by The Captain | Aug 13, 2021 | Articles, How to
Rod Findlay goes back to basics to explain how to get from A to B on the water. The radio was alive with reports of action, but it didn’t take long to realise the weekend warriors were out in full swing, “Can I have those numbers again, mate? I have them all bar the...
by The Captain | Dec 15, 2019 | Articles, Captain's ships
“If you have to ask the missus for one of these game-fishing beasts, don’t bother calling back,” says old-school boat builder Erick Hyland. WHITEPOINTER Erick’s sales pitch for his Whitepointer 263 boats is pretty damn compelling. The Haines Hunter crew trained...
by The Captain | Jul 30, 2019 | Adventures, Articles
The numbers on Roger Veitch’s new 27ft Hardtop are so sexy we had to check the specs twice – and when it pulled into port it proved an absolute face melter! What’s more, beneath that white gelcoat is a laminate that leaves most Australian boat...
by admin | Jun 8, 2019 | Adventures, Articles
The Captain’s crew head back to the Great Barrier Reef with a new mission: to catch the first giant black marlin of the 2018 season. We’re aboard Hellraiser II and equipped with a new special weapon. This is one of the first game boats to be fitted with a thru-hull...
by admin | Jun 6, 2019 | Articles, Captain's ships
While filming for The Captain, Nick Wood voyages to the edgeof the world, well, Tasmania, in a fleet of seriously specced-out Stabis. Despite encountering his worst seas ever, he is keen to prove his mettle. My first introduction to The Captain and his...
by The Captain | Jan 17, 2019 | Articles, Captain's ships
Dave Rothwell treats his 10-year-old Hydra-Sports to a complete birthday refit with 1050 horsepower courtesy of Johnson Bros. Marine Services. Now this boat has tricks. Dave Rothwell loves his Yank tank and his love runs deep — all the way down to his chequebook. So...
by The Captain | Jan 17, 2019 | Articles, How to
Joel Ryan brings big game-boat know-how to his Edencraft 6M Offshore. Here’s a typical game-fishing scenario. See on Facebook that the hot bite is on during the week. Chuck a sickie. Drive all night and get a flat tyre. Eat salt and vinegar chips for dinner before...
by admin | Jan 13, 2019 | Adventures, Articles
The Captain’s crew are on the hunt for the enigmatic swordfish — charging out past the fire-breathing oil rigs of Bass Strait aboard a Bass Strait Offshore 30, which has a certain synchronicity to it if you give a rat’s about such things. This rig has a huge...
by The Captain | Sep 10, 2018 | Adventures, Articles, Captain's ships
Chasing black marlin off the coast of Fraser Island on his trusty Yamaha Waverunner by day and night dodging dingoes and marauding mozzies by night, Ben Bylett discovered the blokes from Fishski Australia were even crazier fishos than him. When I tell people I fish...
by The Captain | Jun 20, 2018 | Articles, Captain's ships
They’re young, smart and cool, and they represent a new breed of saltwater stylists. They’re the builders – and the owners – of a new wave of floating fortresses. Dickey Boats fits the bill on both fronts. The blue-water highway used to be ruled by dudes with beards...
by The Captain | Jun 20, 2018 | Articles, Captain's ships
The biggest, baddest console The Captain has ever tested in Australia! The Grady-White Canyon 376 is a bona fide heavyweight of centre consoles. It’s the biggest hull in the Grady-White range, tipping the scales at almost six tonne (without engines). The beam is wider...
by The Captain | Jun 20, 2018 | Articles, Captain's ships
The Captain puffs out his chest and steps aboard the biggest console the Signature factory has ever built, powered by the largest motor Suzuki has ever built; two, in fact. We’re still not sure why John Haines built the 788SF. It’s the biggest console ever...
by The Captain | Apr 24, 2018 | Articles, How to
Joel Ryan caught more fish last year than most of us could dream about catching in a lifetime. His 2017 hit list includes jumbo bluefin off Sydney, double digits of marlin and swordfish, and he’s even put Tait Missen, his good mate’s son, onto an Aussie junior record...
by The Captain | Apr 24, 2018 | Articles, How to
Most keen fishos own a good set of gaffs, but these days they seem to collect more rust than they do fish. So when the moment comes to sink the meat hooks into a sea monster, Peter Pakula reckons you’d better be well practised… If you want to be good with...
