OWNER

Steve opened The Fishing Connection in July 1986 after realising a dream to own and run a retail fishing tackle store. Steve has over 40 years experience in the fishing retail industry first starting WS Edwards in Salamanca.

Steve is a past member AFTA (Australian Fishing Tackle Association) and is a current serving member of TARFish.

Steve has extensive estuary, game and general fishing experience – his passions being sea run trout and tuna.

Recently Steve and his son successfully caught Kingfish in the River Derwent.

Steve fished in Vanuatu where he has caught YFT, Barracuda and fought Blue Marlin.

FLY FISHING EXPERT

Started Full time at Fishing Connection 2006.

Alex is very passionate about his fresh and saltwater fly fishing.

Equally Alex loves his big game fishing and spends a lot of time chasing Mako, Tuna and Swordfish during the late summer and autumn months, often competing in game competitions. Alex loves to fish light line for tuna with his most memorable capture being a 4kg state record for Southern Bluefin.

Alex is a very travelled fishermen and has fished in such countries as USA, Canada, Mexico, Kiribati, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tahiti, and extensively around Australia – notably Barra in the NT, Snapper in Arno Bay South Oz, longtail in Hervey Bay and Kingfish in Lord Howe.

Alex has just returned from a trip in Exmouth

ESTUARY GURU

Started at Fishing Connection in 2011 as a valued part timer, commencing full time in 2015.

Rob loves his saltwater estuary fishing chasing such things as bream, kingfish, sea run trout, silver trevally. Rob is also very passionate about his tuna and trout fishing.

Rob travelled New Zealand on a 3 week fly fishing tour – fishing such places as the upper Ahuriri River in the South Island his highlight of the trip being catching rainbow trout up to 2kg in small water streams in the Arthur Pass region.

Future fishing goals are chasing saltwater gamefish in tropical parts of the world and Mangrove Jack in tidal northern areas.

Matthew started work at The Fishing Connection as a 13-14 year old – in round figures 20 years.

Matthew to this day still covers the odd shift.

His favourite favourite types of fishing include tuna, trout and bream – chasing these fish whenever he can.

Matthew can also be found under the surface – his other passion being diving taking crayfish and abalone whenever possible.

He has also fished in Vanuatu doing battle with good sized yellowfin and blue marlin.

Started at Fishing Connection in 2015 as is our valued casual / part time employee. Many customers would have been served by Jack on Saturdays and over summer for the past 4 years.

Jack has become an accomplished fisherman and could be regarded as our stores allrounder - in recent times catching trout, bream, snapper and mako shark.

Jacks passion has always been tuna and rock lobster and he does this whenever possible in Peninsula waters.

He loves a dive as well scraping up crayfish and abalone.

In 2018 Jack had an extended 4WD trip to the mainland – fishing quite extensively in Qld catching such things as Dorado, Snapper, Trag Jewfish and an assortment of reef species.

Main passion is Tuna and all other game fish species on offer.

I have spent a lot of time fishing the local estuaries and bays during the summer and really enjoy diving for crayfish and abalone.

I have been lucky enough to go fishing not only in Tasmania but in Queensland and Hawaii for tropical species that are not available down here.

One of my future fishing goals is to get a Broadbill Swordfish.

Angus started with the shop in 2021 and has been fishing from a very young age and mainly fishing at Lake Leake and Little Swanport.

Angus’s passionate about all forms of fly fishing, both salt and fresh water.

Angus has fished all around Australia and further abroad in the UK and Singapore.

He has recently discovered an interest in both game fishing, ticking his 80kg plus Bluefin Tuna off the bucket list and deep-sea fishing.

Angus, has ticked off the elusive Tas Kingfish and has been focusing on catching a Mako Shark.