AT 87, Colin Morgan doesn’t fish quite as often as he used to – but he still knows when the tide’s right for a good feed.
A lifelong Victoria Point resident, Mr Morgan says while he rarely casts a line these days, he’s still regularly checking his crab pots, especially when there’s a full moon and a low tide.
“It’s not like it used to be, but I still get the occasional muddie for dinner,” he said.
Mr Morgan first took up fishing at age 17, when he and his mates would hang out at the Victoria Point jetty – not always to catch fish, but to enjoy each other’s company.
“The attraction for me was simply that I liked catching something and I was happy to spend time with my mates,” he said.
Those early years led to a lifelong passion for the water.
Eventually, he bought himself a four-metre fibreglass cruise craft, which gave him access to the wider bay.
“I’d often go out at 4pm, depending on the tide, and stay out all night,” he said.
“There’s nothing like it.”
Some of his favourite fishing spots included Goat and Bird islands near Peel Island, where he’d fish the reef for snapper and parrot fish, and the sandbanks near Moreton Island, where bream and whiting were common catches.
Snapper remains his top pick for eating.
“I like the flavour and the nice white flesh,” he said.
But for Mr Morgan, fishing has always been about more than just what’s on the line.
“Fishing is about luck, it’s about the tide, but really it’s just about the camaraderie,” he said.
He found that spirit of mateship through the local RSL fishing club, where he made new friends, honed his skills and occasionally entered competitions.
As for the best bait?
Mr Morgan swears by yabbies for bream and says a good yabby pump is essential gear for any keen angler.
He’s also a fan of mullet gut, especially for bream and whiting.
One of his fishing buddies even named his boat Tug Tellum – mullet gut spelled backwards – as a nod to its effectiveness.
“He could really catch some fish,” Mr Morgan said.
“He could throw that line out far. I could never do it like he could.”
His advice for the next generation of fishers is simple: always go with someone older or more experienced.
“You want to be with someone because you may need them – or they might need you – to go for help,” he said.
