Today’s a special one: Chris Purnell joins me to wrap Series 16, explain the big Hobie ownership change, and reveal the 2025 Hobie Kayak Fishing Series (Series 17) calendar — including a mid-week Bemm River opener, a Tassie double-header, and Mallacoota in October leading into a Victorian AC.

Hobie ownership update: context on the restructure and the brand’s move under Bass Pro’s White River Marine Group, and what that means for AU/NZ dealers, parts, and anglers.

Series 16 takeaways: tough late-season fishing (e.g., Wallaga Lake), standout bags, and why some arenas deserve a second look.

Series 17 (2025) calendar & key notes (dates/locations below).

Shout-outs to anglers (the heart of the series) and sponsors (incl. naming-rights partner Daiwa).

(AC = Australian Championship; pre-Fish and lay day marked where relevant)

Early Feb — AC (Australia): exact dates/location TBA (announcement ASAP).

Feb 17–18 (Tue–Wed) — Bemm River, VIC (mid-week)

Feb 16 (Mon) — pre-Fish

Feb 19 (Thu) — lay day

Feb 21–22 (Sat–Sun) — Marlo, VIC

Feb 20 (Fri) — pre-Fish

Mar 20–21 — Wallaga Lake, NSW

Apr 8–9 (mid-week) — Little Swanport, TAS

Apr 10 — pre-Fish

Apr 11–12 — Swan River, TAS

Tassie travel option: indicative Spirit of Tasmania sailings discussed (in via Geelong→Devonport ~Mon Apr 6, out Sun Apr 13). Most anglers base in Swansea.

Local partners: Tasmanian Kayak Fishing Series & Launceston Angling Club (local bump tubs/scales). Limited loan kayaks likely; details to be confirmed via Hobie AU.

May 2–3 — Forster, NSW

Jun 20–21 — Georges River, NSW

Jul 18–19— Lake Macquarie, NSW

Aug 15–16 — Gold Coast, QLD (Broadwater Tourist Park launch as per usual setup)

September — No round (spring transition month)

Oct 10–11 — Mallacoota, VIC

November — AC (Victoria) TBA (southern venue; details to follow)

Start / Briefing times: Events typically run a briefing ~6:30am with start ~7:00am — please confirm each round’s official times on the event listing.

Targeting better tides/moons than Series 16’s back-half.

Tassie double-header to make travel worthwhile (Little Swanport → Swan River).

Forster in early May (historically strong window).

Gold Coast mid-August to avoid clashes and school-holiday pressure.

Mallacoota in October to set up a Victorian AC in November.

Anglers: there’s no series without you.

Sponsors: especially Daiwa (naming rights) and the many family-run partners backing the tour.

Hobie AU team behind the scenes: Brad, Darryl, Zoe, Tamika, Scotty, Mick, Shane, and more.

If you’re looking at Tassie, start scoping accommodation around Swansea and keep an eye out for the Spirit of Tasmania details mentioned in the episode. For loan-kayak availability and local logistics, contact the Hobie AU media team via the email referenced in the show.

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