IT never ceases to amaze me just how fishing becomes an obsession for some.

It seems that what I call recreational fishing is to others a life challenge.

As a result of this incredible desire to catch fish, fishing has become a huge industry evident by the size of tackle stores and the extent of items on display.

My family worked in a sports and tackle store in Tweed Heads back in the 1960s when fishing was very different to what it is today.

All fishing rods were rangoon cane, runners were porcelain and all reels were side cast Alveys.

All hooks were what we called French and I never saw a silver hook until a fellow named Len Thompson, who had an engineering works in Currumbin (QLD), linked three hooks together to catch tailor.

Tweed Heads Fishing Club, which had a hundred active members, boasted many Australian champions. Recreational fishing was a very big part of life growing up.

No one had much money so recreational fishermen went fishing to catch fish for the table, to give a few to friends or in some cases sell a few on the side; never did I hear the term ‘catch and release’.

The only fish that were released were those too small for the pan.

I can’t recall ‘bag limits’ of ‘size limits’ being enforced to a great degree as most would keep fishing until the bait ran out.

Yabbies and mullet gut for bream, poddy mullet for flathead, worms for whiting and sea gar and pilchards for tailor and mulloway.

Never did I see a plastic or hard bodied lure, although ‘spinning’ for tailor with a silver spoon was popular off Snapper Rocks or Currumbin Rock.

Everyone I knew had one rod and one reel which served to catch everything from whiting in the estuary to mulloway off the beach.

A cane creel was slung off the hip and no one wore shoes.

Old shorts, a footy jumper and a baggy hat was the outfit of choice.

A damp, ready rubbed cigarette dangled out of the corner of most lips.

How very different!

Today many who go fishing have more rods than golfers have clubs, one for every occasion.

Lures of all shapes and sizes are becoming more popular than bait and the rods and reels are masterpieces of science.

One variable remains constant and that is the desire to go fishing for whatever reason.

Through the week I met a young fellow, Byron Yell, and his family from Lake Macquarie holidaying in Fingal Bay over the school holidays.

His dad had no interest in fishing however Byron could think of nothing else.

His greatest desire was to catch a salmon but he didn’t know where to start.

Every time I saw him he had a knapsack and landing net strapped to his back and a rod in his left hand.

This kid was on a mission.

“Try Fingal Beach between the surf club and the spit, early morning on sunrise.

“Toss a strip of mullet or a silver spoon and – hang on!” These were my words of wisdom.

Next morning I received a thankyou and a photo of a successful outing.

Funny game fishing.

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE