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Luke Wyrsta

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 11, 2012, 08:13:54 PM
It's about being in a remote place and not being reliant, thinking for yourself and overcoming obstacles - that is, if you are willing to push the boundaries.

I love doing DIY trips more than anything, the catches are so much more satisfying and there is never a dull moment. Fuel consumption and economy, food preservation, rationing and ice, navigation and weather interpretation, picking the right water at the right time and then working the best patterns, paths and lines to make the most of the situation. ON guided trips, you are usually one or the other, either an angler being waited on and presented with opportunities or a skipper/hand putting anglers in situations.

I just love doing the hard yards in to put yourself in the right place at the right time.

One day I will have my 70kg boatside, I don't know want will happen after that, but whatever it is, it will be all that more special because it will most likely be on a DIY trip.

Luke Wyrsta

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 11, 2012, 08:20:12 PM
I quote this from one of my favourite fly fishing books which I think shares some similarities in respect to the fundamentals and WHY we like to fish for GT in the sporting way that we do....

"Fly fishing for trout is obviously about catching fish but, unlike sea fishing, the emphasis is not purely on the catching of fish, for fly fishing is a far more multi-dimensional sport. For many anglers the beauty of the surroundings and other factors are as important, if not more important, than catching a fish.

There are a number of reasons why fly fishing has such an appeal for me, and I think for other fly fisherman;

1. It is the most pleasurable method of angling, and calls for the most of the angler's brain and powers of observation.
2. There is a premium for skill.
3. The fly fisherman does not have to dig or cut his bait out of trees, keep it in a fresh and attractive conditino, pursue grasshoppers and spend much time putting them on hooks.
4. The aesthetic aspect which i mentined above..."


Fly Fishing for Trout
Author: Carl Massy
Year Published: 1976



Gary Prerost

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 11, 2012, 08:30:31 PM
They grow BIG they pull HARD and you catch them in places that are worthwhile being at

Andre van Wyk

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 11, 2012, 08:34:04 PM
They grow BIG they pull HARD and you catch them in places that are worthwhile being at

There it is right there!!!!
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth...

Sacco Gerard

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 12, 2012, 12:08:14 AM
Why exotic fishing is my passion, it's easy.  ;)

- Selection of new  destination = 10%
- preparation of the trip, a great moment, 15 poppers are certainly enough, why I will  take at least 30, it's sure,  Eric le Guyader, my friend, send me your latest creation please = 10%
- Meeting with the local population = 10%
- Being on a boat with friends in paradise and with whom I can joke = 15%
- meet new anglers = 10%
- View the attacks of fish on the water surface = 20%
- Fighting fish = 20%
- Review the swimming fish which give me a lot of fun, big kisses and goodbye = 25%

Finally at home, review photos and movies of trips during the long winter evenings in France = 30%

Total = 150%  :P I love the exotic fishing  :D

Graham Scott

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 13, 2012, 03:57:35 PM
All fishing basically a fisherman lying to a fish...
So Luke,
 Trout fishing is a quiet conversation in a timber lodge with a fire in the corner, a nice glass of Chardonnay and some well measured intelligent discussion...
GT fishing is a screaming match at the footy between 2 fanatics where neither will back down... no matter how obvious the bullshit being yelled...even after the fulltime hooter defeat is never conceded.

Luke Wyrsta

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 13, 2012, 07:43:14 PM
All fishing basically a fisherman lying to a fish...
So Luke,
 Trout fishing is a quiet conversation in a timber lodge with a fire in the corner, a nice glass of Chardonnay and some well measured intelligent discussion...
GT fishing is a screaming match at the footy between 2 fanatics where neither will back down... no matter how obvious the bullshit being yelled...even after the fulltime hooter defeat is never conceded.

Missing the point Graham. Not pointing out how hardcore it can be and how macho you are with your sea-line bull but rather drawing similarities of being in places where it's you versus a great adversary, not just muscle, but the surroundings, the strategy and thought processes and how it all comes together in what we call GT popping.

Andrew Susani

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 13, 2012, 09:05:20 PM
Doing it all myself locally is satisfying, but for me it has got to be the combination of a great big beast of a fish which enjoys smashing a surface lure. Pop, pop, pop, KABOOM!    :o

The fight is not much fun and I definitely do not target them because of the macho factor!  ;D  The end photos do look good though, and out of all the fish we catch, I must say that big GTs are really well behaved and good to handle when they are next to or inside the boat.  You get that impression that they know they are king of the reef.

In fact I think I am more addicted to surface fishing with big lures, and there just happens to be good populations of GTs around here.  I would like some variety in our captures now that we have landed a few good GTs, hopefully the big spanish macks oblige us this year (sacreligious comment!)   8)
Focus on the pop

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 13, 2012, 10:12:36 PM
It's about being in a remote place and not being reliant, thinking for yourself and overcoming obstacles - that is, if you are willing to push the boundaries.

