by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | Adventures, All Stories
In the past five to 10 years, Australian saltwater fly fishing has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance. More and more, trout-only fly guys like me, as well as conventional anglers, are exploring the country’s many saltwater options. I was a slow starter in saltwater fly...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | All Stories, The craftsman
The Seafarer Vagabond 6.2 was launched in 1996 following the success of the twin-rigged Seafarer Victory 5.9 (in production 1992-97). The early 6.2m hulls were initially put out in a centre-console configuration and granted the tough-guy moniker Venom 6.2....
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | All Stories, Captain's ships
Six-metre twin outboard rigs are The Captain’s kryptonite. So when we heard Mark Stav from JV Marine had bought himself a Seafarer Vagabond with twin 140 Suzukis, we almost lost our superpowers. Bluefin tuna fishing was the goal – and The Captain’s crew tried various...
by The Captain | Mar 14, 2017 | All Stories, Tried and tested
Ever wondered who would win if a fisherman took on a freediver in a battle of skill, strength and endurance? Well we did. So we hooked up Paul and battled it out. It all started over a beer with Paul Miller, The Captain’s spearo. Would an angler with rod and reel be...
by The Captain | Feb 28, 2017 | Adventures, All Stories, Captain's ships
Why we do it. This is the test the public demanded. More so than the manufacturers, anyway. Which is why we never told them about it. Any of them. To prove our point, when the first Facebook post dropped, The Captain’s mobile lit up with phone calls with a Victorian...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | All Stories, How to
LURE TALK WITH PETER PAKULA “Not having the ultimate fish attracting boat and engine combination is not a disadvantage. With the aid of teasers, you can match all-comers in a competitive atmosphere.” Anything you tow behind your boat will do the job of attracting...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | All Stories, How to
Unfortunately, that blow-up lilo the kids bought you last Xmas just won’t do. Your diving rig needs to be as stable as a landing barge, turn like a tank, be waterproof as a submarine, fly like a fighter and transport you and your gear like a troop carrier. Paul Miller...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | Adventures, How to
Because I can flick a fly more than 100 feet, some people think I was born a saltwater samurai. Not true. Catching fish does take some natural talents (like patience, awareness and keen eyesight) but largely it’s because I’m an information vacuum cleaner, trawling...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | All Stories, How to
PHASE ONE- STABILITY Losing a huge fish near the side of the boat is a feeling no angler can ever really forget. Rods – and friendships – have been broken because of it. The Captain’s crew is no exception – once dropping not one but two ‘fish of a lifetime’ on the...
by The Captain | Feb 10, 2017 | All Stories, Captain's ships
Carves her own path on a hunt for monster king george whiting When The Captain’s crew first laid eyes on this neatly decked-out destroyer, we decided a little fishing mission was in order. Instead of following the herds of snapper slayers to the concrete ramps, we...
by The Captain | Jan 4, 2017 | Adventures, All Stories
Andy McKinstray goes for a wild ride in PNG, bagging barra, bass and betel nut Words and images by Andy McKinstray Stepping off the plane at Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea, the first thing that hits you in the face is a wave of humidity followed by...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, Rum and rations
Miguel loves it when The Captain’s crew tour, because he’s normally on the receiving end of a seafood bounty. This time we’d been to a seafood garden off Eden, New South Wales – Erick Hyland’s mussel farm to be precise. He’s not just handy at knocking up fibreglass...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, Tried and tested
Deciding between alloy and steel is the biggest consideration for new trailer buyers. The Captain’s crew donned welding masks and went undercover in the Easytow factory to uncover the pros and cons. THE CASE FOR ALMIGHTY ALLOY Pound for pound,...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, How to
SYDNEY, NSW STYLE: I’m part of the Band of Brothers Fishing crew. We’re primarily game-fisherman who mix it up in the off-season chasing reds and kings. Our passion, however, certainly lies in catching billfish. BOAT: I own a Seaswirl Striper 2007 2101...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, How to
BRISBANE, QLD STYLE: The fishing that mainly appeals to me is the tournament bream scene. Weeks, months or even years of preparation can come down to a few moments. Sometimes you’ll have to make a call, which can put everything on the line. It’s a make-or-break...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, How to
BROOME, WA STYLE: It’s got to be sportsfishing! I’ve been fortunate enough to fish some of the atolls off the coast of my hometown of Broome. We target dogtooth, GTs, red bass, coral trout, wahoo, blue/black marlin and even sailfish. I also like heading into...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, Captain's ships
Back in 1977, when Richard Freeman bought his Shark Cat, Elvis Presley was still swinging his hips and Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) had just found its way into the HZ Holden. Since then, Richard’s Cat has seen 31 pairs of outboards. He’s also bought a house and...
