The annual Carnar-Fin fishing competition has once again been a fantastic celebration of fishing in the Carnarvon community, bringing together hundreds of anglers and delivering significant social and economic benefits to the region.
Hosted by the Carnarvon Fishing Club, this year’s event attracted 234 competitors who hit the water in pursuit of some of the Gascoyne’s outstanding fishing opportunities. From offshore adventures around Dorre and Bernier Islands to family-friendly fishing closer to town including at the new artificial reef, the week-long competition catered for anglers of all ages and experience levels.
The unique Carnar-Fin format allows competitors to fish for daily prizes while also chasing overall honours. This year’s champion was Daniel McLean, whose impressive 113.5cm trevally not only secured the Carnar-Fin title but also smashed the previous species record of 97cm.
Carnarvon Fishing Club President Kathie Fletcher said strong community support continued to underpin the event’s success.
“We had some early concerns around the southern fishing closures and rising fuel costs, but 2026 was another successful event with 234 competitors and more junior anglers taking part,“ Kathie said.
“The support from local businesses was incredible. Thanks to our sponsors, the prize pool this year was close to $50,000.”
A new gamefish category proved popular, with competitors targeting mahi mahi, sailfish, marlin and wahoo. Local angler Jayden Rudge, 18, claimed the category with a sailfish and also took out the blue swimmer crab, whiting and mackerel divisions after eight years of competing in the event.
Beyond the competition itself, Carnar-Fin once again showcased fishing’s ability to bring families and communities together. The Carnarvon Lions Club’s popular junior fishing competition saw local children aged six to 12 take part in a catch-and-release event focused on safe fish handling, stewardship and enjoying time outdoors.
Recfishwest Community Engagement Officer Mason McHutchison volunteered as weighmaster for the junior event.
“Being involved with the kids’ competition is always a heartwarming experience,” Mason said.
“Seeing youngsters catch their first fish and eagerly return to weigh in their catches shows just how enjoyable and rewarding fishing can be.”
“Because it was a catch-and-release event, every fish was handled with care. Families embraced the fish handling and stewardship messages, helping ensure the waterways were left in great condition for everyone to enjoy.”
This year’s Carnar-Fin also marked the first opportunity for competitors to fish the Carnarvon Artificial Reef, deployed in August last year through a partnership between Recfishwest and the State Government.
Located just 7km offshore, the reef consists of 300 purpose-built concrete modules and is already creating exciting new fishing opportunities for local families and visiting anglers. The reef is expected to attract popular species including blue-lined emperor, baldchin groper, pink snapper, Spanish mackerel and cobia.
Events like Carnar-Fin showcase the outstanding fishing experiences available in the Gascoyne while strengthening community connections and supporting local businesses.
Recfishwest congratulates the Carnarvon Fishing Club, volunteers, sponsors and competitors on another successful event.
Check out the great photos from the event in the gallery bel0w – these and the photos in the article are kindly published courtesy of Scott and Jy Storytelling.
