AUSTRALIA

The Great Barrier Reef

There are great fishing destinations. Then there is the Reef.

There are great fishing destinations all over the world.

Then there is the Great Barrier Reef.

For a marlin angler, this is your St. Andrews. Your Monaco Grand Prix. It is one of those places you simply have to experience at least once in your life.

Although personally, I think you need to come back every few years.

The Great Barrier Reef is the home of giant black marlin fishing. Everything here seems bigger. The Reef is enormous. The fish are enormous. The baits will blow your mind. The tackle is heavy. The crews are some of the finest in the world.

And when a giant black marlin appears behind the boat, there is nothing else in fishing quite like it.

I have been lucky enough to fish all over the world, but the Great Barrier Reef remains one of my absolute favorite places on the planet.

It is also where I caught the fish I had dreamed about my whole life, with my dad beside me.

That alone would make it special.

But Australia is so much more than that.

Welcome to the home of the grander.

Why the Great Barrier Reef?

In 1966, the first 1,000 pound black marlin was caught off Cairns, helping ignite one of the most legendary

fisheries in the history of our sport. Sixty years later, the Reef is still the benchmark for anyone dreaming about a truly giant black marlin.

And once you fish here, you understand why.

Like any real fishery, you can have slow days. I have had zero fish days on the Reef.

I have also caught five black marlin in a day.

My smallest black there was a little rat of about 150 pounds. The crew thought it was a wahoo until it got next to the boat.

But what separates the Reef from anywhere else I have fished is the number of legitimate shots you get at truly enormous fish.

Five hundred pounds. Seven hundred pounds. Eight hundred pounds.

And then the fish everyone has come halfway around the world dreaming about.

A grander.

This place is built around catching them.

The boats are designed for it. The tackle is prepared for it. The crews live for it. Everything has a purpose.

These boats and crews are geared for one thing: catching giant black marlin.

My Favorite Fish in the World

Black marlin are, without question, my favorite fish on the planet.

There is just something about them.

They do not behave like a blue marlin. A blue will often come in behind a bait and give you a show. A black can simply appear.

One second you are staring at a skip bait.

The next second the ocean behind it explodes.

They smash baits. The bite can be unbelievably aggressive, and once that fish realizes the problem is not the bait but the bloody great boat attached to it, the fight changes completely.

An angry black marlin is different. It is a bulldog.

And then she gets close to the boat.

That is when things can get ridiculous.

A black marlin can jump almost straight up. I have sat in the fighting chair looking up at a black marlin with its tail above my head.

Think about that.

A fish around ten feet long, weighing hundreds and hundreds of pounds, completely out of the ocean right behind you.

And somehow you are attached to it.

The pectoral fins glow this insane iridescent blue. The shoulders look enormous. Everything about the fish seems prehistoric.

You are sitting behind 130 class tackle, enormous leaders and equipment built to stop giant animals, and the fish can still make all of it feel inadequate.

It is biblical.

It is physics defying.

I have caught blue marlin all over the world and I love them.

But give me an angry black marlin every time.

Neptune blessed us with his baddest creature, and that is the black marlin.

The Fish I Dreamed About

My first truly life changing trip to the Reef almost fell into my lap.

A good friend of mine, Hamish Taggart, gave me a call while I was living in the Maldives and asked if I wanted to come fish the Lizard Island Black Marlin Tournament.

I couldn’t believe it.

I called my dad.

“Dad, I’ve been invited to fish one of the biggest black marlin tournaments in the world.”

He started laughing.

“Well Rich, I guess we’re fishing against each other.”

Turns out Dad had also just been invited to one of the biggest marlin tournaments in the world.

The only problem was we were talking about two completely different tournaments.

He had been invited to fish the Bisbee’s Black & Blue in Mexico.

I had been invited to Lizard Island in Australia.

Dad cancelled Mexico.

We went to the Reef together.

And what followed became one of the greatest fishing trips of my life.

Suddenly I was meeting people I had read about in fishing books. Legends of the sport. Captains and

mates who had spent their lives catching fish I had only dreamed about.

And they were even saltier and fishier in real life than I had imagined.

I loved every second of it.

