Coral Sea at Yeppoon’s Beaches Restaurant for a briefing, then you’ll have two-and-a-half days to catch 22 targeted species of fish. Teams take a picture of their catch-all catches are displayed live on a mobile phone app, adding to the fun.

Keen to fish at your own pace? Check out Queensland best fishing spots to up your skills. Or escape the crowds at these hidden fishing spots in Mackay. Prefer freshwater fishing? Check out this inland fishing guide.