AN INTERVIEW WITH GREG LEWIS - HOBIE AOY

With the Hobie/ABT kayak tournaments wrapped up for this season, Mr. Greg Lewis took some time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions for us here on KFA. For those that dont already know, Greg was awarded Angler of the year (AOY) after topping the points table at the end of the inaugural Hobie/ABT kayak tournaments in 2009. Greg then backed it up with yet another AOY award in the 09/10 season which is a fantastic achievement.

What inspired you to start fishing from a kayak and how long have you been doing it for?

A: I've been kayak fishing for almost 3 years now. Before that I owned a few boats and never even considered owning a yak. However, some tough times meant that I had to sell my big trailerboat that I used to target marlin and yellowfin, and I was without a fishing platform. I ended up buying a small tinnie for the lake (Burrill Lake), and it was around that time that my neighbour with whom, I spent a lot of time fishing in a little row boat, bought a little sit in bass yak. He kept telling me how cool it was fishing from a yak and getting towed around the lake by big flatties, but it still wasn't enough to get me really interested. Then one day I was at his house and he showed me a magazine (Yak Fisher) which had a list of pretty much every fishing yak that was available at the time.

Initially I was really taken by the Viking Tempo which was fitted with an electric motor - the whole set up was very affordable and I ended up taking the magazine home and reading through it properly and getting a grip on what the differences were between all the various brands of kayaks. As I learned more, I kept coming back to the Hobie's - the Mirage Drive system really made sense to me and my personal needs, and in the end I went up to the Sydney Boat Show and bought a Revolution with all the bits and peices to have it fully rigged for fishing. Funnily enough, I didn't tell my neighbour what I'd bought, and looked forward to surprising him with it. As it turned out, he actually went out and bought one too before I picked mine up, and so we ended up with identical yaks!

What do you think are the pro’s and con’s of fishing from a kayak, and more specifically a Hobie pedal craft?

A: I guess the main con with kayaks is simply that you are fairly restricted to how far you can travel during a session. In a boat you can be fishing in one spot, and then decide to pull the pin and shoot over to the far side of the lake, or another spot down the coast which might only take a few minutes under horse power, but under your own steam in the yak, it might take half an hour or more - so that can be pretty frustrating at times. Having said that though, it's not the end of the world, and can actually mean that being restricted to an area allows you to really give that area a thorough work over and find the fish that you thought were possibly somewhere else. As they say, the grass isn't always greener...

As for pro's, how long have you got? There are so many pro's to kayak fishing, but I'll just stick to a couple of key ones that are important to me. Stealth is a massive key to fishing, and as we all know, creeping into the quiet area's of a waterway without any noise or disturbance can only put the odds in our favour. Even offshore, I'm now concentrating my snapper efforts in water often less than 5m deep - areas where it simply would be too dangerous to take a boat, let alone all the noise - and the results I, and the guys who I often fish with, have been getting have blown away the other guys I know who fish from boats - and I'd also say its frustrated them a bit too because they know that they just can't do what we're doing unless they get yaks themselves... Suits me though!

Other pros include the simplicity of yakking - not being restricted to boat ramps, dealing with trailers, rego's, fuel etc etc. Its just so easy to chuck the yak on the roof and away you go. The Mirage Drive is what really does it for me though. A highly effective propulsion system that requires such little effort, which allows me to keep casting whilst maintain position in current or wind - that was my initial impression of the Mirage Drive when I first got the Revo, and I felt I couldn't really ask for anything else when it comes to yak fishing.

But I soon realised the other benefits of 'hands free kayaking', especially during hook ups. Even though we all love getting towed around by big fish, there are times when that will cost you big fish. With the Mirage Drive, I'm able to effectively 'drive down' on big snapper and kings, and I love being able to drag big bream out of racks or other heavy structure, whilst still putting pressure on the fish and regaining lost line. I just can't see how you can do the same thing from a paddle yak - but I'll be the first to admit that I've done very little paddle yak fishing! (Each to their own, but I love the Mirage Drive).

You have received the award of Angler of the year in the Hobie ABT kayak tournaments 2 years in a row, and fished most of the rounds, what were your 3 favourite locations from each series?