by The Captain | Apr 24, 2018 | Articles, How to
For Justin Duggan, predicting which colour of lure will be on the hook-up money on any given fishing day will never be an exact science. We all have a “nutty professor” angling mate. His laboratory is the deck of a boat. Bunsen burners and flasks are replaced...
by The Captain | Apr 17, 2018 | Articles, How to
Are you a bit confused about the catch-and-release code these days? What species are socially acceptable to fillet? What species should be set free? It’s enough to leave you holding your limp gaff in hand on the back deck, paralysed with uncertainty. Never fear, The...
by The Captain | Mar 5, 2018 | Articles, How to
Rule one: keep your eyes open. Peter Pakula shares his wisdom on reading the signs and finding the fish. Electronic aids (sounder, GPS, temp gauge) certainly help you find fish, but they’re not the most important tool in your belt. They don’t tell you where you should...
by The Captain | Feb 8, 2018 | Articles, Captain's ships
Four pumping plate rigs fight it out bow to bow in the captain’s alloy shootout at Jervis bay. The only good thing that comes in tin is beer, right? Some among the glass-lovin’ class still beat that drum on Facebook forums. Their opinion is probably based on...
by The Captain | Dec 12, 2017 | Articles, How to
Just how much sex appeal do boats have? We laid down the challenge to Jack Murphy, recently single and ready to mingle. With nothing more than his bristling beard, a cup of charm and a Whittley SL25 hard top, We set him loose among a flock of amorous young females....
by The Captain | Oct 26, 2017 | Captain's ships
Surface feeding longtail tuna. A tackle box full of stickbaits. The new Haines Signature 550RF. ‘nuf said. Not long ago The Captain tested the Signature 550F off Queensland’s North Stradbroke Island. We had a crack at a mulloway, but the mysterious beasts...
by The Captain | Jun 20, 2017 | Adventures, Articles
The Captain tackles northern NSW in one of the first Stabicraft 2750 centrecabs to hit Aussie shores. Stabicraft recently put together a fully decked-out, custom 2750 Centrecab for gun Kiwi fisherman Matt Watson – you know, the crazy bloke that catches marlin...
by The Captain | Jun 20, 2017 | Articles, The craftsman
The Captain goes rock hopping with Adam Cabangh from Morningtide fishing. The Captain: Fellas, we love your rock-hopping form. But seriously, can’t you even afford a little tinnie – or do you all get seasick? Adam Cavanagh: Ha ha, nice one. Well, you could hook us up...
by The Captain | Jun 20, 2017 | Articles, How to
In this installment of Insane Installs, we caress the helm of Jason Wilhelm’s Edgewater 245CC and pop our eyeballs on his insane Simrad fit-out. And it would be rude not to have a crack at a blue marlin while we’re at it. Back in the day, Jason Wilhelm was a renowned...
by The Captain | Jun 14, 2017 | Articles, How to
The South-West Victorian coastline, aka the Shipwreck Coast, is home to a diverse range of habitats, which provide a plethora of fishing opportunities. This unforgiving coastline is renowned for being wild and rugged. During winter, icy gale-force winds manage to...
by The Captain | Jun 13, 2017 | Articles, How to
Handling your trailer boat when you’re hooked up to a gamefish is like getting jiggy with it – get too flustered and excited and it’ll be over in a flash! Be calm and composed, and you’ll get the job done. You’ve finally hooked a marlin in your trailer boat and the...
by The Captain | Jun 13, 2017 | Articles, Captain's ships, Uncategorized
The Captain puts prehistoric prejudices aside to check out the high-tech wonder that is the Whittley Pulse digital wizardry. The Whittley SL22 is one of The Captain’s favourite boats. They’re a bit of an offshore sleeper with 23 degrees at the bum, fine entry point...
by The Captain | Mar 22, 2017 | Articles, How to
We’ve all got that mate. The one with the twin-rig boat who ties all his own wind-ons and rigs his own lures; the one who always seems to know where the fish are going to pop up, then catches and fillets them better than anyone else on the boat. Sean Foley ticks all...
by The Captain | Mar 22, 2017 | Adventures, Articles
If you were cruising the Pacific, you’d be mad not to pack a few rods, right? Ben Keys jumps aboard a plush yacht and proves you don’t need a game boat to catch marlin. You just need to sail over the top of them. On the day we hooked a 70kg blue marlin, we weren’t...
by The Captain | Feb 28, 2017 | Adventures, Articles, 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 | Articles, 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...
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