Flats Fishing Aussie Style!
BACK in the mid 1990s Fisho published the first articles about the flats fishing potential of Queensland’s Hervey Bay. Those articles featured well known anglers including Dean Butler, Peter Pakula, Leeann Payne, Peter Morse, Rod Harrison and Sid Boshammer targeting golden trevally on fly.
At the time it was extremely exciting stuff because it was the first real Aussie flats fishery. Fast forward almost 20 years and Hervey Bay is still producing some awesome flats fishing for goldies as well as a bevy of other species including queenfish, longtail tuna and even marlin.
This DVD from Strip Strike Productions showcases the amazing diversity of the fishing around the Hervey Bay/Fraser Island region. Featuring top local guide Andrew Chorley, of Hervey Bay Fly and Sport Fishing, as well as Mark Bargenquast, Murray Smith and Peter Morse, amongst others, the film sectionalises the various species available.
I really enjoyed the shallow water longtail sections. The thought of one of these “black torpedoes” speeding across a shallow sand flat to crash tackle a fast-stripped fly is extremely appealing. It was obvious from the footage that hooking and catching one of these fish is extremely challenging but hell, what a buzz it would be!
Golden trevally put Hervey Bay on the sportfishing map so it was only fair that these hard-fighting flats dwellers received plenty of airtime. I’ve been lucky enough to catch plenty of goldies on fly – they are certainly a fantastic flats fish. It was interesting to learn from the voice-overs and interviews that Hervey Bay boasts a year round flats fishery. I previously understood it to be predominantly a summer option … The DVD features plenty of action and is edited by Strip Strike’s Taz Jefferys in a fast paced snappy style.
A lot of fly fishing videos these days feature endless slow motion footage of casting, sunrises and pensive looking fly anglers – that arty stuff is all well and good but we want to see fish, right! Luckily, Black Torpedoes features plenty of hook ups and line-burning runs. It also highlights just how challenging shallow water flats fishing can be, with plenty of missed strikes, refusals and dropped fish. Watching Andrew Chorley lose his first ever Hervey Bay permit was devastating – I can only imagine how shattered he was!
The DVD ends on a high – targeting the juvenile black marlin that cruise the beach at Fraser Island’s northern tip. This is surely the only place in the world where you can sight cast to free swimming marlin in shallow clear water. The footage of marlin swimming and responding to cast flies is pretty exciting. It would surely be the ultimate buzz to hook and fight a billfish in water you can stand up in …
Watching Black Torpedoes certainly got me pumped to head to Hervey Bay and try some Aussie flats fishing! I reckon you’ll feel exactly the same way when you watch it for yourself … Watch a preview clip HERE and purchase online HERE.