I watched the crews rig baits. I asked questions. I watched how everything worked.

My buddy Turtle caught his first black marlin, around 300 pounds.

I told him it didn’t count.

“You’re on the Great Barrier Reef. Go again.”

His next fish was around 500 pounds.

That one beat the hell out of him.

We released it, drank some beers and had an absolute ball.

Then it was Dad’s turn in the chair.

He sat there waiting.

And waiting.

Nothing.

Eventually he turned to me.

“Rich, you take the chair.”

I told him there wasn’t a chance.

You never give up the chair.

You have absolutely no idea what can happen next.

Dad insisted.

So we changed the harness, adjusted everything for me and I sat down.

It wasn’t five minutes.

Bang.

Left short corner.

The captain shouted, “Big fish!”

I saw the swirl.

I fed her the bait.

And we were on.

I fought that fish for around fifteen minutes before we really saw her.

Then she jumped.

There is a video somewhere of me standing up in the fighting chair pumping my fist.

Because I knew.

I knew what I was looking at.

She was enormous.

The fight lasted about an hour and forty five minutes.

Eventually we got her alongside the boat.

We tagged her.

And we let her go.

We estimated her at around 1,100 pounds.

There is an old saying in marlin fishing: if you don’t weigh it, you can’t say it.

And I completely understand that.

Some people will therefore tell me I haven’t caught a grander.

That’s fine.

I didn’t catch that fish for anyone else. I caught it for me.

In my world, I caught my grander.

And more importantly, I got to do it with my dad.

We were able to follow the satellite tag afterward and see that she survived and travelled out into the Pacific.

That night Dad and I had our chocolate cigars, drank far too much rum and watched the sun go down.

That memory will stay with me for the rest of my life.

And that is ultimately what Fishing the Planet is about.

The fish are incredible.

But the memories are worth even more.

Gentlemen’s Hours

One of the great things about fishing the Reef is what the crews call gentlemen’s hours.

You don’t have to wake up at four in the morning and run for three hours to reach the fishing grounds.

Wake up around seven.

Have bacon and eggs and a proper breakfast prepared by the crew.

Have some coffee.

Look outside.

You’re on the Great Barrier Reef.

If you want to go popping or jigging in the morning, go do it.

There are GTs, dogtooth tuna and an almost ridiculous number of other species living around these reefs.

Want to snorkel? Go snorkeling.

We’ve swum with sharks, seen huge groupers, explored the Reef and even had whale sharks appear during trips.

Or you can do absolutely nothing.

Have another coffee.

You’re on vacation.

Then somewhere around late morning, we start getting serious.

The boat heads outside the Reef and suddenly you are on the giant black marlin grounds.

No enormous commute.

No hours of running.

You come outside.

And you fish.

Then Come the Baits

The baits alone blow people’s minds.

These are not little ballyhoo.

You look at some of the baits being prepared and think, “I’d be pretty happy catching that.”

Then somebody rigs it to catch something much, much bigger.

We fish heavy tackle.

Generally three outfits.

130 class gear.

Big natural skip baits.

And before any of it happens, the crew walks you through everything.

Where to sit.

How the harness works.

How to feed the fish.

What happens when she eats.

What you need to do in the chair.

What the mates are going to do.

Because when a giant black appears, things happen quickly.

One minute everyone is telling stories.

Then somebody sees something behind a bait.

The captain’s voice changes.

The mate moves.

The bait disappears.

And the entire boat goes from completely relaxed to organized chaos.

That is the moment you flew to Australia for.

Life on the Reef

After fishing until late afternoon or sunset, you run back inside the Reef.

The crew starts washing everything down.

Someone pours a drink.

The seas disappear as you get into the protection of the Reef.

Then you drop anchor somewhere beautiful and calm.

The sky turns orange, purple and red.

And somebody hands you a sundowner.

Those evenings are as much a part of the experience for me as the fishing.

You’re living with the crew.

You get to know them.

You hear their stories.

Many of the best mates from sportfishing boats around the world travel to Australia for the Reef season. It is one of those places where the best want to test themselves and learn.

You sit around the salon while dinner is being prepared.

The food isn’t trying to be Michelin star nonsense.

