Yakabout - Interview with Astro

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Interview with Astro

Friday, 16 May 2008

I first met Carl Holland (AKA Astro) on my travels north, passing through Mackay. Well, passing through was my intention, although I soon realised that there were too many goldern opportunities for kayak fishing in the area to just 'pass' through. That, coupled with my meeting of Astro, inspired me to hand around for about a week. I also stopped back in on my way back south a month or so later. Unfortunately the barra weren't showing any interest during either of my visits, but we did have planty of other fishing opportunities, which we took. Astro's yak-fishing mojo was suffering a depression of sorts at the time as it turned out, although he's certainly turned that around recently.

Carl 'Astro' Holland

Carl is a fairly experienced kayak fisho, but outweighing even that is his irrepressible enthusiasm for the sport and I found him to be great company because of it. He's also a pretty good cook (another reason I hung around for a while) and overall a very interesting guy, which is why I decided to ask him to take a moment to answer a few interview-style questions. He agreed to respond. Behold...

Q: G'day Astro and thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. When did you realise that you are a kayak fishing addict, and how did the addiction develop from it's early stages?

A: My addiction started early learning kayaking and fishing…but not together around the same time. Over the last 30 odd years has waxed and waned but since moving to mackay (1996)it has greatly improved.

The previous kayak I had before the outback was a fibreglass sik which was a real effort to get out and about in especially with the tides and wind we get. This made yak fishing not so attractive, with the best type of fishing was to work the flats for whiting, flathead, trevally and queen fish mainly occasionally you get blessed with a barra.

Since the outback, the addiction is in full swing and have a lot of flexibility to be able to go for a fish. I like to get out 3 times a week if possible and have yak fished 8 days in a row as a personal record. Basically it’s one to the best addictions to be inflicted with…its: fun, healthy, gets you out, is a challenge, you see some great sights, you get to eat fish…..well mostly anyway. The only downside is the $$$$ for tackle this…lure that…..bling…

Q: You live close to Mackay and are blessed by quite a variety of fishing options, both fresh and salt water. Tell us a bit about the area you live in, your favourite places to fish and why.

A: Heaven on a stick….to me at least. Within a 1 hour drive of home I can get to Teemburra dam, Kinchant dam, Eungella dam, Peter faust dam - all loaded with barra - at least a dozen estuary systems, Whitsunday islands & Airlie beach/shute harbour. Tropical paradise….what can I say…

For favourites I like Teemburra, (NO JET SKIS OR WATER SKIERS)... lots of barra, very scenic, lots of barra, heaps of wildlife, lots of barra, fishing variety, lots of barra. Salt based, at the moment Victor creek, Seaforth…scene of some recent memorable catches.

Would love to do more around the islands… hence my saving program to get an Adventure Island. The tropical waters of the whitsundays and the ability to reach further sees the AI as the ideal craft for me up here.

Q: You spend a fair bit of time chasing the elusive Barramundi. What other species are high on your priority list, and why?

A: Yeah love to catch barra…but would really love to get some big pelagic fish on board…Spanish mackerel for one. When and if this winds goes then there will be more chances to get out wide around the islands. Also a coral trout…they are my favourite fish to eat

Q: You've been making your own lures lately, experimenting with skirts on soft plastics and the more elaborate chatterbaits. How's that been working out for you?

A: It’s more mixing and matching then anything else…and it’s working great…think I have found a winning formula. I purchased 300 soft plastics over the net along with some skirts, terminal and blades. I have found that using a skirt with a sp gives it a great effect that fish love…the chatterbaits have not caught fish for me like these little lures. The actual lure pictured caught 1 barra, 2 flathead, 3 trevally and 1 cod and it still will catch more fish now… well if I hadn’t lost to a snag… oh well only 299 left…

The chatters are a good lure…they just don’t complement my fishing style…I like moving around…harder for the crocs to nail you. [Ed:

] I prefer to cast rather then troll and move around a lot and use fairly fast retrieves. Chatters I feel would work better slower and deeper and plan to jig them while drifting channels as the tides move in and out… after I get sick of sight casting.

Q: If there was just one thing you could add to your collection of rods, reels and tackle, what would it be?

A: One thing? Why one thing? You know fishermen just can’t have one thing. Ummmmmmmmmmmm… A low profile casting reel….abu revo looks nice……err I mean looks functional and robust piece of kit……..that looks coooolllll

Q: Describe your best catch (from a kayak) to date, where it was caught, and what tackle was used?

A: The best catch for me atm is the barra last week I caught on my first cast. For me it was such a golden moment when the lure hit the water the fish took it. Also the fact that I didn’t know it was a barra for most of the fight since it never jumped (if it had it could have got off since it was only slightly hooked and the hook fell out just as I got the rip grippers on)it was a real surprise to see it after about 10 mins on the hook.

The outfit I am now favouring is a modified (rolled in the yak) 3-6 kg graphite spin flick stick matched to an Okuma Hydrogen HF30 reel that is loaded with 20lb braid

Q: Describe what would amount to the perfect kayak fishing trip for you.

A: Easy: camping/fishing trip on an AI, setting up a base on one of the islands spending days chasing pelagics if the winds up (highly likely) or hitting the reef for the delicious coral trout.

Q: I'll testify that you're pretty switched on when it comes to turning fish fillets into a meal to behold. Do you have any homemade recipes that you feel obliged to share with the world?

A: Yeah I do like my cooking and prepare fish many ways but my favourite is also the simplest. Toss fillets in seasoned flour (cumin, paprika S&P dried herbs) cook in a moderated to hot pan until golden remove and serve with fresh lemon.

Q: Kayak fishing is very much an art individually constructed from trial and error. Have there been any lessons you've had to learn the hard way that you may be able to spare anyone reading this?

A: SAFETY: I learnt yakking in a very professional and constructive environment: sea scouts. Your training was conducted by 2 highly experienced kayakers a learnt Eskimo rolls, deep water rescue/recovery, group rescues. By the time I was 14 was fully able to handle a yak (sik) including packing it and going away for 3 – 4 days at a time. Going out buying a yak, getting your fishing gear and then head out without some introduction I feel is reckless. Given that people will do exactly that my strongest recommendation is attach yourself to your yak, unless possibly going into a surf zone

For fishing my best advise is keep it simple and develop your own style. Personally I fish with mainly one rod only sometimes I will bring another if I think there could be something to be had trolling. I have also fished for 30 years and know what style I like given the situation, for now it’s casting flick sticks when the wind goes live baiting off shore will be the go. Safety first….fun second.

Q: As a sport, kayak fishing has been growing rapidly in Australia. Do you have any thoughts on where you'd like to see the sport go?

A: I would like to see it becoming more main stream and feel there will be better opportunities in the future to start educating the public about responsible fishing practices that are currently being displayed by the active yak fishers now. I have fished for thirty odd years and have met all types of fisherpeople…yak fishers are a very responsible group and make a positive example for the sport.

Where would I like it to go……yak only comps, yak only dams?