🏆 EVANS HEAD FISHING CLASSIC – ADULTS DIVISION RECAP
🎣 “The Pros Step Up: Big Results, Tight Finishes.”
The adult competitors at the Evans Head Fishing Classic brought their A-game, with Day 3 shaping up like a finals showdown. With leaders separated by single-digit margins and some of the biggest fish we’ve seen all week, this round delivered non-stop action and leaderboard drama.
In one of the closest contests of the day, Andrew Witchard took out the AJ-Sambo category with a solid 852mm fish, edging past Scott Coventry who wasn’t far behind at 849mm. David Brown wrapped up third with a 720mm catch in a hotly contested division. Over in the blackfish category, Brendon Palmer topped the field with a 410mm entry, narrowly beating Neil Lollback (391mm) and Nathan Olley (383mm), in a slow and technical bite that rewarded patience.
The bream-tarwhine event was a millimetre-for-millimetre showdown. Lyle Outerbridge landed a 437mm fish to lead the way, with Shane Griffiths and Peter Watts following on 420mm and 419mm respectively. The dart division was just as tight, with Tom McCall taking the honours at 421mm—just ahead of Ryan Kernaghan (417mm) and Kim Richter (413mm).
Flathead delivered some of the day’s biggest results. Natalee Reynolds claimed the win with a monster 970mm specimen, fending off Ethan Donnelly (921mm) and a second podium finish for Kim Richter with 829mm. It was a heavyweight class from start to finish. Judges’ Choice was equally stacked with trophy fish. Stephen Ryan earned the top spot with an impressive 870mm longtail tuna, while Lochlan Soutar brought in a 523mm mangrove jack. Joseph Matijevic rounded out the top three with a 550mm tuskfish.
In a powerhouse display, Chad Banks claimed king-cobia glory with a massive 1050mm fish, holding off Benjamin Campbell (1020mm) and Troy Robson (961mm) in a quality field. The mulloway category was a three-way epic, with Ben Clothier’s 1145mm fish just slipping past Wayne Lollback (1142mm) and James Buchanan (1120mm) in what was easily the tightest leaderboard battle of the day.
John Hourn topped the pearl perch category with a 600mm effort, beating out Benjamin Campbell (565mm) and Alex Campbell (555mm) in another close offshore battle. In the snapper division, Wesley Jeffery and Tony Bryan went fish for fish at 905mm and 900mm respectively, while Randy Harris also checked in with a 900mm fish, making it a shared silver for the books.
Tailor saw Mark Bonnor just scrape through for gold at 608mm, followed closely by Alexander Klassen (605mm) and Peter Watts (592mm)—yet another razor-thin result. Over in the trag category, Geoffrey Jolley stood tall with a 701mm fish, while Riley Jenkins (668mm) and Bec Ryan (631mm) both delivered solid results under pressure.
Rounding out the adult competition was the whiting division, where Alexander Klassen put on a consistent performance with a 442mm entry. Craig Priddy (395mm) and Ryan Kernaghan (378mm) completed the podium in a category that demanded accuracy and finesse.
With margins this close and fish this big, the pros are proving why they’re at the top of their game. And as we head into the final stretch of the Classic, one thing’s for sure—it’s still anyone’s title to win.
NOTE: The sticker for Monday is Green.
Current Overall Summary
The Adult Division leaderboard is heating up at the Evans Head Fishing Classic, with standout performances across every species. Tony Bodley leads the AJ-Sambo charge with a commanding 1025mm fish, closely followed by Alex Campbell and Andrew Witchard. In blackfish, Callum Carmont edges out Brendon Palmer and Bernard Richter in a tight finish, while Lyle Outerbridge holds strong in bream-tarwhine ahead of Adam Little and Shane Griffiths. Kim Richter takes top honours in dart, just ahead of Tom McCall and Ryan Kernaghan, and in flathead, Natalee Reynolds reigns supreme with a 970mm catch, chased by Ethan Donnelly and Carl North. The king-cobia division has been a battle of beasts, with Darcy Banks, David Brown, and Chad Banks all cracking the 1050mm mark. Wesley Jeffery dominates both mulloway and snapper, landing a 1280mm and 905mm fish respectively, while Summer Hollier, Ben Clothier, Tony Bryan, and Randy Harris keep the pressure on. In pearl perch, John Hourn and Mitch Caldwell are neck and neck on 600mm, with Benjamin Campbell close behind. The tailor field sees Lachlan Wray leading from the front at 800mm, with Paige Higgins and Mark Bonnor trailing, and Brad Mayes sets the pace in trag with 736mm, just ahead of Geoffrey Jolley and Riley Jenkins. Rounding out the field, Alexander Klassen tops the whiting standings with 442mm, followed by Craig Priddy and Bernard Richter, as the competition enters the final stretch with everything still on the line.
