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How does it work?

All your questions answered…

This page provide answers to the three biggest questions people have about Australia’s Reel Gauntlet:

    1. How does the ARG Season work?
    2. How do points work?
    3. Can you fish in other states?
    4. How do I register?
    5. Why would I choose the monthly option?
    6. Can anyone compete?

Simply CLICK the question above for the answer.

 

CLICK to find out about the people behind the Gauntlet.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Introducing “The Gauntlet”

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 ultimate in 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 in coming slides.

The result? A dynamic that’s shifting the culture of competitive fishing toward inclusivity and equal opportunity.

QUICK TIP!

Interested in joining? Download the
FREE Womens Rec Fishing League app
to register early for your state’s team
—spots are limited!

DID YOU KNOW?

The BIG CASH PRIZES are available to anyone who records a scoring fish, reuniting our ladies and open categories under a single competition umbrella for the big prizes. It’s a game-changer, encouraging both men and women to pursue top accolades.

FUN STAT

In the inaugural season, South Australia was the first state knocked out due to lack of participation, earning them the irrevocable, unshakeable, eternal ownership of the
Inaugural Wooden Spoon.

How Do We Decide Who Wins THE GAUNTLET?

Once we get to the Final Rounds (click question 1 above to find out more), the six best placed states move into the qualifiers, with the first round fished in July. No team is eliminated in July… it is simply a seeding round, with the states matched up according to their general season placing (see diagram).

August is the first elimination round. All six teams compete to determine seeding for the finals series. The bottom two teams after this round are eliminated, claiming fifth and sixth place for the year.

September is Quarter-Finals month. The seeded teams from August are matched up against each other in accordance with the bracket diagram shown on this page.

No teams are eliminated in September. This month seeds the remaining states to determine Semi-Final match-ups.

October is a brutal Semi-Final. The top two seeded teams from September are matched up against each other, and the remaining two teams compete to secure a spot in the Grand Final.

The two losing teams in October’s matches are eliminated, with the loser of the top placed match up claiming third place for the year.

The Grand Final casts off in November! The remaining two state are matched up to determine the ultimate champion — the Holder of the Gauntlet.

The numbers shown in the bracket diagram reflect the leaderboard position after each round.

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