A: Yeah, BREAM Kayak AOY back to back - that was awesome, and I am stoked to have pulled it off. The Hobie/BREAM series have been an absolute ball - highly addictive, and I'm proud to have attended every round since it started. The inaugral round in Sydney was pretty unforgettable. In the morning before kick off, it was so weird - hardly anyone knew eachother, there was no banter and you could have heard a pin drop during Steve's briefing. Then, when we all got back in, it was completely different and everyone was helping eachother out, relaxed and having a laugh - that really indicated the birth of a successful competition that lots of people would have a great time being involved in. I placed 6th which was a little bittersweet, because I'd missed out on qualifying for the Grand Final, but at the same time I'd made it into the top 10 (which was a main goal) and I realised that this was a lot of fun and I was keen to do more.

My first win came at Round 3 on the Gold Coast, and naturally I was stoked to bits with that one, and then another win in Round 1 of the second series down at Glenelg in Victoria. You can't beat winning a comp! There have been so many highlights though, and so many great venues. Just about anyone who fished Bemm River or Marlo this year will tell you what insane days of fishing they were, and I was really happy to get to go to Tassie and also to Walpole in WA - two places I've always wanted to fish.

The Grand Final this year is also well worth mentioning. It was such a massive event and a truely fitting end to the series for this year. Seeing so many guys making big efforts not to miss out on the chance of winning the comp was awesome, let alone the spectacle of all those Pro Anglers charging up the river! It was such a cool weekend for everyone.

What do you enjoy most about fishing the kayak tournaments?

A: I love the comps! I've done heaps of game fishing comps over the years and love the extra pressure of really having to catch fish really adds an edge to what would otherwise just be another day out fishing. I'd never fished bream comps until the Hobie Series kicked off, and I was really pleased that the feeling of pressure, and really trying to be at the top of your game was just as intense as in a marlin comp. I feel that over the last couple of years my fishing has really improved exponentially, not only from what I have taught myself, but more importantly from learning from all the other guys taking part. I've also made some really, really good mates purely through being involved in the comps so that has been a major plus too.

Who do you think will be the anglers to look out for in the next series of the Hobie ABT tournaments?

A: Hmmm, thats a tough one!

Last series there were only a few 'regulars', but this year there was a real influx of new faces and some exceptional talent, and with the success of the series this year, I'm highly anticipating seeing another wave of anglers getting involved and I'm sure we'll see some new faces up there on the leader board.
I guess thats dodging the question though...!

There are plenty of guys from last year who I reckon will be in with a shot, but the three I'd be watching out for are Jason 'Zohan' Meech (he's performed consistently well and really knows his stuff), Dan Brown (he just won the Grand Final, so that means he's got a yak and is more than likely going to get a lot more involved in the series next year!, and finally Stewart Dunn - he's an absolute gun angler, and if he gets on a roll, look out! There's also a dark horse called Bevan. He's turned up at a few events but never really showed his true form. I'm pretty sure he's just waiting for the right time....

What species do you enjoy targeting the most?

A: I obviously love chasing bream, but I'm also right into chasing big reds on the South Coast, and ducking up the Clyde looking for bass. I don't really have a favourite though - I'm just a guy who loves his fishing and being out there doing it. If I'm fishing, then I'm happy.

What species would you like to catch from your kayak that you have not already caught?

A: Easy - a marlin.

Its a big call, but I am determined to do it. I've had a lot of experience with marlin from boats over the years so I've got a good idea of what to expect, and I know it certainly won't be easy, but I'll be giving it my best shot each summer until I've done it.

If you were given the choice, to go kayak fishing anywhere in Australia where would it be?

A: I'd love to go up to the Top End and have a go at all those thumping great barra, queenies, threadfin etc that hang around the river mouths and mangroves - I reckon that would be awesome. Naturally the crocs probably mean that will never happen though! I do plan on heading up the coast sometime in the future to chase the LongTail , Cobia, Mackeral and other large pelagics that they get up around Queensland - I'm pretty envious of all those guys! A barra trip is also on the cards.

Is there anyone you would like to thank that has helped you on your journey through kayak fishing and the kayak tournament scene?

A: Yeah a couple of people in particular - firstly my neighbour 'Coops' - its all his fault! If he'd never got into yakking, then I probably never would have either. I'd also like to thank Steve Fields from Hobie - he's given me a huge amount of support, and recently a new career! I'm very happy to be working for Hobie, and its great promoting a product that has personally given me so much enjoyment over the years. Ian Miller (Millerods) has also been right behind me since I began fishing the bream comps, and I'm very grateful for all his support, both in the fantastic rods he builds for me, and for the knowledge he so generously shares. Its great having such an icon of Australian fishing having belief in little old me!

