Cast for Cash winners Daniel Hastings and Andrew Aldridge with Edward River Fishing Club representatives Les Booth and John Creenaune.
It was a great day to go fishing on Saturday, and that’s precisely what 38 teams did in the Edward River Fishing Club’s 2026 Cast for Cash Closing Competition.
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End of season Murray cod is what teams were after, and while not everyone could reel in a winner, there was plenty of fun had.
Anglers could cast in the fishing zone between Four Post Reserve and Steven’s Weir for a chance of more than $5000 in prizes.
Taking out the win and the $2200 prize was travelling team ‘Fox and the Hound’, consisting of Andrew Aldridge and Daniel Hastings from Katunga.
They caught three cod in total - a 57cm, 63.5cm and 46.5cm for a total of 227 points all on TT spinner baits.
Popular local runners-up were ‘The Rhookies’ from Deniliquin.
Matt and Jim Rhook had 162 points and bragging rights for getting the weekend’s largest fish of 81cm, on an Oar-gee lure, to take home $1000.
Third placed team were Echuca’s Tyson Stirling and Trent Wilson, competing as ‘Hoping not Scoping’.
They won the $500 prize after landing a 62cm and 51cm with white Super Bug lures.
Another memorable catch for the day was Katrina Taylor, who managed to catch a turtle on a spinner bait.
Off the water, the Deniliquin Boat Club was social HQ for the mega raffle on Friday night and the presentation and fun night on Saturday.
Saturday included the inaugural Couch Casting Competition, with all teams testing their skills casting an empty stubby into varying size eskies for the lure pack prize.
Joint winners were declared. Harvey and Ned Campbell as ‘2 Long Rods’ and ‘The Offo’s’ Nash Offord all sharing the prizes.
Organiser Andrew Jefferies said it was a hugely successful weekend.
“We had a total of 14 teams score points, with 19 cod caught in total and 12 being of legal size,” he said.
“The largest cod was 81cm, followed by 76cm and 74cm.
“There was more fish caught as a percentage than last year.
“We also saw a fair bit of yellowbelly being caught during the weekend, which shows our restocking programs are working.
“The raffles were also good. Rachael Phyllis-Campbell had a pretty good weekend, winning the $400 fishing club members’ draw and her team Hugh Jorgan won the raffle major prize.
“The donut award, drawn out of a hat, went to the ‘Marto Boyz’ Hayden and Shannon Martin, who get free entry for next year as well as a donut.”
More than just an enjoyable weekend, every cod caught during the Edward River Fishing Club competition was registered in data to assist ongoing research into local fish populations.
The event also raised funds for fish restocking.
Cast for Cash runners-up Matthew and Jim Rhook with Edward River Fishing Club representatives Les Booth and John Creenaune.
Cast for Cash runner-up Jim Rhook with a catch from the weekend.
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