💔🎣 EVANS HEAD FISHING CLASSIC – OVERALL ADULT RESULTS
“Of Broken Hearts, Sore Arms, and the Ones That Didn’t Get Away”
As the curtain falls on the Evans Head Fishing Classic, the adult division scoreboard reads like a love letter to the sport—one penned in sunscreen, salt, and stubborn resilience. Every name etched on that leaderboard carries a story: of heartbreak, of hope, and of arms that will ache for days to come.
In the AJ-Sambo category, Mackenzie Luck delivered a heartbreak to the entire field, dropping a 1079mm bomb on Day 7—just when they thought it was safe. Tony Bodley wasn’t far behind with a 1030mm fish on Day 2, and Glenn Banks showed his consistency with 1010mm. These weren’t fish. These were homewreckers—wrecking egos, tackle, and probably a few shoulder joints.
Ray Palmer’s 448mm blackfish held strong from Day 5, but Callum Carmont (440mm) and Brendon Palmer (427mm) were always in his rearview mirror. Not far behind, not quite ahead. Close enough to taste it—too far to claim it.
Bream-Tarwhine was a four-way emotional rollercoaster. Lyle Outerbridge (437mm) took the win, but Adam Little, Natalee Reynolds, and John Anderson all tied at 432mm. Three broken hearts. One leaderboard slot. You could feel the sting in the air like a slow-release heartbreak anthem.
Dylan Carbery was pure commitment in the dart division—his 460mm Day 3 catch stayed top all week. Michael Gibson (454mm) and Tom McCall (450mm) cast line after line, each hook baited with desperation and a touch of poetry. Dart isn’t about luck. It’s about timing—and a little heartbreak when you miss it by less than a fillet knife’s width.
Flathead was arm-wrecking. Call a physio. Natalee Reynolds’ 970mm beast on Day 2 was the kind of fight you don’t forget. Martin Soutar (941mm) and Mal Hancock (925mm) put in the reps and the pain, but came in just behind. If smiles hide sore muscles, they were all grinning through the burn.
In Judges’ Choice, it was a war of rarity and style. Tony Bodley’s Spanish mackerel (1270mm) broke hearts, scales, and possibly a rod tip. Hayden Simpson’s giant herring (730mm) was the stuff of quiet dreams. And DJ McKenna’s spangled emperor (670mm)? It was poetic—a fish with flair that matched the angler.
Scott Coventry claimed king-cobia glory with a monstrous 1490mm catch—a heart-stopping haul that no doubt turned more than a few competitors into silent sufferers. Cameron Gillespie (1380mm) and Patrick Jones (1340mm) weren’t short on effort or size—but this was a heartbreak zone, not a comfort cruise.
The mulloway division? Three names. Three legends. Darcy Banks (1320mm), Wesley Jeffery (1300mm), DJ McKenna (1295mm). All over 1200mm. All deserving. But only one gets the crown. This is where arms turn to jelly, and hearts turn to stone.
In pearl perch, it was a dead heat. John Hourn and Mitch Caldwell both landed 600mm stunners. Kobe Miller snuck in behind them with 571mm—but it’s hard to celebrate when you know you were one scale shy of equal glory.
Snapper was a battlefield. Philip Trevor’s 923mm fish was a thing of beauty. Stephen Banks (920mm) and Wesley Jeffery (905mm) weren’t chasing—they were gunning. But heartbreak doesn’t always look like failure. Sometimes it looks like second place.
Tailor brought some punch. Lachlan Wray (800mm) stayed cool under pressure, while Paige Higgins (754mm) and Jason Grundy (620mm) dug in, grinding through tides, tangles, and tension. Tailor aren’t forgiving. Neither is the leaderboard.
In the trag arena, Chad Banks (774mm) clung to victory with Troy Robson (768mm) breathing down his neck. Callin Loy rounded out the podium with 755mm. All three wore smiles. And all three probably needed a sling for their casting arm by sundown.
The whiting division was classic heartbreak territory. Alexander Klassen’s 442mm fish stood tall early and never fell. Malcolm Boddy (425mm) and Bernard Richter (412mm) cast like poets, but the lines didn’t fall their way. This was the whisper of heartbreak—the quiet kind that lingers longer than the cheers.
Overall Champion Male Alex Klassen proved unstoppable across multiple divisions, landing consistent top finishes in blackfish, dart, and whiting to secure the crown with sheer persistence and technical brilliance. Champion Female Katelyn Bodley delivered standout performances throughout the week, showing both finesse and fight to edge out the competition and claim her title in style. Meanwhile, Team K Man Fishing dominated the team leaderboard with an all-round display of skill, teamwork, and tactical execution—proving that when it comes to chasing fish and trophies, they’re the crew to beat.
💔 Final Cast…
So here we are. Bruised hands, bent rods, and beaten egos. Some got the glory. Others got the gut-punch. But everyone left with something: a story, a bruise, a half-mended heart… and a very, very sore arm.
Until next year, may your drag scream, your net be ready, and your heartbreaks turn into hook-ups.