Finally, I want to say the biggest thankyou to all the new guys I've met through my yak fishing journey so far. There really are too many to mention, but without having met such a cool bunch of like minded guys, there is no way I would be enjoying my kayak fishing as much as I am - cheers guys!

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us all Greg, and we look forward to seeing you on the water soon

AN INTERVIEW WITH STEWART 'BLUEYAK' DUNN

Stewart Dunn is a name many people whisper around tournament gatherings, “I wonder how Stuey went?” is usually a silly question. You see, ever since Craig and I met Stewart at round 1 of the 2009 Hobie ABT tournament we couldn’t help but be impressed. Not only was he showing class skills second to none he also pointed me in the direction of some healthy fishing, even though it could have resulted in his downfall (Luckily for him, I flopped badly – ed).

His tournament wins and placings in the various Kayak Fishing comps have earned him great dollars, greater friends and the greatest respect from one and all. He fishes more than most of us think, chasing many types of species and topping PB’s weekly. For Stewart though It’s not all about the glory, it’s about the sharing and Involvement with mates. KFA caught up with ‘The Little Maestro’ for a quick chat, asking the questions most people hardly ever get around to come inquiry time:


How long have you been kayak fishing and how did you get into it?

A: I've been kayak fishing for around ten years now. Originally i was looking for a hobby that would let me get some exercise and keep me on the water when I wasn't surfing, I bought a kayak frenzy and started hitting the local back waters looking for bream on lures. I was instantly addicted and after all these years I still can't get enough.


Most people know you from your blue Ocean kayak Frenzy, how was winning a new Hobie Outback and what has it done to enhance your kayak fishing experience?

A: Winning the Hobie Outback in the Forster fishing carnival (round 4 ABT kayak 2009) was awesome. Apart from the fact that it is simply a much more comfortable kayak to fish out of it has really changed the way I fish at certain spots. Holding position with the mirage drive makes it so much easier to fish around bridge pylons in current looking for Jews. It means I can keep my lures in the strike zone so much longer.




You have done very well in both the SSBS and the ABT Hobie Kayak fishing tournaments, what; if anything have you learned or gained while competing in these competitions?

A: I've had a great time fishing both the Hobie/ABT kayak and the SSBS tournaments. It's been such a good learning curve. You really need to head out with a plan of spots to fish and try not to be concerned by what others are or aren't catching. One thing that really took me by surprise is that fishing a spot that has just been flogged can sometimes pay off. I used to believe that once a spot had been fished pretty hard you may as well just leave it alone but if you try to show the fish something different it can really pay off.

I've also made some great friendships out of the bream tournaments so it's been a really positive experience for me. I remember being so nervous at the first one I went to but I would definitely recommend any one who is considering it to give it a go. It really is the quickest way to improve your skills.


The south Sydney Kayak fishing community seems quite strong and has bonded well with us lads from Canberra and the NSW South Coast, why do you think that is?

A: It's been great fishing with the Canberra and South Coast crew, getting amongst some of those cracking reds on silly string and having a ball at the comps. I'm really enjoying the mateship and friendly rivalry that has evolved within that crew.




Who do you look up to in kayak fishing tournament circles and why?

A: There are so many good guys who I look up to in the kayak fishing scene. Guys like Greg Lewis, Meechy, Craig Coughlan, Jason Price, Carl Dubious, Andrew Death, Scotty Baker and Peter Woods. All these guys can string a bag together wherever they go. To be up there competing with those guys is such a thrill.


What is your favourite species to target from a kayak / favourite area to fish?

A: I like chasing Jew, kings, snapper and bream equally, they all have their own challenges and rewards. Some days the hardest thing is choosing where to go and what to chase with so much good fishing to be had these days. My favourite style of bream fishing would have to be fishing oyster racks; it can be so brutal yet very rewarding.


What about your Barra experience, what it was like hauling in a monster from your Frenzy?

A: Catching meter plus barra from our small kayaks was so much fun. I'll never forget the look on my friend Leigh Blakes face as an absolute beast of a fish came up beside him and threw the hook in an almighty boil, or the first barra I ever saw when my other mate on the trip hooked into a good one amongst the tree's and it launched from the water just meters from me. It really was exciting stuff and we all had meter plus barra under our belts at the end of the trip.




Tell us about the one place you are dying to fish from your kayak?

A: I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT TO GO BACK THERE!


Any goals or future movements for the one nicknamed ‘The Little Maestro?’

A: My goals for kayak fishing will be to keep going down the same road I'm heading, doing well in comps and trying new stuff all the time. By the way, big thank you to Paul and all from Sailing Scene Mona Vale for their past and current support.

