10 years of building friendships through fishing

We are excited to be hosting our tenth Forge Through Fishing Day on the 13th December 2026 at Lake Conjola NSW. What a monumental achievement that sprouted from a conversation between two blokes in a forge.

The Forge Through Program was developed to use clinically based interventions which support veterans and first responders that have suffered and continue to suffer a mental toll as a result of serving the people of Australia.

The Forge Through Program is supportive, holistic and enduring, factors which are currently lacking in the support of veterans and first responders whilst they rehabilitate.

An essential part of one’s recovery is re integration into society. People suffering from PTS and related conditions have a natural tendency to withdraw from society and isolate themselves which is detrimental to their recovery.

Forge Through continually strives to reach out to these people and try to get them out of their homes and reconnected to the outside world. The Forge Through Fishing Day is one such initiative.

The social fishing day is held on the second weekend of December each year, and the 13th of December 2026 will be our 10th hosted event. As Lake Conjola was such a hit last year not just for the fishing but the bonding we have decided to run it again from here. Most people made a weekend out of it at the Caravan Park. The main day, quite simply, is about anglers taking a day out of their lives to bring their boats and equipment to take a veteran/ first responder fishing for the morning in a social competition setting. There is no entry fee for any participant on the day, we provide lunch and all the necessities for a wonderful experience.

In the past sponsors from a variety of companies have come together to assist with product that we use as prizes for the various categories.

Our sponsors have been generous enough to supply a quantity of product that we have been able to supply incredible grab bags for the veterans and first responders. A hat a few lures etc that may encourage them to keep fishing, a sport we all know is good for the soul and can be done almost anywhere.

The event itself has gained popularity in the past nine years and has become a day that both boaters and non-boaters really look forward to. We keep the event intimate, restricted to twenty-five boats, as large crowds can be very intimidating for the people we wish to help. We have a website established, www.forgethrough.org that we will use to promote the event and promote the sponsors that wish to support us.

We welcome any support of the Forge Through Fishing day, however large or small that may be, as every bit of support goes directly to putting a smile on the face of those who do not have reason to smile often. These veterans and first responders have all paid a great cost to ensure the safety and security of the society we all enjoy today, The Forge Through Fishing Day is our way of giving a little back.

We invite you to follow us on our Facebook social media page ‘Forge Through’, and check out our website, www.forgethrough.org for more information about the Program. I welcome any queries you may have and am available on 0421 861 424 any time to discuss the event and the Forge Through Program.