Alex Julius column: Fishing great for youngsters

IF THERE’S one thing that will get a kid to put his or her phone down for a minute, it’s a bent rod with a fish on the end of the line

Gillies Young Gun, Darwin’s Llewyn Sansom targets barramundi every chance he gets. Picture: Supplied

IF THERE’S one thing that will get a kid to put his or her phone down for a minute, it’s a bent rod with a fish on the end of the line.

I’ve said and written many times before that fishing is one of the best activities that kids and teenagers can get into.

It teaches them all manner of skills, including such things as: problem solving, etiquette, perseverance, determination, observation, dexterity, ethics, endurance, muscle control, competitiveness, knife handling, hygienic food preparation, knot tying, organisation, social interaction, goal setting and target selection.

A kid dangling a line at East Point is more likely to grow up as a decent person than a kid who hangs with the gang around shopping centre car-parks in the dark of the night.

Coolalinga’s Riley McCormack also targets barra as a member of the Young Guns team. Picture: Supplied

On this note, let me tell you what visionary Australian fishing tackle company, JM Gillies, has embarked upon: it is enlisting young gun anglers in a program to promote fishing to teenagers throughout the country, including the NT.

Market research showed that, although JM Gillies has a great reach across the 18-65 years plus age groups, there was a need to speak to the 13-to- 17-year- olds.

Who better to do that than like-minded teens?

JM Gillies owner, Pat Levy, said: “Giving kids the opportunity and enjoyment we all experienced in our youth has been somewhat lost to this generation. It’s our job to promote and grow our industry, and to ensure the sport has a strong future.”

The Gillies Young Guns (GYG) has inducted 30 elite junior anglers from around the country.

The plan is to add to the team every month, and keep those who fit the criteria eager to join.

GYG anglers received a pack that includes shirts and caps designed for the program, plus some Plano product, Fins line and a variety of Gillies-branded lures specific to species the kids are chasing.

One criteria for GYG team members is that they are active on social media so they can promote fishing in a way other teens associate with.

“The quality of pictures, video editing and talent the team has shown is exceptional,” Pat said. “Seeing the team out using the gear reminds us all of what it was like to have the excitement and adventure a fishing trip brings.”

Luke Tahney-Grubb (Grubby) is a Darwin Young Gun who is adept at catching quality barra like this one off the rocks. Picture: Supplied

JM Gillies believes the program has a positive impact on both the industry and on the kids’ lives, and will afford many team members media exposure throughout Australia.

Support for the program has come from magazines and television. Several team members will have the opportunity to write articles; a few will appear on some of the mainstream TV shows.

“The sky’s the limit for the program,” Pat said.

“It would be great to see some of our international distributors add to the team and provide a similar format for their young anglers of the future.”

Several talented Top End juniors are part of the Gillies Young Guns Team.

You can check them out and others on the Gillies Young Guns Facebook page.

There was a bit of action down the Daly River last weekend, which isn’t surprising given that more than 100 boats were reported on the water.

Fishing and Outdoor World’s Alex Patsalides and mates went down last week and caught nine barra up to a metre in one day. The Daly is down to 3.5m at the crossing and could well produce some good barra this weekend on the neap tides.

Closer to home, Darwin Harbour has been fishing exceptionally well.

Old mate Carl Skyring of Darwin Barra and Crabs put clients onto 27 barra in one day last week. Chris Hurt also did well, guiding a client to eight barra one day and then six the next.

Unfortunately, the neap tides this weekend aren’t good barra tides for the harbour, but you could get into the goldies which have been biting well in Middle Arm and East Arm.

For an easy day trip, I’d look at the mouth of the Adelaide River early Saturday or Sunday. Those Wiltshire Creeks might just be firing up.