Junior Tournament Information
Welcome to the GFAA Junior Tournament, below is an outline of the competition.
The tournament runs from 1st July to the following 30th June and is open to all anglers under the age of 16.
Tournament Entry
Entry into the tournament is FREE and once entered, you never have to sign up again. A fillable entry form and details are available at Link and the entry form is completed on-line. It needs to be completed before any capture or points can be scored and recognised in the competition.
Each junior will receive a welcome letter from their state’s Junior Coordinator soon after the entry form has been received which confirms your acceptance into the competition.
Categories
Small Fry
Anglers under the age of 11 years at the date entry are accepted and remain in that category until the end of the tournament year - 30 June.
Junior
Anglers older than 11 years and under 16 years at the date entry are eligible to fish as Juniors and remain in that category until the end of the tournament year - 30 June.
The following year anglers become senior members.
Scoring
Captured, tagged and/or measured fish are entered online directly through the GFAA website and must be lodged by the 14" day of the month following their capture.
Eligible Fishing Days
The tournament is conducted from 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025 and all days of the year are eligible fishing days.
GFAA Junior Tournament History
The Game Fishing Association of Australia National Junior Tournament was established in 2000 as an opportunity for our junior anglers to compete against fellow club, state and national anglers while experiencing the joys and rewards of fishing. Each State has an appointed Junior Coordinator whose responsibility is to encourage participation from their respective state clubs and anglers and record and report their achievements. GFAA membership and participation in the nationally run tournament has grown over the years as its benefits to anglers have spread.
In 2011 Kevin Oates took on the National Coordinators role, modernising procedures to reduce the administrative burden on all coordinators.
In 2015, the competition adopted measure and release (M&R) into the existing capture and tag and release (T&R) categories. Measure and release was then combined with Tag and Release to roll out the single category of “Release”. With a revised species list and size requirements, M&R became a much broader category allowing all junior anglers to diversify their game fishing endeavours. Point scores for M&R and T&R are alike and have proven very successful alternative for young anglers with over 2400 fish M&R‘d, compared to 3850 fish T&R’d and 1100 fish captured since commencing in July 2015.
GFAA encourages all affiliated anglers to join the competition. Along with anglers recognised with monthly awards, their fishing season achievements are acknowledged each year at the GFAA National Awards Presentation Dinner. Overall, 56 state awards are available each year for male and female anglers in each of the Junior and Small Fry categories as well as the highly sought after National Champion trophies.
GFAA is fortunate to have some very generous sponsors supporting the program. Our sponsors all contribute to making this tournament free for all juniors across Australia, and the tremendous success it continues to enjoy.
In 2021 a project to improve the opportunities for junior participation and the development of skills of junior anglers was developed. Named Kids Fish 2, the project offers incentives for clubs and individuals to improve participation and to have fun with fishing. Click HERE for more information on the project.
Kevin Oates
30th June 2024
