Exmouth Game Fishing Club’s (EGFC) King of the Reef competition is heating up with some fantastic catches showing up including some species never caught before on King Reef!
By the end of July, 94 registered entrants had submitted 246 catches out of Exmouth, with 77 of those fish caught specifically on King Reef.
The artificial reef has produced an impressive 30 different species during this year’s competition, including 13 species not previously recorded in the event, such as blue tuskfish, redspot monocle bream and black-banded amberjack.
EGFC’s Club Manager Ben Knaggs said it’s fantastic to see the diversity of species being caught by anglers of all ages.
“We’ve seen more species caught this year than the whole of last year’s competition and there’s still a month and a half to go,” said Ben.
“Some of the catches have had anglers scrambling for the ID guides for sure! But the one that’s really surprised me is the black-banded amberjack.
“We get amberjack showing up offshore, but to have an amberjack species show up in the Gulf is very unusual – it shows the incredible biodiversity that continues to grow on King Reef.”
A competition for everyone
Ben said he was pleased how popular the app-based competition continues to be a big draw for anglers both from the local community and for visitors to the region.
“Given the town is still recovering from the effects of the cyclone, we are more than happy with the number of people entering the comp this year,” he said.
“It’s such an inclusive competition, there’s monthly prizes for kids and fishos and at only $30 to enter there’s plenty of families entering. Whether you’re a gun fisher or an absolute beginner, you’re in with a shout.”
The King of the Reef competition is part of the King Reef Community Program, proudly supported by Woodside Energy. The program gets fishers involved with King Reef, helps collect valuable information about the fish and marine life calling it home, and showcases the great fishing opportunities the reef provides.
Now in its third consecutive year, the competition attracts both Exmouth locals and visiting fishers, with 34 of this year’s 94 entrants coming from outside the region.
The field also includes 27 juniors and 36 female fishers.
Artificial reefs delivering reel benefits
Recfishwest Artificial Reefs Research Officer Kim De Vries said the competition highlighted the broader benefits artificial reefs can deliver.
“It’s so good to see so many people catching such a variety of fish,” Kim said.
“King of the Reef highlights what artificial reefs can deliver – they’re great for coastal communities and families, great for tourism and great for aquatic biodiversity.”
“We’re really proud to support this competition and applaud the great work of Ben and the EGFC team, as well as Woodside Energy for their support.”
And there’s still plenty of time to get involved.
The app-based competition runs until 30 September and is open to fishers from Exmouth and beyond, with a wide range of prizes up for grabs.
Entrants record their catches from across the Exmouth region through the Track My Fish app, using competition-branded brag mats to measure and photograph their fish.
As well as adding some friendly competition to a day on the water, every submitted catch contributes valuable data about the species being caught on King Reef and surrounding waters.
