Adelaide Crow youngster Ned McHenry says fishing is his other great love outside of footy
When emerging Adelaide star Ned McHenry isn’t working hard on his football, it’s likely you’ll see him down the coast. He tells why fishing is his favourite pastime.
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When Ned McHenry does not have a football in his hands, he usually has them wrapped around a fishing rod.
Just like fellow Geelong Falcons product Patrick Dangerfield, McHenry’s great passion outside of the sport where he makes his living is fishing.
“I bloody love it,’’ McHenry said, his eyes lighting up when the attention turned to his angling endeavours.
“As an AFL footballer you only get one or two days off a week and I try to get out on the water every day that the weather allows me to.
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“I just love my fishing and boating and exploring the coast, finding the best fishing spots.’’
McHenry’s passion for fishing started on his family’s farm at Mount Macedon – 64km northwest of Melbourne.
“We had a dam on our farm when I was growing up, so I used to waddle down there and catch redfin,’’ he recalled.
“My old man (Tim) lives in Port Douglas (in Queensland) now and from about ages to 11 and 15 I used to go up there and work on charter operations as a deckhand.
“We did marlin and big reef fishing off the Great Barrier Reed and that’s still the fishing I love the most.
“It’s an amazing part of the world and when you're up there so often and learning about that kind of fishery, it’s hard not to love it.
“I've been hooked ever since.’’
McHenry has had a new boat (Northbank 600 CC) built at Northbank Marine at Lonsdale and has towed it to his hometown of Geelong in his three-week Christmas break from training.
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He intends to fish parts of Geelong before chasing crayfish on the South Australia coastline as he returns to Adelaide.
Despite being in SA for just 12 months, McHenry already has fished much of the State, from catching snapper in the Yorke Peninsula to tuna at Victor Harbor.
“I’m still learning the best spots but we’ve done the rounds, Adelaide metro stuff to the country,” McHenry said, adding ruckman Reilly O’Brien, a close friend, was the Crow who had spent most time with him on the water.
McHenry said he would love to follow in the footsteps of former Crow Dangerfield – one of his favourite players – and host a fishing show.
“Pat’s been really nice to me and reached out a few times (about fishing),’’ he said.
“We’ve got the (football and fishing) link, we’ve got a similar boat now too, although his is slightly bigger as you could imagine, and I listen to his Podcast (Reel Adventures) all the time.’’