AN INTERVIEW WITH JOSH 'YAKASS' HOLMES

A simple idea, an advanced approach, a solid outcome and a bright future. These are the words I use to sum up one mans approach to kayak fishing and his involvement in progressing our sport forward. Josh 'Yakass' Holmes is on fire, leading the charge with one of the most significant kayak fishing related websites on the planet. The content and passion portrayed is second to none, from his you tube channel (And 'War on fish' video releases), the past www.yakabout.com.au to the present www.yakass.net they remain staple viewing and gathering tools for many yak anglers worldwide. KFA took up an opportunity to catch up with Josh for a rare interview, discussing some topical questions and managing to find out his valued opinions on the sport he loves so much.


Lets talk about what motivates the man, off the water. Were all witness to your dedication to kayak fishing on the water but what about what makes you tick, off the water and away from a kayak?

A: Actually, when I'm not on the water, I'm usually thinking about the next trip, the next episode of War on Fish, the next article and the next kayak fishing personal milestone. It's pretty safe to say that kayak fishing permeates my life in every way. I try very hard not to think of much else these days, because the other things I'm otherwise forced to think about are not very pleasant. Kayak fishing makes up for that wholesalee. But I do switch off some nights at some hour, usually to watch mixed martial arts (cage fighting), or play a video game every now and then - currently I'm into a bit of Left for Dead 2 (multiplayer zombie slaying mayhem).


I think you’re misunderstood by many, due to your passionate nature toward the sport. Have you a clearer understanding of what you’re trying to represent now as compared to when you first created ‘Yakabout’?

A: Yes, for sure. When I started yakabout I had completely different motives for starting up, yet the end goal wasn't so dissimilar. That started as a journal for my coastal kayak fishing odyssey, which I embarked on to escape the previously mentioned unpleasantness. But even from the start I knew that I'd build it into an online homage for kayak fishing and there was always the underlying theme of promoting the sport. Yakass is far more ambitious really and it's primary purpose is to entertain, educate and inspire. Its secondary purpose is to serve as a platform for other related projects and it's all coming together nicely. I'm a lot more experienced now than what I was back then, so I'm more qualified to speak about more facets of the sport with conviction.


In the situations you find yourself and the waters you frequent we can safely assume you’re pretty tough on your gear. Is there however a massive turnover of products from your personal arsenal we don’t know about?

A: Surprisingly, I don't turn over as much gear as one might think. My Nitro rods, for example, have been with me for years. And although I am tough on my gear, I'm also incredibly vigilant in maintaining it, so that helps me get away with being so rough with it. I've never had a single failure on my mirage drive believe it or not and I've only had 2 of them - one of which has done over 10,000km on the water. A lot of the gear I have upgraded or handed down I have done so not because it fell apart, but because I found something better. I'm a serious gear freak and am always looking for the very best product I can find, from a simple sharpening stone right through to fishing rods, reels and kayaks. I have, however, been through a hell of a lot of lures!

Apart from yourself there are some great Kayak anglers coming out of Melbourne and surrounds (IMO Most notably Scott Lovig and Jason Price). What other areas of Australia are perfect breeding grounds?

A: Port Phillip Bay (my old stomping grounds) is a fabulous kayak fishing destination, because although it's really quite large, it's still enclosed water. No wonder there's some well-practiced guys coming out of there. It's a great place to get started in salt water kayak fishing, but it does get really cold down there - Vic based fishoes are harder than most... especially those that do it in Winter. Loads of really good talent coming out of Sydney and surrounding areas as well. Jervis Bay is another great spot for kayak fisho spawn. It's also really difficult to beat the location I'm based in now (Clarence coast). But really, there are so many quality kayak fishing spots nth of Sydney. I don't think I'd want to live Sth of Sydney ever again though - there's simply more 'glory fish' up this way and I'm all about the tougher fighting fish these days!

Hervey Bay would probably be my pick for the best potential kayak fisho breeding ground in Australia. Loads of options, remarkably calm water a lot of the time and plenty of great fish. Its made for it.





What do you think of Australia’s commercial media commitment towards Kayak Fishing? With all that fucking footage your amassing using your video cameras surely a DVD is coming out soon?

