The SIPS 25 fishing competition during the September school holidays reeled in more than 460 anglers as part of the year-long celebration of 25 years of the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS).
Over the 2-week competition, participants fished across 61 dams and weirs, catching an impressive 2,100 fish.
Among the haul were 37 tilapia and 3 carp, which were removed as pest species, showcasing the community’s commitment to sustainable fishing practices.
With more than $30,000 in prizes up for grabs, the competition honoured recreational fishers, SIPS volunteers and Queensland’s broader freshwater fishing community.
Fisheries Queensland spokesman Joe Boyle said the SIPS 25 fishing competition highlighted the vital role SIPS plays in supporting recreational fishing, local communities and sustainable practices across Queensland.
"The SIPS 25 fishing competition has been a fantastic way to celebrate 25 years of this program, bringing together families, friends and communities to enjoy Queensland’s incredible stocked waterways,” Mr Boyle said.
"It’s inspiring to see so many participants – including young fishers – come together to support sustainable fishing right across our great state.”
A standout moment of the competition was the incredible effort by 15-year-old Amy Richards, who took out the top spot in the category of Most Fish Caught in the south-east region. The Sunshine Coast local caught an impressive 326 fish over the 2-week competition period while fishing with her grandfather.
Amy said she had been fishing at her family’s "go-to spot" Borumba Dam for as long as she could remember.
"By the time I could hold a junior rod, I was already reeling in fish that were almost bigger than me,” Amy said.
"When I heard about the SIPS 25 competition running over the school holidays, I couldn’t resist. I begged my poppa to take me, we mapped out our favourite fishing spots and I got to work.
"Using shrimp I’d caught myself in the dam, I landed more fish in a few days than I usually do in weeks. Seeing all that effort pay off, especially in a competition setting, felt incredible.”
The SIPS 25 competition also included the Charlie’s Pick Photo Competition – named after Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association Queensland (FFSAQ) President Charlie Ladd – which rewarded 5 lucky anglers who uploaded their favourite competition photos to the Qld Fishing 2.0 app.
Charlie said the competition had some amazing results, with a number of prize categories showcasing the talent of junior anglers.
"The junior anglers have shown the seniors how to catch fish! These outcomes give me great confidence that our youth understand and enjoy the pleasures of freshwater fishing and hopefully they will be the caretakers of our waterways into the future,” Mr Ladd said.
While the competition has come to an end, the celebration of the SIPS continues. You can continue to support SIPS by purchasing permits and enjoying the incredible fishing opportunities Queensland has to offer. All funds raised through SIPS permits are reinvested into fish stocking and habitat restoration, ensuring the future of recreational fishing in the state.
SIPS winners
- Shimano most caught Australian bass over 50cm:
- Josh Allan – 5 fish
- Frogley’s Offshore most fish caught in each region across Queensland:
- South East Queensland: Amy Richards – 326 fish, Khean Mak 208, Michael Thomsen 189, Mervyn Woods 108, Neng Lor 106 and Johannes Deysel 74
- Murray–Darling: Neng Lor – 20 fish, Jake Durrington 5, Rylan Hurle 5, David Trost 4, Ricky Durrington 3 and Daniel Childe 3
- North Queensland: Layla Hubbard – 61 fish, Thippaporn Kaewsuk 34, Degan Wilkinson 32, Daniel Luttig 18, Mark Bramich 11 and Jack Prowse 8
- Central Queensland: Kris Lassig – 20 fish, David Martin 15, Fiona Lassig 3, Marlu Warren 2, Brock Lassig 2 and Luke Peisker 2
- Wide Bay: Nelson Philips – 100 fish, Gavin Penn 29, Josh Allan 25, Russel Hickey 24, William Hickey 22 and Hayley Bawden 16
- Rapala longest ‘hero’ fish awarded to both senior and junior competitors who caught the longest fish of the specific stocked species in the dams or weirs.
- Senior:
- Murray cod: Ethan Bright – 76 cm
- Golden perch: Daniel Clifton – 58 cm
- Silver perch: Robert Hurle – 41 cm
- Sooty grunter: Clint Wilkinson – 46 cm
- Australian bass: Neng Lor – 55.5 cm
- Saratoga: John Reddicliffe – 81 cm
- Barramundi: Kris Lassig – 116 cm
- Junior:
- Murray cod: Mackennah Vidler – 61 cm
- Golden perch: Oliver Clifton – 55 cm
- Silver perch: Amy Richards – 38.5 cm
- Sooty grunter: Degan Wilkinson – 47 cm
- Australian bass: Dallas Brown – 49 cm
- Saratoga: Noah Hopf – 41 cm
- Barramundi: Marlu Warren – 106 cm
- Charlie’s Pick:
- Kris Lassig
- Fi Lassig
- Mav Woods
- Paul Byrne
- Maree Amon
- Senior:
More information
SIPS, upcoming events, purchase a permit
Contact
Email media@dpi.qld.gov.au
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Last updated: 24 Oct 2025