Australia’s Reel Gauntlet is back for 2025. We’re inviting anglers from all corners to represent their state in a unique, year-long fishing competition. While it’s run by the Women’s Recreational Fishing League (WRFL), the Gauntlet is an open, gender-inclusive event that combines individual skill, friendly rivalry, and state pride. Here’s how it all works, and why the Gauntlet is becoming a must-join event for Australia’s fishing community.
The Gauntlet: A New Kind of State vs. State Fishing Rivalry
The Reel Gauntlet isn’t just a tournament—it’s a full year of competition. Like any traditional team sport season, this event features match fixtures, knockouts, and culminates in a Grand Final where one state will take the championship title. Fishing any time, anywhere, registered anglers log their catches through the free WRFL app, contributing points to both their personal score and their state’s tally.
Here’s the twist: each state’s Gauntlet team is capped at 50 players. This cap encourages anglers to support women’s participation in the League Sprints, as this pool of anglers represent an unlimited cache of points, as we explain below. The result? A dynamic that’s shifting the culture of competitive fishing toward inclusivity and equal opportunity.
Quick Tip: Interested in joining? Download the WRFL app to register early for your state’s team—spots are limited!
How the Gauntlet helps the WRFL achieve it’s mission of gender participation parity
WRFL’s mission isn’t actually about adding numbers to a roster; it’s about fostering an equitable fishing culture. The Gauntlet runs alongside the WRFL Sprints — monthly, women-only competitions where anglers earn points through the same app as the Gauntlet (these were the originating comps). Once the ladies points have been tallied and the results of the Sprints awarded, the points count toward each angler’s state overall score in the Gauntlet. The unlimited number of spots in the Sprints means women can join without the competition caps seen in the main Gauntlet team.
This format encourages male Gauntlet competitors to encourage more female anglers, knowing that every additional point scored in the Sprints boosts their state’s ranking in the Gauntlet. In this way, the competition naturally fosters an environment where everyone has a vested interest in encouraging female participation. It’s a clever approach to creating the future that WRFL envisions — one where fishing participation mirrors the “gender-neutral” nature of the the sport.
Quote: “The Gauntlet empowers everyone to cheer each other on, regardless of gender, to reach our shared goal of building a truly inclusive recreational fishing culture,” says WRFL founder Jo Starling.
Chasing the Golden Rod: Individual Glory, Cash and Prizes
The competition isn’t only about state pride; individual anglers also have the chance to win big. All anglers who record qualifying catches—whether in the Gauntlet or the League Sprints—are eligible for the cash prizes. The National Golden Rod, a highly coveted “Best & Fairest” award (think the Dally M or Brownlow), offers up to $10,000* to the season’s top point scorer through the app. And any angler who logs a catch in the app is entered in the $2,000 Lucky Angler draw, creating an inclusive playing field where both Sprints and Gauntlet participants have a shot at serious rewards.
Did You Know?
The cash prizes are available to anyone who records a scoring fish, reuniting genders under a single competition umbrella for the big prizes. It’s a game-changer, encouraging both men and women to pursue top accolades in this truly open league.
The Monthly Matches: Fuelling Friendly State Rivalry
Every month, state teams go head-to-head in a unique format that feels like an on-the-water State of Origin. Each fish caught and logged helps boost the state’s score in that month’s matchup, with Championship points awarded to the winning team. By November, the top six teams enter a finals series that narrows the field down to two for a Grand Final showdown.
This structure of monthly matches leading into a knockout finals series makes the Gauntlet both intense and strategic. Every point counts, keeping participants motivated throughout the year, and the introduction of cash prizes in 2025 adds a fresh level of excitement.
FUN FACT:
In the inaugural season, South Australia was the first state knocked out due to lack of participation, spurring them on to a certain comeback in 2025. This year’s competition promises to be fiercer than ever.
How to Join: Be Part of the Action in 2025
Getting involved in the Gauntlet is straightforward. Simply download the WRFL app, select your state, and grab your Gauntlet kit, which includes a team shirt and an official measuring mat. Choose from an annual pass for guaranteed entry to all matches or a casual pass to join on a month-by-month basis, space permitting.
Pro Tip: Don’t delay! With only 50 spots per state in each Gauntlet team, signing up early is crucial.
Join the Reel Gauntlet
The Reel Gauntlet is much more than a fishing competition. It’s a movement that combines the thrill of the catch with a mission to bridge the gender gap in fishing. With every cast, participants are contributing to an inclusive future where fishing is a sport that everyone can enjoy equally. Whether you’re joining for the prizes, the pride, or the purpose, there’s no better time to pick up the Gauntlet.
So grab your rod, rally your friends, and join a community of anglers dedicated to making Australia’s fishing scene better, fairer, and more exciting than ever.