Ashburton Anglers annual MACK10K competition is always jam packed with Spanish mackies, but 2025’s competition has showcased the Pilbara as a powerhouse for these predators.
The vibrant coastal town of Onslow came alive from 23-24 August for the competition, and this year’s event marked a significant milestone – not only due to a surge in participation and catches, but also the number of fish samples donated to our Fishing for Science program.
A record-breaking 100 boats and 328 keen competitors took to the waters, with the adults landing 212 Spaniards and the juniors catching an additional 33 across the two-day competition, a promising sign for the future of this popular competition.
As a result of more fish captures and the backing of the Pilbara fishing community towards our Fishing for Science program supported by DPIRD and Woodside North West, a record 133 Spanish mackerel catches were kindly donated for sampling.
Our Fishing for Science team assisted DPIRD’s Research Scientist Paul Lewis and Fisheries Manager Liv Rynis collecting otoliths and genetic samples from each fish and record the weight, length, gender and maturity stage.
Senior Operations Officer Sam Russell said, “Across the two days we had more Spanish mackerel sample donations than we’ve ever had at any WA fishing competition, so it’s great to see a growing eagerness from the community in wanting to do their part for a better scientific understanding of this species.”
The finalised data will help analyse the health of Spanish mackerel stocks directly informing assessments in the Pilbara Management Area.
“We also had 50 kids enjoying themselves at the Healthway Kids Fishing Clinic run in partnership by Recfishwest and the Club, so hopefully these youngsters turn into adult competitors at the MACK10K down the track,” added Sam.
Big fish = big paydays!
With impressive prizes up for grabs across 17 categories, it was John Palermo aboard On The Chew with his 30.52kg beast that took home the whopping $20,000 payday for the biggest overall mackie, with his vessel also taking out Champion Boat Overall with a total of 57.92kg of Spanish mackerel weighed in.
In the junior category, young Macie Gusthart wowed the crowd with a solid 18.08kg Spaniard, just edging out strong junior contenders Blake Gibson and Blair Fitzgerald, with both assisting each other to land a 17kg fish.
Click here to see all results from the 2025 MACK10K.
“A big thanks to all competitors and the Ashburton Anglers Club this year for their ongoing support in Fishing for Science and we always look forward to this landmark event on the Recfishwest calendar, we’ll see you in 2026,” said Sam.
