If you haven’t experienced the utter exhilaration that is game fishing, then we would highly recommend it.
95% of the time, everyone is at ease, waiting for the 5% that sends the crew and anglers to their battle stations!
The norm is to troll drop-offs and current lines where big patches of bait hang. As we all know, where there’s bait, there’s bigger fish, and the bigger fish you tend to chase when game fishing are prized pelagics such as Tuna, Mackerel, Wahoo and of course Marlin.
South East Queensland holds its own when it comes to game fishing. In fact, juvenile Black Marlin are renowned catches on the flats off Fraser Island. Further south, there are great game fishing grounds less than an hour off Newport.
There are plenty of game fishing clubs along the coast, and the newest is the Newport Game Fish Club. The club is run by a bit of a local legend, David Trask. He’s a devout game fisherman. A builder by trade but loves all thing high octane, including powerboat racing and Marlin Fishing. He’s an advocate for the sport, encouraging those who want to get into it to just head out and give it a crack.
“For anyone who is starting or hasn’t marlin fished before, you’ve got Hutchinsons shoal which is just north of flinders. Typically for a beginner that’s a good place to start…The reality of it is we’re looking for a bait school because that’s where the marlin are feeding”
“Lures are perfectly fine. If you go to your local BCF they’ve got a good selection of lures you can tow around for Marlin. A lot of people think Marlin you have to have heavy tackle for, the line classes we’re fishing today is 8 kilo and 15 kilo so in the old school 16 pound and 30 pound, so it’s not heavy gear by any stretch of the imagination. They’re standard Shimano reels they’re not anything special. As far as a game fishing reel is concerned. So anyone with bottom fishing gear can retrofit that and use it to chase marlin.”
Dave’s Marlin Tips
- Find the bait, you’ll find the fish
- Stock up on a variety of lures
- Dead baits work well. Try rigging them with a nosecone and ganged hooks
- When starting off, fish light. Lighter line will encourage more bites
- Fishing the tide change will help your chances.
The BCF team members at your local store can also give you a nudge in the right direction if you’re keen to give game fishing a crack.
