At 93, Cleveland’s Bill Jenkins may have lost a bit of his “mojo”, but he continues to find peace and joy in his lifelong love of fishing.
For Bill, fishing has been more than just a hobby – it’s a way of life, filled with memories of rods, boats, and the call of the sea.
“I bought my first boat in the 1960s, using it to fish off Moreton Island,” he said.
“It was homemade with an inboard motor.”
Despite the boat not being something he originally needed, Bill couldn’t resist when a friend made him an offer.
“The boat was really the last thing I needed at the time, but my friend must have been under the power of the Petticoat Government and asked me to make him an offer,” he said.
“I did and I got the boat.”
His second boat was also hand-made, modelled after an American ski boat with bench seats.
It gave Bill many thrilling moments on the water.
“We would skid across the top of the water,” he says.
“I had one moment of panic when I was up on a plane, a wave hit, and the boat flipped.
“My nephew fell out and I thought my four-year-old was overboard too.
“I bellowed like a mad man, until I saw his little head pop up. It was a scary time.”
Over the years, Bill’s fishing knowledge may have been limited, but he found success in his pursuits.
“I used to like fishing on the beaches chasing tailor,” he said.
“One day I was at the Gold Coast, and I caught 135 fish.
“I was a bit greedy, but I couldn’t stop myself.”
His fondest memory of fishing, however, was more than 55 years ago at the north wall of the Tweed River.
Bill’s most significant catch, he proudly recalls, was a 6kg bluefin tuna caught off Turtle Head Island, Cape York.
“It was the largest fish I’ve caught,” he said.
A member of the RSL Fishing Club, Bill continues to enjoy the company of fellow anglers, especially at the
mid-week competition weigh-ins.
“I do get offers to go out, but I’m not so nimble any more,” he admits.
Bill is especially proud that his grandsons have picked up the fishing rod as well, continuing the family tradition.
“I feel very proud, and I have been able to pay for a family membership of the club,” he said.
Julie Bennell, Bill’s daughter, fondly recalls how her father has always enjoyed the company of others with similar interests.
“The fishing club is like a men’s shed, but with fishing,” she said.
She also remembers trips to the beach with her father.
“We used to go off and get tailor on the beach,” she said.
“I remember one time a tailor bit the end of dad’s finger, and he kept fishing.
“By the time it was looked at, it was too late to stitch it back on.”
