FOR Ryan Slee, a family camping trip to North Stradbroke Island is not complete without a surf rod, a bucket of bait and the chance to teach his children what can be caught just beyond the shore break.
Twice a year, Mr Slee and his family join four other families for a break built around camping, fishing, swimming and switching off from everyday distractions.
“We’ve all got two kids. It’s a good environment to catch up and re-set,” he said.
“It’s also a chance to enjoy the beach, the sand, the outdoors and the freedom of being off the grid.
“This gives us as a family ‘us’ time. No one else needs to be involved. We can be private and we can be isolated.
“To me camping is a better holiday than staying in a hotel with all of its distractions.”
Fishing is central to the trips, not only for Mr Slee but for his six-year-old son, who is usually by his side on the beach.
“He has yet to learn to be disappointed,” Mr Slee said.
“He’s never not caught a fish.”
Mr Slee’s favourite spot is Main Beach, where he beach fishes for whiting, dart, tailor and flathead.
Using a surf rod and bait, he uses pippies from the beach for whiting, while pilchards and fish carcasses are used to tempt larger fish.
Worms and squid are also reliable options for smaller catches.
A 30cm tailor is a big fish by his standards, but the catch is only part of the reward.
For Mr Slee, fishing and camping give children practical lessons that cannot be taught from a screen or a hotel room.
“If you’re fishing, the kids definitely need to learn patience,” he said.
“The kids aren’t just involved in catching the fish. They are also involved in cleaning, filleting and cooking.
“It shows them how to eat from the sea.”
Fishing has been part of Mr Slee’s life since childhood, growing up near Spencer Gulf in South Australia, where his family had a shack and jetty.
“It wasn’t unusual. I lived in a town that fished. It was the done thing,” he said.
“Everyone had a boat, a shack and a jetty. Fishing was normal.”
His childhood catches included whiting and snapper, while garfish were often netted from the jetty.
“Fishing was something that naturally occurred,” he said. “Now, we live near the Bay where we can enjoy the outdoors as a family. It’s a time to catch up.”
With his children getting older, Mr Slee said he was now planning to buy a boat within the next 18 months, opening the prospect of offshore trips and a new chapter in the family’s fishing adventures.