A: Actually, I'm dissapointed with commercial media commitment to kayak fishing in this country. For most of them it's liker fitting square pegs into round holes. In a nutshell, they simply don't understand it. There's plenty of room for a high quality content-rich magazine to come along and steal the show. As for visual media, Rob Pax is doing a fine job introducing kayak fishing to beginners, but there's no other commercial efforts aimed towards intermediate and veteran users. My online kayak fishing show War on Fish was established to help address that and yes, I am not so slowly and surely amassing a plethora of content that will soon be released on DVD. The War on Fish DVD volume 1 is coming, although I can't yet offer an accurate ETA.

I got a tour of the new Hobie factory in Huskisson recently and was completely blown away. Tell us what it was like working in such a prolific and savvy environment and how has it changed your approach toward continuing working in the industry?

A: I learned a lot while working with Hobie, which I did for just over a year and I don't regret that side of it at all. Not only did I get to see what goes on behind the scenes at a manufacturing and wholesaling level, I was fortunate to gain a truly intimate knowledge of the Hobie kayaks and the kayaking/watersports industry as a whole. It wasn't all singing and dancing though - while there plenty of really interesting and enjoyable projects that I was involved with, there was also a hell of a lot of hard work involved to - a lot of it extremely physical (such as unloading containers full of kayaks, stacking them, and then packing trucks with them. I got drawn into more of that kind of work than I would have liked and as time went on I felt as if I could serve the company better in other ways (marketing, web content producing, dealer support, etc), but the opportunities to do so were rarer than I was expecting based upon the initial job description I was given. It was always so busy there - and it's very much an all-hands on deck work environment there, so thats just the way it turned out. All of that physical work also helped turn what was otherwise a sporatic re-occuring injury into a permanent chronic one, and eventually it became too much.


KFA seems to take up a hell of a lot of my time, but like the earlier yakabout it’s a true labour of love. How do you view our little resource here compared to other attempts online and such a monolith like yakass?

A: Because I'm so incredibly busy creating content and managing content at yakass these days I get less time to surf other sites as much as I'd like but I do pop into KFA as often as I can. I think the KFA resource is an excellent one, with some very informative articles, a strong focus on the tournament scene, and also taking up the slack where most other sites neglect (including yakass), such as fresh water fishing for those illustrious trout. I think KFA compliments the other worthy websites tremedously and does well to focus on those areas that the others neglect. I also have a lot of respect for the team you have there and I know you guys know your stuff, so I can trust what I read there aren't just the ramblings of in-experienced 'me-to' community journos. Also no painfully overt biases and awkward elitism 'frowning down on others' that I've detected from a few narrow-visioned sitesthat I see from a few other (what I would call narrow-minded blogs. In a nutshell, KFA has enough inteligence behind it to have a broad approach, without patronising the readers. KFA is here to stay and the approach you guys take has everything to do with it.


I nominated you recently as being one of the craziest men in the kayak fishing scene, worldwide. Humbled I am sure; do you ever consider what you do as dangerous and out of the league of many?

A: Had you asked me that a few weeks ago, I would have downplayed the response, even believing that most kayak fishoes - with the right equipment - could do what I often do. But recent events reminded me that this isn't true. Taking to open water - high seas no less - with a bunch of relative beginngers reminded me of how much they had to learn, and how much my own significant amount of training and experience makes all the difference. As a result of this recent experience I'm now very hesitant to go fishing open water with ill-equipped and poorly experienced yak fishoes. Too much can go wrong for those who don't know what to expect, what can happen, and how to deal with it. They can quickly become a liability, to themselves and others. The whole experience reminded me of how much training and experience I've had that has led up to what I do now, and that before getting too ambitious in open waters, others should be doing the same. I've added a disclaimer to the intro of War on Fish to reflect this.

What’s the future looking like for Josh Holmes and the team at Yakass?

A: For starters, the team at yakass will grow significantly, although as the stakes are raised, I'm probably going to have to very picky about who comes on board. Yakass is a tool for those contributors who wish to use it as such. So far it's provided sponsorhip for a few of those contributors and I'm certain more is to come. Its up to contributors to make of it what they can.

Personally speaking, I can see myself pitching War on Fish kayak fishing show to one or more of the networks in the future (with an aim to introduce sport fishing from a kayak to the masses) and as mentioned earlier, a resulting series of DVDs to go along with it. There are a few other related sideline projects on the ball to (one of which I am working with Holger on, although its way too early to reveal what that is.

Finally, and some point in the future (1 year minimum, 3 years max) I'll be looking to travel the coastline of Australia again, armed with a much better plan, this time with a more capable kayak, a far higher degree of support and with a greater deal of knowledge and experience.