What’s Happening?
Mount Morgan’s Number 7 Dam will join Fish ‘n’ $IPS 26 this summer, bringing the statewide fishing competition into Central Queensland.
Run by the Freshwater Fishing & Stocking Association of Queensland (FFSAQ), the competition will run from 26 December 2026 to 17 January 2027. It gives experienced anglers and newcomers the chance to compete across stocked impoundments throughout Queensland.
This year marks the fourth competition held at locations within the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS). It is also the second year the event has been held across all participating impoundments.
Mount Morgan’s Number 7 Dam is one of three new locations joining the scheme. Paradise Dam and Brisbane’s Enoggera Reserve have also been added for this year’s competition.
Why It Matters
Fish ‘n’ $IPS 26 gives Mount Morgan anglers a new local entry point into a much larger Queensland fishing competition.
The event also has a wider role beyond the prizes. Catches and photographs submitted through the competition app help the Department of Primary Industries and fish stocking clubs monitor fish populations.
That information can help show how freshwater fisheries are performing across participating impoundments.
FFSAQ President Charlie Ladd said stocking groups had been preparing ahead of the summer event.
“Stocking groups have been busy in preparation for this summer’s competition and we predict that there will be a lot of happy anglers. There will be many stories of the one that got away this year,” he said.
The competition is catch and release, and fish must still be alive when photographs are taken. Organisers are also asking anglers to register all native and pest fish caught through the app.
By The Numbers
- More than 3 million fingerlings are stocked each year across participating impoundments to support freshwater fishing throughout Queensland.
- 65 impoundments are now part of SIPS, compared with 25 dams when the program was introduced in 2000.
- Seven fish species feature in the competition categories, including barramundi, Australian bass, Saratoga, Murray cod, sooty grunter, golden perch and silver perch.
Local Impact
For Mount Morgan, the addition of Number 7 Dam gives local anglers direct access to the statewide competition without leaving the region.
It also links the Rockhampton area with the broader SIPS network, which now stretches across 65 impoundments throughout Queensland.
DPI Deputy Director-General Fisheries and Forestry Pauline Jacob said the three new locations would provide more options for anglers.
“With Mount Morgan’s Number 7 Dam, Paradise Dam and Brisbane’s Enoggera Reserve all part of the SIPs scheme, there’s plenty of places for Queenslanders to wet a line,” she said.
The local inclusion also means catches from Number 7 Dam can contribute to wider fisheries monitoring. Submitted records help stocking groups and the department assess fish populations across the scheme.
Zoom In
Fishing prizes include a senior and junior prize for each category, with anglers able to compete across several species and size benchmarks:
- The most Australian barramundi registered over 1 metre.
- The most Australian bass registered over 50 centimetres.
- The most Saratoga registered over 70 centimetres.
- The most Murray cod registered over 1 metre.
- The most sooty grunter registered over 45 centimetres.
- The most golden perch registered over 50 centimetres.
- The most silver perch registered over 40 centimetres.
- The longest fish in each species, including Australian barramundi, Australian bass, saratoga, sooty grunter, Murray cod, golden perch and silver perch.
- A new biggest barramundi category has also been added this year, with first, second and third prizes available.
All fishing entries must follow the catch-and-release format. Fish must be alive when photographed before being released. Organisers are also asking anglers to register all native and pest fish caught through the competition app.
Zoom Out
Queensland’s Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme was introduced in 2000 through the Department of Primary Industries’ inland fishing program.
The program began with 25 dams and has since expanded to 65 impoundments across the state.
The Freshwater Fishing & Stocking Association of Queensland works with local stocking groups to maintain participating waterways. Together, they help stock more than three million fingerlings each year.
Those releases include barramundi, Australian bass, golden perch, silver perch, saratoga, sooty grunter and Murray cod.
Mr Ladd said volunteer stocking groups remain essential because fish in man-made impoundments rarely form self-sustaining populations.
“There’s a common misconception that once fingerlings have been put into an impoundment that they can become a self-sustaining population that breeds and grows. In fact, fish will rarely breed in a man-made impoundment and so stocking groups are a vital part of this process. We thank the volunteers for their help,” he said.
Their work helps maintain fishing opportunities while also supporting the long-term management of Queensland’s stocked freshwater fisheries.
What To Look For Next?
Fish n SIPS 26 will begin on 26 December 2026 and continue until 17 January 2027 across Queensland.
Entry information is available through the Freshwater Fishing & Stocking Association of Queensland Facebook page