I love doing DIY trips more than anything, the catches are so much more satisfying and there is never a dull moment. Fuel consumption and economy, food preservation, rationing and ice, navigation and weather interpretation, picking the right water at the right time and then working the best patterns, paths and lines to make the most of the situation. ON guided trips, you are usually one or the other, either an angler being waited on and presented with opportunities or a skipper/hand putting anglers in situations.

I just love doing the hard yards in to put yourself in the right place at the right time.

One day I will have my 70kg boatside, I don't know want will happen after that, but whatever it is, it will be all that more special because it will most likely be on a DIY trip.

AMEN!  :)

Al Morrison

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 23, 2012, 03:19:34 PM
Brilliant thread and thank god not everyone agrees. I fish for lots of different things in different places and they all have their time and place, be it Flathead in the local river in Aus or Peacock Bass in a lake somewhere in Asia, i'd fish in a cup of tea if i thought i had a chance of a bite!

Back to one of the original comments - the guided charters are huge learning experiences if you are a relative beginner like myself, which then allow an immense improvement in the DIY trips as your knowledge becomes broadened by fishing other places with other guides/people. Now, a guided trip with a guide who ISNT fun to be with is a real pain in the backside.....

Whilst the prep is a large part of it, that is primarily due to the scarcity of my fishing trips for GT's.

I'd also have to say that fishing with a few good friends is an enormous part of the game, and the banter, assistance, beers and general time spent doing something we all enjoy is a large part of it for me. Having said that i still do occasional trips on my own.

Lets face it GT's live in some pretty cool places, and using fishing as an excuse to go to the Maldives, New Cal, Komodo, Seychelles etc etc is a bit of a laugh isnt it?

As for the OCD aspect, well, its funny how the tackle prep and awareness varies. To me it is merely an aspect that is 100% in our control - having gear that is fit for purpose, works, is well maintained etc and can handle whatever situation is thrown at you. So it would be remiss to not have everything as much to my liking as time and money will allow. We can choose to a moderate degree of certainty the weather we fish in,  we can choose to a reasonable degree the state of the tides etc. What I cannot control at all are the fish. So i guess it seems obvious to me that the research takes care of as much of the weather, tides, boat and location is is possible and the prep takes care of the one item fully in our control gear. It isnt OCD - its risk management, why spend $5-10 k on a trip, flights, charters, hotels, food etc and not have those extra $1k of lures that might make the trip an epic? That spare line, extra gloves, sunnies ..... whatever else we can all think of. A trip with zero tackle issues that cause lost fish or shortages that might be deemed to lose fish to me makes the prep seem worth it.

The trips all add to our fishing knowledge/experience, which then means you get to fish with more "accuracy" for want of a better term on any future trips, reading the water better, working lures better when in the hot seat etc etc.

The fish then go and do their best to mess it all up, which is why i go back for more. Like many styles of fishing, if it ever becomes truly easy, and is always catching, not fishing - I'd move on to something else as a focus.

I'd have to rate the landing of fish at the lower end of the percentage scale (as witnessed by my still fishing after numerous blanks for many species).

Prep 30%
Experience of spending time travelling/fishing with friends/good guides - 40%
The actual fishing itself 30%.

Mark Harris

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 23, 2012, 04:32:43 PM
Very good reply Al.

And all that detailed prep can of course be for naught. I am just back from a trip which I think I prepared for better than any other, ever. And due to freak weather it was all for nothing.  What that does in my case though is just make me wants to do it all over again....

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 24, 2012, 06:52:27 PM
I'm no hardcore GT fisherman but I love my fishing and am lucky enough to live somewhere (Gove, NT) where a few GT's can be found. I enjoy finding out about new techniques, rigging, gear etc and putting the stuff I like ,to good use. I'm just as happy to catch a good Queenfish as a GT, or a coral trout. I let some fish go, eat some too. I haven't come across the kind of monster GT's that show up in pictures here, but I have had a session or two where about 20 or so 10kg fish had me retreating for home and the aircon ! I should toughen up a bit ! This forum has been a great help with good info on rigging leaders that stand up to power casting. I like to fish from shore as well as boat and caught a couple of GT's off the rocks a few weeks ago, using the midknot which seems to be a good knot thus far
something clever and witty !

Ricky Lim

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 26, 2012, 12:49:53 AM
Hate u Nathan, than again love everything over there, might have to make my way back with a rod one day

michael north

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Re: Why do we love GT Fishing?
January 26, 2012, 03:20:10 PM
The serenity?


 hahahaha it's got to be all about the DIY trips, i'd love to go on a big charter one day so i can watch the techniques of more experienced anglers, but our traile rboat fishing around Mackay does it for me