06/04/2022
They say there are plenty of fish in the sea, and since he first cast a line out in 1966 Trevor Rea has reeled in just about every kind. For the past 45 years he’s worked in fishing tackle, setting up stores and fishing his way around every state in the country. Now, as the manager of Gotcha Fishing Tackle in St Morris, he puts that accumulated knowledge at the disposal of his customers. Here are his tips for planning the perfect Easter fishing trip.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
“Wherever you’re going, you need to have a game plan so you can target the fish that are there, not the ones that are supposedly there,” says Rea, who still gets out on the water whenever he can. “I’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time fishing and if customers want to tap into that knowledge, it costs nothing to ask questions.”
“When you’re fishing in a new place, there’s always a learning curve,” he continues; “our job is to reduce that learning curve. We ask questions so we know what people are after and if they follow our instructions, they have a better than 50% chance of catching fish.”
Make Sure You Have The Right Gear
Once you’ve decided where you’re going, the next step is to ensure you have the right equipment for both your skill level and location. Fishing requires patience and Rea uses that same philosophy in the store, explaining how gear works to first timers and even helping them set it up when there are no customers around. And with literally thousands of items in stock, from rods, reels and terminal tackle to lures, hooks and a broad variety of bait, Gotcha has “everything you need for a successful fishing trip – it’s as good a range as most places that are twice our size.”
Plan Ahead
This is a big one, especially if you’re heading out on a long weekend. “Get your fishing gear sorted a week or two ahead of time, and double check you have everything.” If you leave it to the last minute and forget something important, you could find yourself paying a premium for bait and essential equipment. Or worse, everywhere could be closed.
Don’t Forget To Have fun
Hopefully Rea’s advice can set you up with the best chance of reeling in a big one, but that’s not the only measure of a trip’s success. “I love going out to the far west coast of South Australia because the fishing is consistently great,” says the veteran angler. “But it’s also special because of the incredible scenery and pristine conditions; you feel this euphoria because there's no one else for 10 miles. That’s where a lot of people will combine some more touristy stuff with a bit of fishing to mix it up and have a really good time.”
