Australia’s Premier Saltwater Fly Fishing Challenge!
The challenge
The event is held over 3 days fishing in the renowned Hinchinbrook Island National Park area. It’s home to some of Australia’s most iconic sportsfish species. Our unique scoring system is what makes this a “challenge”, and sets us apart from most fishing competitions. Each fish caught must be 30cm long or more to score (1cm = 1 point). Anglers are then rewarded for their ability to adapt techniques and fly selection to target the 9 key iconic species found in the area - Barramundi, Cod, Flathead, Golden Trevally, Mangrove Jack/ Fingermark, Permit, Queenfish, Tarpon and Trevally (all other). Catching 3 or more species in a day sees anglers score 250 extra points for each consecutive species caught. ie 3 species =250, 4 species = 500, 5 species = 750 and so on. High value captures attract a length multiplier as follows, Permit x10, Golden Trevally x5 and legal size Barramundi x5. The most points at the end of the three days wins champion angler, and combined scores for champion team!! There are prizes for each species as well as meritorious captures. The challenge is a mix of skill, endurance, species knowledge and a whole bunch of fun. On top of this, its as a great opportunity to meet like minded anglers. Don’t wait, come and test yourself in the Hinchinbrook Fly Challenge!
Our story
First held in 1997, the Hinchinbrook Fly Challenge has been shaped by the passion and dedication of North Queensland’s fly fishing community for close to three decades. The event began under the stewardship of the Ingham Rod and Reel Club before passing to the Cairns Fly Fishers from 2001 to 2008, led by Jon Snell. It was later carried forward by the NQ Fly Fishers until 2020, and since 2021 has been proudly hosted by the Hinchinbrook Fly Fishing Club. Built by countless volunteers over the years, the challenge stands as a true community-driven event.
What started as a local competition has grown into one of Australia’s Premier Saltwater Fly Fishing events, attracting anglers from across the country and overseas. The Hinchinbrook Channel’s unique mix of shallow creeks systems, mangrove lined edges and sand flats are home to a truley diverse number of species, which inspired the introduction of the target species scoring format in 2007, defining the event as it is today. This is saltwater fly fishing at its toughest, wildest and most technical!!
The location
Hinchinbrook Island is located with in the Cassowary Coast Region approximately 1.5 hours drive North of Townsville. Stretching about 50 kilometres in length and up to 10 kilometres wide, it is the largest island national park in the country. The island’s highest peak, Mount Bowen, rises to 1,121 metres above sea level, overlooking a landscape of dramatic granite mountains, dense rainforests, mangrove-fringed channels, and gin clear sand flats. Much of the island is protected within Hinchinbrook Island National Park, which attracts thousands of visitors each year, particularly those looking to fish for iconic Australian species.
The surrounding waters, especially the renowned Hinchinbrook Channel have earned international recognition as a world-class fishing destination. The extensive mangrove systems, tidal creeks, inshore flats, and estuaries provide ideal habitat for barramundi, permit, golden trevally, mangrove jack, giant trevally and queenfish often considered Australia’s premier sport fish. It’s this combination of pristine wilderness and exceptional fishing opportunities which makes Hinchinbrook Island one of Australia’s most celebrated coastal fishing destinations.
The venue
The Lucinda Point Hotel is a classic Aussie pub in the heart of Lucinda’s fishing mecca and has long been a supporter of the Hinchinbrook Fly Challenge, playing a central role in the event beyond simply providing a venue. For over 20 years now the hotel has hosted the official pre-completition briefing and social functions, with competitors gathering there on the evening before the start of day 1 of the event. In addition to offering nightly meals tied into the event nomination fee, the hotel also offers special discounts to participants, helping to make the challenge more welcoming and accessible for visiting anglers.
Past Challenge Winners
Your Questions, Answered.
-
Please check the Home page for event dates and also for when team nominations are scheduled to open.
Note - The dates for each year’s event may change based on availability and favourable tides. Please contact us if you need further details.
-
When nominations have opened, please click the ‘Book Now” button in the top right of the screen. The date nominations will open will be provided on our Home page of this site and also on our social media pages.
Once you have clicked on the ‘Book now” button you will be redirected to the Trybooking.com events page, where you can nominate your team and provide the necessary personal and payment details.
Please note - The nomination price varies from year to year based on sponsorship support and inherent costs. We try our hardest to keep the cost as affordable as possible.
-
The Hinchinbrook Fly Challenge is a teams based event. This not only helps with the safety aspect of hosting an event such as this, but it also ensures the 50 individual places (25 teams) are filled each year. Please contact us if you are looking for a decky/non-boater and we will do our best to make that happen.
Alternatively, If you are someone who wants to compete but does not have a boat, please contact us and we will do our best to get you onboard with a skipper and their boat for the event.
-
If the event sells out and you have missed one of the 25 team spots, please get in touch via the Contact Us page and we will put your team down on the waiting list. If another team pulls out for any reason(which does happen), we will be in contact with you to organise the replacement.
-
Long time event host and sponsor The Lucinda Point Hotel. offer discounts on accommodation for members competing in the challenge each year. Please mention this to them when you make your accomodation booking. The link to their website can be found on our Home page and Our Sponsor page.
Alternatively we would recommend looking on Airbnb or searching for “holiday accommodation” in the Lucinda area.
-
At the top of the page there is a tab called “Our Sponsors”. Please fill out the sponsorship form by first clicking the “Become a Sponsor” button. Alternatively you can navigate to our Contact Us page and provide details there. If for any reason these do not work, please reach out via social media and we will be in touch asap.
-
You can contact us by filling out the form on the Contact Us page at the top of the screen. Alternatively you can reach out on social media via the chat function and someone will be in contact asap.