It’s good, proper, home cooked food after a day on the ocean.

Someone starts telling a fishing story.

Someone else calls bullshit.

Another rum gets poured.

And suddenly it is midnight.

Some of my favorite memories from Australia have happened after the rods were put away.

The People

The Reef has produced and attracted some of the greatest characters our sport has ever known.

If you follow big game fishing, you know the names.

Some helped build this fishery.

Others learned from those who came before them.

And the generation fishing it today deserves its own place in that history.

These guys have caught more giant marlin than most fishermen will see in a lifetime.

But the amazing thing is that many of them will still sit down and talk fishing with you.

They will show you things.

Teach you.

Tell you about the one that got away.

Tell you about the grander that nearly killed everyone.

Tell you about the day they caught everything.

And probably tell you about the day they couldn’t catch a cold.

I sometimes think fishing competition must be the oldest sport in the world.

Two cavemen probably caught fish and immediately one of them said, “Mine’s bigger than yours.”

Fishermen haven’t changed much.

There is competition on the Reef. Everybody wants to catch the biggest fish.

But there is also tremendous camaraderie.

At the end of the day they are salty, rum drinking fishermen who live for the same thing I do.

The fish.

And sharing those fish with other people.

That is why I love being around them.

When you help a father and son catch a fish they will talk about for the rest of their lives, you have helped create something worth more than all the gold in the world.

Who Should Fish the Great Barrier Reef?

If you are a serious marlin angler, I don’t really think this is optional.

You have to do it.

This is your St. Andrews.

Your Monaco Grand Prix.

The pinnacle.

If marlin don’t particularly excite you and you simply want to catch a few fish while on holiday, I can probably show you another trip that is better suited to you.

It will still blow your mind.

But this particular trip is built for people who care.

Trophy hunters.

Passionate anglers.

Adventurers.

People who dream about seeing something enormous appear behind the boat.

People who want to experience things that no television show or YouTube video can properly explain.

If you love saltwater fishing, you should fish the Great Barrier Reef at least once in your life.

And once you’ve done it, there’s a very good chance you’ll start figuring out when you can go back.

When We Go

The heavy tackle giant black marlin season runs through the Australian spring, with October and November right in the heart of the window we love.

If your dream is a giant black marlin, this is when we want you on the Reef.

How Long Should You Fish?

At least seven fishing days.

You are traveling a very long way to get here.

Do it properly.

Marlin fishing is still marlin fishing. There are incredible days and there are slow days.

Give yourself the time.

Settle into the rhythm of the Reef.

Get to know the boat.

Get to know the crew.

And give yourself the best opportunity to experience why this fishery is so special.

For anglers who want more, we can make the trip longer.

Much longer.

Getting There

We normally recommend arriving into Cairns and spending a night or two there before heading north to Cooktown to meet the boat.

Fishing the Planet can help with hotel recommendations, domestic flights, local transfers and the logistics around your charter.

And I think spending a little time in Cairns is worthwhile.

This is a town with enormous sportfishing history.

You’re about to head into one of the most famous big game fishing grounds on earth.

Enjoy the build up.

Then we head north.

Cooktown.

The boat.

The crew.

And finally, the Reef.

Stay on the Sportfisher

For me, there is something really special about living aboard the sportfisher.

You become part of the crew for the week.

These boats are incredibly well looked after.

Your cabin is cleaned.

Your bed is made.

Meals are prepared.

Laundry can usually be taken care of depending on the boat.

And the whole experience revolves around fishing.

Wake up aboard.

Fish.

Come back inside the Reef.

Shower.

Change.

Have dinner.

Tell stories.

Sleep.

Wake up and do it again.

Simple.

And absolutely brilliant.

Or Add a Mothership

Then there is another way of doing Australia.

A mothership.

This takes an already incredible fishing trip and turns it into something completely different.

You fish from the sportfisher during the day, but instead of sleeping aboard the fishing boat, you return to a luxury yacht.

More space.

Large cabins.

Your own chef.

More privacy.

Room to relax.

A completely different level of comfort.

Fishing the Planet works with different mothership options and can match the yacht to your group, your dates and the level of trip you want.

