UPPER STONE QCWA LAUNCHES INAUGURAL SOOTY GRUNTER FISHING CLASSIC

Photo credited and supplied: Upper Stone QCWA Facebook page.

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By Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui

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Over the weekend of Friday, 27^th and Saturday, 28^th March 2026, a total of 400 people gathered at the historic Upper Stone QCWA Hall for the inaugural Sooty Grunter Fishing Classic.

When a couple of young local fellows came up with the idea over a few beers the Upper Stone QCWA committee ran with it, seeing it as an opportunity to host a family orientated weekend. With 189 nominations, both adults and children, the committee thinks, “We got that bit right!”

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The competition began with the sign-in on Friday at the Upper Stone QCWA Hall. Those who had nominated signed a waiver and collected their custom brag mat. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol and Biosecurity Queensland spoke with anglers about responsible fishing and protecting Queensland waterways from invasive freshwater pests. Not everybody raced away to start fishing! Many stayed on for the bar and food under the stars.  

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Together with supporters and guests, competitors were back Saturday to submit the measurements and photos of their longest catch. A great night was had with the hall packed for the announcements of the winners of each category. A perpetual trophy was awarded and will record the major winners for years to come.  

Thanks to the enormous support of the Ingham community there were many quality prizes to be won in the various categories of catch as well as in raffles. Even much of the delicious food was possible because of donations. The pig-on-a-spit was the hit of the night. Furthermore, community members were unstinting in their generosity of time and labour to make both evenings of the competition run smoothly. The generosity was so overwhelming that, “It would be impossible to thank everyone and not miss someone,” said the committee.

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Two major sponsors, however, were Wilmar Sugar and Renewables and the Hinchinbrook Shire Council through the Community Grants Program. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Wilmar every competitor in the Inaugural Sooty Grunter Classic received a brag mat. The mats not only looked fantastic but kept all the fishing stories honest! The donation also enabled the purchase of commemorative stubby coolers. Through the Community Grants Program the Upper Stone QCWA was able to purchase much-needed new tables for the event and a projector to showcase all the great catches and the winners.  

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There was a lot of trial and error in bringing this inaugural Sooty Grunter Classic to reality, but the enormous success of the event has guaranteed a repeat with Friday 9^th to Saturday 10th April 2027 already locked in for the next Classic.

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Sooty Grunter Classic Results

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KIDS SECTION (12 years & under)

LONGEST CATCH 1st Kaydan Walsh; 2nd Colton Wheatley; 3rd Flynn Oats

SMALLEST CATCH: Levi Bona

BIGGEST SOOTY GRUNTER 1st Jewel Crisp; 2nd Reese Heely; 3rd James Blanco

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ADULTS SECTION

BIGGEST JUNGLE PERCH (Kids or adults) Briannan Pace

LONGEST CATCH Champion: Lachlan Curry; Runner up: Corbin Bartolini

BIGGEST SOOTY GRUNTER Champion: Lloyd Berger; Runner up: Chanel Crisp

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Sooty Grunter Classic Biggest Sooty Grunter perpetual shield overall winner:

Jewel Crisp with a 43.9cm sooty

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