SIX months ago, Ron Wilkinson sat in his 4.1m Challenger polycraft boat, engine running, as a pack of bull sharks – some up to three metres long – tore through a bait ball in front of him.
“That was so I could get a fast getaway if I needed to,” the 68-year-old Ormiston local said.
The moment is one of many colourful stories Wilkinson has collected over decades on the water, where he’s also spotted turtles, dolphins and dugongs while chasing his next bite.
“When you go fishing, it’s not just about the catch,” he said.
“It’s about the relaxation, whether you go on your own, with your wife or your mate.
“There’s always something new to learn. Nothing beats it.”
Now semi-retired and with more time on his hands, Wilkinson is preparing for a new chapter in his fishing life – selling his beloved boat and exploring the banks, beaches and charters instead.
“I’ve always said I don’t fish as much as I’d like to,” he said.
“But now I suddenly have the time.”
A familiar face in the Rous Channel and Banana Banks, Wilkinson plans to join mates on their boats, take charters and try his luck along the Brisbane River.
His go-to catches include whiting, flathead and the often-unwanted grinner – a fish he happily shares with Fijian colleagues who turn it into soup.
“No one wants to catch the grinners, but I take them to work for the Fijians. They love them,” he said.
Over the years, Wilkinson has landed some impressive catches, including a 12kg mahi-mahi off Moreton Bay, followed 30 minutes later by another bull from the same school.
Another memorable moment was in New Zealand, battling a 2.7m mako shark for two hours before it eventually broke free.
“To me, fishing is about the thrill of the catch, even if you catch and release,” Wilkinson said.
A retired butcher and hospital wardsman, Wilkinson said the best thing about fishing was simple: the peace, the people, and the stories that come with the tug on the line.