For families, larger groups or clients who simply want to do the Great Barrier Reef at the highest possible level, it is an incredible way to experience it.

Bring a Photographer

This is something I strongly recommend if we have the space aboard.

Bring a photographer.

Seriously.

You have travelled halfway around the world to potentially catch one of the biggest marlin of your life.

Get the bloody photo.

But it is not only about the hero shot.

The Reef itself is spectacular.

The giant baits.

The crew working.

A black marlin jumping behind the boat.

Underwater shots.

Snorkeling.

Whale sharks if we get lucky.

Sunsets.

Drinks at anchor.

Your father sitting beside you.

Your wife.

Your kids.

Your mates.

These are memories you are going to talk about for the rest of your life.

Fishing the Planet can help arrange a professional photographer to join the trip when space allows.

Make Australia Bigger

And please don’t think your Australian trip has to stop when the marlin charter ends.

You have already travelled to the other side of the planet.

Let’s have some fun.

We can add another completely different week of fishing.

We can build a family trip around it.

We can add diving, exploring, food, wine, hotels or another Australian fishing destination.

Want luxury?

We’ll build luxury.

Want ten days living in board shorts and fishing clothes?

Perfect.

Want a mothership followed by another fishing adventure somewhere else in Australia?

Let’s do it.

Fishing the Planet does not believe that every client should receive the same itinerary.

We start with what you want and build the trip around you.

What We Handle

Fishing the Planet is not tied to one captain, one boat or one operator.

That matters.

Over the years I have been fortunate enough to fish with, learn from and become friends with people throughout this fishery.

Those relationships allow us to look at your dates, your group, the type of experience you want and the boats available, then help put together the right trip for you.

We can help with your sportfishing boat, hotel recommendations, local flights, transfers, mothership options, photographers and additional Australian travel.

If you want something different, tell us.

We’ll see if we can build it.

That is the whole point.

What to Bring

Don’t overthink it.

Bring good fishing clothes.

Plenty of sun protection.

Board shorts or swimwear.

Long pants.

A few comfortable shirts.

And personally, I always pack a couple of collared shirts for the evenings.

It is one of my little liveaboard rituals.

We get back inside the Reef.

Someone pours a sundowner.

Then I go shower, get all the salt and sunscreen off, put on a clean shirt and come back out for dinner.

It completely resets you.

If you are prone to seasickness, come prepared with whatever motion sickness medication works for you and follow the instructions from your doctor or the medication label.

The Reef can certainly get rough, but the swell is often long and spread apart, these boats are built for the conditions, the trolling is relatively slow and the fishing grounds sit right outside the Reef rather than requiring endless high speed runs.

Ultimately, weather and safety decisions always belong to your captain and crew.

Quick Trip Details

Why This Trip Means So Much to Me

I have fished a lot of places.

I have been unbelievably fortunate with the people I have met and the fish I have caught.

But there is something about the Great Barrier Reef that still fills me with awe.

Maybe it is the scale of everything.

Maybe it is the history.

Maybe it is standing next to people whose names I grew up reading in fishing books and realizing that, underneath everything, they’re just fishermen like the rest of us.

Maybe it is watching a giant black marlin come out of nowhere and destroy a bait.

Or sitting inside the Reef after sunset, drinking rum with the crew and talking complete nonsense about fishing.

For me, though, I think a lot of it comes back to my dad.

I got to sit in that chair and catch the fish I had dreamed about with my dad standing beside me.

I will remember that for the rest of my life.

And now I get to help other people come here and hopefully create their version of that memory.

Maybe it is a grander.

Maybe it is your first black marlin.

Maybe it is a father and son.

Maybe it is you and your best friends.

Whatever it is, when you see someone achieve a fishing dream that they will remember for the rest of their life, you realize that you have been allowed to be part of something pretty special.

To me, that is worth more than all the gold in the world.

Come Fish the Reef With Us

If giant black marlin have ever been part of your dreams, stop putting Australia on the someday list.

Come do it.

We’ll help you build the boat, the logistics and the experience around exactly how you want to fish.

ANY SPECIES. ANYWHERE.

FISHING THE PLANET