Tasmania's Bluefin Tuna Contest Returns to Eaglehawk Neck in April 2026

Missing the mid-April entry close doesn't just cost you this year's competition. The Tuna Club of Tasmania's Australian Bluefin Tuna Contest runs every even-numbered year, which means the next shot after 2026 is 2028. If your entry form and payment aren't in before the deadline, you're watching the fleet launch from the shore.

What makes the April 24-25 event particularly significant is that the Tuna Club is pairing its 31st Bluefin Contest with the Game Fishing Association of Australia's inaugural Australian International Tuna Tournament, the AITT. The two competitions run back-to-back under TGFA sanctioning, pulling GFAA-affiliated club members from across Tasmania and the mainland onto the same grounds simultaneously. Past editions have consistently drawn 70 or more boats to the Eaglehawk Neck start line, and the addition of the AITT in its first-ever running is expected to push that number further.

Before a single line hits the water, there is a non-negotiable obligation. The club holds a mandatory briefing Friday evening before the competition, typically from 1900 hours. A representative from each crew must attend. Miss it and your team's eligibility is at risk before the Saturday morning sail-past at 0700. For crews driving from Hobart (roughly an hour north) or flying in from interstate, Friday arrival is not optional; it is the entry requirement.

Late April at Eaglehawk Neck is prime bluefin timing but demanding water. Jumbo southern bluefin typically push through around April as larger fish replace the school-size fish from earlier in the season. The Pirates Bay ramp sits seven nautical miles from productive grounds, but the Tasman Peninsula's south and east-facing coasts absorb direct Southern Ocean exposure. Swells and southwesterly winds at this time of year require boats that are properly equipped and crews who have done safety checks before they load gear, not after. The club requires safety briefings for precisely this reason, and the grounds punish anyone who treats them as routine.

TGFA sanctioning changes how you fish, not just how you score. For a bluefin to qualify for a prize or perpetual trophy, the fish must meet or exceed the weight of your nominated line class. A 12kg fish on 15kg gear gets released without a weigh-in. The prize structure covers heaviest fish, point scoring, and dedicated tag-and-release awards, so the decision to kill, tag, or release should be settled before the hook-up. Fish presented for weigh-in need to arrive cold and undamaged from strike to dock; warm-deck fish that have been poorly handled score poorly and reflect badly on the crew.

The competition accommodates teams of two to six anglers across adult, junior, and small fry categories. Juniors and small fry fish free when a parent or guardian holds current club membership, and the club calendar frames the Bluefin Contest as the centrepiece of a season running from November through June at Pirates Bay. A presentation dinner and ancillary rallies earlier in April round out the gathering around the main event.

Visiting crews should book accommodation at Eaglehawk Neck now, particularly at the Lufra Hotel and Apartments, which fills once the entry list closes. Entry forms, the full 2026 schedule, and current fee structures are available directly from the Tuna Club of Tasmania. Bag-limit and biosecurity conditions can shift season to season in Tasmanian state waters, so confirm any regulatory updates with the club before launching on April 24.