🦸 Evans Head Fishing Classic 2026 – Endgame 🦹
The Final Battle Between Heroes and Villains
After seven action-packed days, countless casts and enough plot twists to rival the Marvel Universe, the curtain has fallen on another unforgettable Evans Head Fishing Classic. Heroes emerged, villains were defeated, and a handful of anglers assembled their own version of the Avengers to dominate the leaderboard.
💥 AJ-Sambo – The Incredible Hulk
When it came to AJ-Sambo, Brad Mayes smashed the field with an event-winning 1030mm fish on Day 1 that proved impossible to topple. Despite huge Day 7 efforts from Daniel Hamer (980mm) and Ethan Donnelly (960mm), the Hulk simply refused to be moved.
🐟 Blackfish – Black Panther Holds the Throne
The Blackfish division produced one of the closest battles of the week. Brendon Palmer (472mm) narrowly held onto victory from Callum Carmont and Ray Palmer, who both finished on 460mm, separated only by countback.
🎯 Bream-Tarwhine – Hawkeye Never Misses
Precision paid off with Mal Hancock (466mm) taking top honours. Ryder Johnston launched one final assault on Day 7 with a superb 459mm fish but finished just short, while Natalee Reynolds rounded out the podium.
⚡ Dart – The Flash Couldn’t Quite Catch Up
The Dart leaderboard barely changed after the opening rounds, with Mark Bonnor (457mm) edging Ryan Kernaghan (455mm) and Tom McCall (452mm) in one of the tightest categories of the event.
🐊 Flathead – The Hulk’s Bigger Brother
Flathead produced some true monsters. Carl North’s incredible 1002mm fish cracked the magic metre mark and stood as one of the catches of the competition. Rennae Soutar (913mm) and Brent McMinn (890mm) completed an outstanding podium.
🦈 Judges Choice – Loki Loves Chaos
No category summed up Marvel mayhem better than Judges Choice. Randy Harris’ enormous 1600mm Shovelnose Shark was untouchable all week. Wesley Jeffery’s Spanish Mackerel (1255mm) and Bernard Richter’s Drummer (500mm) showed why this category is always full of surprises.
👑 Kingfish – Thor Brings the Thunder
Day 7 completely rewrote the Kingfish script. Stephen Banks (1210mm) unleashed Mjolnir to steal victory, while Chad Banks (1180mm) and Riley Jenkins (1165mm) completed an all-Day 7 clean sweep.
🌙 Mulloway – Doctor Strange Guards the Realm
The Mulloway category belonged to the early heroes. DJ McKenna’s 1310mm fish held firm throughout the event ahead of Cooper Trickett (1299mm) and Shenoah McKenna (1280mm), despite a determined Day 7 challenge.
💎 Pearl Perch – Vision Sees It Through
Consistency won out with Andrew Witchard (570mm) leading Mackenzie Luck (561mm) and Troy Robson (560mm) in another incredibly close finish.
🔴 Snapper – Captain America Stands Strong
Snapper saw one final charge from Stephen Banks (880mm) on the last day, but Darcy Banks (945mm) and Chad Banks (910mm) had built enough of a lead to remain first and second, making it another memorable result for the Banks family.
🐺 Tailor – Wolverine Refuses to Yield
The Tailor division stayed remarkably stable, with Shane Griffiths (832mm) taking the title ahead of Ryan Kernaghan (736mm) and Bernard Richter (668mm).
🪨 Trag – The Thing Lives Up to His Name
Strong, solid and dependable, Darcy Banks (875mm) claimed the Trag crown ahead of Benjamin Benn (768mm) and Michael Knox (759mm).
🌊 Whiting – Spider-Man Swings in at the Last Minute
The Whiting category belonged entirely to the final day, with Alexander Klassen (450mm) taking victory from Corey Saxby (427mm) and Daniel Outerbridge (421mm), proving that the final cast can still change everything.
🏆 Avengers Assemble – The Standout Heroes
⭐ Brad Mayes delivered the tournament’s biggest AJ-Sambo and never relinquished top spot.
⚡ Stephen Banks was one of the stars of the closing day, claiming the Kingfish title while also charging onto the Snapper podium.
👑 The Banks family featured throughout the leaderboard with Stephen, Chad and Darcy all collecting podium finishes across multiple species.
🎣 Day 7 wasn’t just another chapter—it was the grand finale. Kingfish was completely rewritten, Whiting was decided from scratch, Ryder Johnston nearly stole the Bream-Tarwhine title, and Daniel Hamer and Ethan Donnelly launched one final attack in AJ-Sambo.
Like every great Marvel movie, this year’s Evans Head Fishing Classic had its heroes, its villains, its unexpected twists and an epic final battle. Congratulations to every angler who entered, every volunteer who made the event possible, and everyone who helped make the 2026 Evans Head Fishing Classic another blockbuster worthy of the big screen.
The excitement didn’t stop at the weigh station, with the Evans Head Fishing Classic Lucky Draw producing plenty of unforgettable moments. David Ball (Evans Head) walked away with the $5,000 Main Draw Cash Prize, while Aaron Jackman (Casuarina) scored the biggest prize of the day, taking home an incredible 85″ Samsung OLED TV valued at $8,049.
Electronics proved popular, with Bradley Ellis (Evans Head) winning a Lowrance HDS 12 and Tuck Hayman (Casino) landing a Lowrance Elite 12. On the water, Rashida Sahabi (Coraki) powered away with a Tohatsu 5hp outboard, while Ben Hull (Woodburn) and David Bodley (East Coraki) each paddled off with a Hobie Passport 10.5R kayak. Rounding out the major winners, Ellie Martin claimed a $2,000 Frogleys prize pack, while Craig Knox (Broadwater) took home a $1,000 Frogleys prize, ensuring plenty of smiles long after the final fish had been weighed. 🎣🏆
🎬 Until next year… the fishing universe awaits. 🎣🦸
