Most Memorable Fishing Day

It's a question every avid angler gets asked....

"What's your hands down best ever catch? "Favourite Fish to target?" "Best Fishing destination" the list goes on!!

I myself, along with every other passionate fisherman find every one of these questions very valid & warranted, but also very difficult to pinpoint.

Within every fishing situation or moment there is always great memories made, boxes ticked, dreams realised & the raw hunger of pursuit grows yet again.

If I were to narrow down all the moments, highs & lows to one definitive standout it would have to be the task that taught me vital lessons above anything that I find of upmost value. 

This was during the Easter weekend.... 

Prior to this weekend uncountable man hours were spent from my brother Chris, Partner Trent & myself studying this craft, perfecting techniques, screwing up, trying & screwing up again, to going back to bare basics, gathering as much insight into this species as we could.

The Target - Broadbill Swordfish by day.

Many missions were spent off Sydney doing drop after drop in an area which had sparked Chris's interest after studying the SIMRAD & topography charts, This was later reinforced by a Family friend (past Pro fisherman) that gave cagey hints, but no answers in a bid to see how close we could nail the honey pot that he knew had produced from many years before.   

And soon enough a task was born....

Although Trent & I weren't present for the first Sydney Unicorn to the Boat, we rejoiced with Chris & AJ as the fishless trips we had spent with Chris earlier, had finally paid off, with or without us it was an achievement we were proud to once be a vital piece of. 

After re-locating to the warmer weather & tropical breezes of Far North QLD our hunger for the beast of the deep still resonated ever so strongly.

And with the first break in weather fit for a swordy mission, we hurriedly packed our suitcases & flew by the seat of our pants straight down South without a second thought.

Mallacoota was set in our sights & after a quick pick up at Sydney airport we were on our way.

Sunday was the first day of the mission offshore, I awoke to chillingly cold frost compared to the humidity in FNQ but nothing could dampen the burn in my heart for the day that lay ahead.

We set the SIMRAD & powered out to the grounds with beaming faces, hungry eyes & a state for the unknown.

Before I knew it, BANG!! Second drop had me being strapped in for the absolute fight of my life!!

Nothing can explain the adrenaline you feel on the other end of one of these remarkable creatures.

They are powerful & smart, a savagely wicked combination that can send any experienced angler straight to their knees.

On surface he played dirty, aerial antics of a Blue Marlin crossed with the anger of a stubborn Black, bearing a bill double the size of any Marlin taking charge directly at the boat with every given chance.

At times I was winding for dear life whilst running away from the indescribable monstrous sword that came thrashing rapidly toward our way.

I have never felt more respect for a creature then what I felt that day. 

To capture my first ever Sword then to sadly have him lose his fight for life at the end was a very bittersweet moment.

I could almost describe it as having the glow of all your dreams realized but nursing the darkness of a broken heart at the same time. The true meaning of a "double edged sword" perhaps...

My first Sword went an incredible 2.6mtr short length, a true feat for all on board, we were ecstatic but nothing compared to the monster that graced us on Easter Monday!!

A true battle of man versus beast, Trent was locked & loaded on an absolute slob after first deploy giving him a run for his money inch by inch on a 7.5hr long stint.

Nothing prepared us for the mammoth that surfaced, going 2.7mtr in short length, this beast encapsulated mine from the previous day.

The cherry on top was watching him swim away healthily & strong back into the depths below.

A powerful feeling knowing his release is aiding the preservation of this incredible species for future generations to enjoy.

The amount of hard work, determination & dreams that were realized in this one weekend is unexplainable. The true epitome of fishing for passion & challenge over glory.

This very weekend held the most special place in my heart, the sheer hard work & hours spent leading into this, the degree of perseverance, the highs & lows, the team work, the electronics to achieve the impossible & the impossible being achieved.

Not only doing it with raw determination but belief in our team, skills & our tools.

Nothing beats ticking off a long anticipated dream with my Best Friend & Brother by my side with 2 incredible jaw dropping creatures - Absolutely Priceless.