After almost a decade in New Zealand hands, the Trans-Tasman coarse angling cup has finally come back across the ditch, with Australia outpointing the Kiwis on the banks of Lake Forbes over the ANZAC Day long weekend.
Run by the Australian Federation of Coarse Angling Associations, the contest is one of the longest-standing fishing rivalries in the southern hemisphere, with the two nations alternating host duties annually since 1987. The 2026 edition combined the international fixture with the Australian Team Nationals, drawing competitors from Melbourne, Adelaide, Auckland and Christchurch to the central NSW lake town for several days of pole-and-float fishing.
For team captain Howard Johns, the result was a long time coming.
"It's the first time we've won since 2016 - we're very happy," Johns said.
The winning margin was narrow, but the Australian side controlled the major individual placings. Chris Bevis of Melbourne was crowned national champion after weighing in more than 52kg of fish across the event, a haul made up almost entirely of European carp and small native species fooled on long poles and finesse rigs. Stewart Eason from Adelaide finished second, with Auckland's Paul Harris filling out the podium in third.
"Forbes as a town is beautiful: it's one of the prettiest towns and the cleanest towns," Webb said.
For most Australian anglers, coarse fishing remains a niche pursuit. The Trans-Tasman is one of the few events in the calendar that puts the technique in front of a wider audience, and Johns used the platform to spell out exactly what makes the discipline different.
"We use fine lines, small hooks, and very long poles - up to about 14m long," Johns said.
Those poles, paired with delicate floats and groundbait that is mixed and fed by hand, allow competitors to present a tiny hook bait at extreme range without ever casting. It is a style imported from the UK and continental Europe, and is dominated globally by anglers from England, Italy and France. Australia's success at the international level since the late 1980s has come largely from a small but tightly knit group of clubs based in Victoria, NSW and South Australia.
Lake Forbes, the venue chosen for this year's contest, is a man-made lake in the centre of town that holds healthy populations of carp, redfin and native species. Local council and tourism officials have leaned into the event, with the Amazing Forbes NSW visitor program putting on dedicated welcomes for the international competitors.
With the cup now back on Australian soil, the focus turns to 2027, when New Zealand is expected to host. The Trans-Tasman fixture also approaches a milestone: 2027 will mark the 40th anniversary of the first contest, run between Australian and New Zealand sides in 1987.