Community & Business
22 November, 2025
Big barra brings success
A FISHING competition held by the Tableland Fish Stocking Society (TFSS) recently was labelled a great success, raising important funds for the group and creating a fun weekend for local fishers.
Taking out top honours as Champion Angler was Shayne Godden, whose six barramundi measured up to 6.28m in total. Godden also took out the Longest Barra category with a 122cm specimen.
Group president Doug Luscombe said he was pleased with the outcome of the event and reminded locals the prized $10,000 tagged barra and $1,000 tagged sooty were still on the loose.
“The fishing competition was a very successful fundraising event for us,” he said.
“These funds will help the stocking group to continue to manage the fish stocks in Lake Tinaroo for the enjoyment of the fishing community.
“Everyone got in on the action and there were just as many fish lost than there were caught.
“The tagged barra and sooty didn’t get caught. So that means the competition is still running and anglers can continue to fish Tinaroo to try and catch these prized fish.”
The competition attracted 136 competitors and a total of 133 fish were reeled in – including 75 barras, 10 sooty grunters, and 48 catfish. The total length of all barra caught was 64m.
Mr Luscombe thanked the event’s major sponsors: Kairi Store, Explore Property, GBR Tackle & Bait, Tackle World Cairns, Lake Tinaroo Resort and Tablelands Regional Council.
“We also thank our many other sponsors, without them the TFSS cannot run these events,” he said.
A FISHING competition held by the Tableland Fish Stocking Society (TFSS) recently was labelled a great success, raising important funds for the group and creating a fun weekend for local fishers.
RESULTS
Largest Catfish by a Junior – Layla Hubbard with a catfish of 45cm.
Largest Sooty Grunter – Chase Butcher with a sooty measuring 40cm.
Largest Barra by a Junior – Jackson Marks with a barra measuring 115cm.
Largest Barra by a Female (in memory of Wendy Knowles) – Ann-Maree Henry with a barra measuring 111cm.
Mystery Length Barra (closest barra to 785mm) – Lennon Colclough with a barra measuring 800mm.
Largest Barra by a Competitor (in memory of life member Ken Rudge) – Shayne Godden with a barra measuring 122cm. Second place was Dave Henry with a 116cm barra.
Champion Angler (in memory of life member John Mondora) – Shayne Godden with six barra measuring 6.28m. Second place was Colt Gowan with six fish measuring 6.25m.