by The Captain | Dec 8, 2016 | All Stories, Captain's ships
From the wilds of the Southern Ocean comes a new design that harks back to the classics. As we loaded a variety of rods onto the shiny new Stabicraft 2500 Ultracab, dirty grey clouds descended from the hills surrounding the local boat ramp. Cold, damp and...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | All Stories, Captain's ships
The Captain goes north in search of silver scales and soft riding battleships. Trying to fish a new location is tough at the best of times. Trying to catch a mulloway in one day at a new location is a serious Hail Mary shit. Still, we had the gear and...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | All Stories, Captain's ships
Moda means “style” in Italian, but don’t let the gorgeous lines fool you, this Express model is full of function too, with a 600km range, the ability to sleep five adults and almost $80K of electronic equipment. The Captain: Ahoy Shane, we’ve seen...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Adventures, All Stories
Word and images by Joshua Hutchins Fly-fishing New Zealand’s scenic South Island is always a challenge – but mostly rewarding for Joshua Hutchins. He shares the inside word on one of his favourite destinations. The South Island of New Zealand is...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Adventures, All Stories
Every fisho worth his salt has a secret fishing spot where it seems like the fish never stop biting. The sun always sets on glassy waters while pelagics feverishly compete for the evening hatch. The esky is always full and cold, and sleep is only broken by the...
by The Captain | Nov 28, 2016 | Adventures, All Stories
The Captain’s crew head north, to the warm waters of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. They hunt game fish amidst incredible scenic beauty – and become stranded in a millionaires’ playground. The water transformed from an olive green to a deep...
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | All Stories, Captain's ships
Mitchell Burge and his Bad Boy were made for each other… He’s an outspoken lad from Mt Colah with a reputation as a wrecking ball on the sea, having split five boats that The Captain knows of. Now he’s riding in his new Cootacraft – a name synonymous with boats built...
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | All Stories, How to
Crayfish. They look prehistoric, but taste delicious – and they live in Paul Miller’s backyard on the Northern Beaches. Now, if Paul has one weakness it’s fresh Eden mussels. So we bribed him with a couple of dozen plump ones to reveal his 10 Commandments for cray...
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | All Stories, How to
When to slack off with Justin Duggan Don’t believe everything you hear; sometimes there’s nothing wrong with being soft, limp or flaccid, other times you need to be tight as a clam. Knowing when to be slack will often prove crucial to scoring the fish. I watch...
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | All Stories, How to
Ever had your secret fishing spot stolen? Here’s how they probably did it… RADAR LOVE Radar – It’s not just for pinpointing U-boats. Radar can pinpoint your position from the horizon. If they can see you, they know your latitude and...
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | All Stories, How to
LURE TALK WITH PETER PAKULA “In solo game-fishing, there are no points, no trophies and no public acclaim.” It’s normal in my business to dart out and test lures as soon as the prototypes are ready. On April 1st, 1992, the new Mosquito was ready to rock....
by The Captain | Nov 16, 2016 | All Stories, Captain's ships
The Captain finds the sweet spot in an entry level Sea Fox. The Captain has found a new ham-and-pineapple boat. Loved by all and fit for almost any occasion, the Sea Fox 186 Commander is the perfect Cape York crusader or perch predator. Sea Fox...
by The Captain | Nov 9, 2016 | All Stories, Rum and rations
You don’t even have to go shopping for this simple snapper recipe. Just snag a red, raid the missus pantry for some basics, then start grinding on the mortar and pestle like you’re furiously hauling a 40kg black jew from a coral reef – in just 5M of water!...
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