The 2025 Junior National Surfcasting Tournament hosted by SASAA provided a platform for junior anglers to exhibit their remarkable skills. 37 young anglers excitedly registered for this competition with ages ranging from just 10 years old up to 21 years old. 3 Divisions were identified, Under 12, Under 16 and 16 to 21.

During the course of the 3 day tournament a total of 594 fish were caught and safely returned to the ocean—a testament to the competitors' dedication to responsible fishing practices. Leading the count were 359 3 Spot Pompano (Wave Garrick), followed by 151 Silver Silago (Banana Fish), 48 Lesser Guitar Fish (Sandshark), 24 Mullet, 4 Shad, 3 Stone Bream, 2 Kob, and single catches of Steenbrass, Sole, and Blacktail.

The tournament began with an opening ceremony on 10th April 2025, held at the picturesque Kloof High School. Here, anglers were warmly welcomed and presented with sponsored gift bags containing trace holders, fishing shirts, and measuring mats. To ensure participants were well-prepared, Dr. Avash Juggernath delivered an engaging slideshow on tournament rules followed by a talk from Ashwin Singh (Surfcasting SA Chairperson) on this facet of angling and sharing his experience as being the current top angler in the country and 4th in the world. Jace Govender (Surfcasting SA Angler and Beach Manager) addressed the youngsters thereafter on beach safety and tournament safety and wished them well. The evening culminated in a hearty chicken or vegetarian briyani prepared by a local halaal chef—a delicious kickoff to the event.

Competition Day 1 on 11th April 2025 saw anglers braving rainy, windy conditions. A tournament register was completed and bait packs were handed out. Anglers were then dispatched to their respective chosen Pegs for the day. Lines in was called at 9:00 AM. Equipped with lunch packs kindly sponsored by Spar Kloof, they persevered through their nerves and the weather. Fish were measured and released under the watchful eyes of Kloof High School marshals, with all 37 competitors recording catches. A total of 221 fish were caught on this day with Gabriella Viljoen topping the ranking.

By Competition Day 2 on 12th April 2025, warmer water temperatures and sunny skies encouraged the anglers to fish tirelessly. Senior South African capped anglers walked the beaches, offering verbal guidance and motivation. The vibrant youngsters kept the scoreboard ticking all day and never showed any signs of letting up, with maximum effort given right until the very last minute at 1pm. A total of 247 fish were recorded on day 2, with Gabriella Viljoen once again topping the rankings followed closely by Sheldon Gough and Upasana Juggernath. Though the day ended with some tales of "the one that got away," their enthusiasm remained unshaken.

On Competition Day 3, 13th April 2025, overcast conditions at first and then later some sunny weather greeted the anglers who took to the beach and their pegs with excitement spurred on by a crowd of parents that came along to support their little ones. The anglers, who showcased their skills amidst the challenging conditions of hot sun and slightly less favourable water. Fish were few and far between on this day and anglers had to fight through the hot weather and persevere to get their catches. A testament to these youngsters was their never say die attitude and their determination to catch fish right up until the last second of competition time. The day ended with a lower fish count than the previous 2 days with only 126 fish caught and the ranking being topped by Upasana Juggernath.

As the event came to a close, bittersweet emotions filled the air as anglers, parents, and officials prepared for the grand finale—the closing function.

At the awards ceremony held at Kloof High School on the evening of the 13th April 2025, the following individual achievements were celebrated:

• Most Outstanding Catch: Reece Malga (49 cm Kob)
• Largest Edible Fish: Reece Malga (49 cm Kob)
• Largest Non-Edible Fish: Xarion Mathuray (76 cm Lesser Guitarfish)
• Most Fish Caught: Gabriella Viljoen (44 fish)

Division Results included:

• Under 12: 1st Suharsh Juggernath, 2nd Ezra Stephen, 3rd Christopher Torrance
• Under 16: 1st Jeariya Maduray, 2nd Gabriella Viljoen, 3rd Dali Matsha
• Under 21: 1st Upasana Juggernath, 2nd Reece Malga, 3rd Shivaan Govender

The coveted Tournament Champion title went to Upasana Juggernath. 

Special thanks were extended to all contributors, including Ronald Mathuray, whose innovative live scoring system debuted at this event, a ground-breaking addition to South African fishing tournaments to come.

The evening concluded with a celebratory spit braai, where competitors and parents stayed late, recounting unforgettable stories of their fishing adventures.

A huge thank you goes out to all our sponsors for their outstanding contributions.

• Kloof High School
• Kloof Spar
• Glolite Safety Equipment
• Leo Garments
• Fisherman’s Warehouse
• Big Fish Apparel
• Ghoti Gear
• Kopano Transport
• O’neils Fisheries
• Leaf Technologies
• Iron River South Africa
• Media Digital