Skipper Meggs Amidships

Follow the steps below and you could organise the most memorable fishing holiday that you and your mates could ever experience…

Step Number 1 – Float the idea

Make your friends and their partners aware that you are planning a fishing holiday - you need their support and commitment to make it happen.

Step Number 2 – Select the Crew

Great mates in close confines with extended periods of alcohol fuelled sleep deprivation, interspersed with flurries of activity can stretch friendships. But it can be so much fun! Choose wisely - I’d recommend limiting numbers to either four or six people.

Step Number 3 – Determine the Venue

The venue will depend on your group’s fishing fetish ie freshwater, deep sea, estuary, beach, rock or game fishing.

Step Number 4 – Select the Dates

Work pressures, school holidays, weddings, relatives, children’s sporting activities, pregnancies and other inconveniences will make it nearly impossible for you to select an appropriate date. Even if you have to set it twelve months in advance the date is the key to getting everyone committed.

Step Number 5 – Establish a Budget

The budget will determine your accommodation, length of stay, number and nature of fishing expeditions and extras you can package to make the trip special. Tell the crew the trip will cost more than you expect and grab a deposit off everyone to show they are committed.

Step Number 6 – Use a co-conspirator

The planning task can be made easier if you enlist the support and help of one of your crew to bounce ideas off and use as a sanity check.

Step Number 7 - The Exploratory Visit

Check out the available accommodation, golf courses and pubs and clubs for entertainment. Look out for maxi-taxis, restaurants, cafes and pizza joints and unusual nearby attractions. If chartering a boat or using a guide, try them out while you’re in town. Speak to locals and get advice about which one to go with. Use the Internet to investigate the destination.

Step Number 8 - Come up with a Plan

When it comes to fishing holidays you should be seriously organised. Don’t wait for things to happen, come up with a daily agenda that outlines some organised activities. Consider a punter’s club day, a BBQ somewhere, bushwalking or card and theme nights like an “Ugly Shirt” or a “Funny T-Shirt” night. Include a sports day where you conduct a Pentathlon comprising of snooker, darts, pool, golf and a mystery event. Have a prize for the eventual winner.

Step Number 9 – Have some fun Rules

Implement a set of 10 rules for the trip. Kick off a “Kittie” for common grocery items used by all. Have a slave each day that cooks, cleans, get beers for the other participants.

Step Number 10 – Under Promise and Over Deliver

Promise a fishing trip but deliver an experience that your crew will never forget. Try to be under budget and send your mates home with money in their pockets – it’s always appreciated.

Sea you later,

Skipper Meggs

Greetings one and all!

I was recently asked for some advice on how to organise a reasonably priced, week-long, fishing adventure for two people.

Naturally a question like that really comes down to what you would like to catch, where you live and what budget you would be working to.

After all, one man’s “cheap” is another man’s luxury.

Regardless there are a couple of general recommendations I would make.

Firstly, if there were 2 people I would suggest that they book a charter on both the Saturday and Sunday of the week away. This is because depending on where you go, some charters struggle to make the numbers necessary to leave port during the week.

This is a good lever for negotiation if you have a larger crew (say 6 or 7 people). In this case you could guarantee the charter three trips mid week and they could still work their weekends at a profit.

Ideally three outside trips is a good number to shoot for -we use to do four in a week and honestly we always did it tough on the final trip after having too much fun during the week.

I like to mix things up a bit - so if possible I’d do a deep sea bottom bouncing trip and the second day a full on game or light sports fishing trip.

I also like to plan a trip in an area that offers beach and rock fishing and sometimes estuary options.

A good golf course, friendly club or pub helps as well. I also look for something a bit out of the ordinary - hang gliding, go karting, quad biking or even surf lessons in the local area.

I’d always opt to rent an apartment or townhouse for the week - it can be cheaper than a motel and you will have more room to move. You’ll also have access to cooking facilities and plenty of fridge space for beer and fish.

Some also have the benefit of swimming pools, spas or saunas and outside BBQ equipment and furniture.

I’d steer clear of school holidays and peak tourists periods if that’s possible.

In NSW, I’d recommend you take a look at places like Nelson Bay, Port Macquarie, South West Rocks, Ulladulla, Bermagui or Mollymook.

If anyone would like any fishing holiday assistance or advice out there, let me know - I’m more than happy to help if I can.

Anyway, good luck and good fishing!

Sea you later,

Skipper Meggs

It was one of those moments of sheer brilliance that sometimes happen between the hours of 3 and 4am but more so when you find yourself in a spa with friends after a fairly major New Years Eve celebration.

 ”Crown Lager Hangover” - that’s what I would call my greyhound if I was ever lucky enough to own a dishlicker.

 Not that that’s the point of this post but it was a worthwhile thought that needed to be captured.

Of course, Phil from the Workers Club was quick to point out that it was better name for a trotter than a kennel creature.

Fair enough.

Oh, and of course other things happened in the spa.

For instance Iron Gut’s spa has two temperatures - mudcrab hot and toadfish tepid. In fact, when people relieve themselves in old Iron Guts spa it actually makes the water warmer.

But enough of that.

The other poignant moment was when someone, most probably me as I think it was on my mind for awhile, suggested that the Fishing And Reef Tour Specialists (FARTS) get together with their partners, the Tantalising And Ravishingly Terrific Spunks (TARTS) on a Hawkesbury River Houseboat for a weekend full of fun, frivolity and, of course, fishing.

So there you have it - with this epiphany I now have yet another trip to plan in addition to the Weipa extravaganza for the boys.

No problem though, I took the liberty of combining a quiet Sunday drive with the bride up to the Moonee Moonee Workers Club with a pit stop at the Oyster Barn 500 metres away for a quick dozen (superb!),  dropped into the Brooklyn Hotel for lunch and found our way back to Sydney via an ice cream stop at the Berowra Waters Ferry crossing.

 Magnificent!

With a quick check on the net when I got home I discovered the going rate at the end of April/early May for a 10 berth houseboat from noon Friday to 4pm Sunday was around the $1200 mark. Between 4 couples this would work out to $300 each for two nights accommodation with a different water view each day. Sensational!

Of course petrol, food, drinks and entertainment are on top but for a weekend of too much fun the Skipper Meggs way it’s both doable and importantly affordable.

Anway I’ll keep you posted on future progress!

Sea you later,

Skipper Meggs

After

Ok, what I forgot to mention in last week’s post was that the DVD I watched was one that was stuck to the front page of the December 2007 Fishing World Magazine.

 It wasn’t such a bad DVD either with sections on catching Wahoo and Barra, how to read a beach and fishing Cape York.

Mark Berg was the star of the DVD and did a great job of presenting the show.

 But the best part of it for my money was the section featuring how to fish Cape York for $100 a day with Cape York Ice and Tackle (see http://www.capeyorkiceandtackle.com.au/index.php).

Apparently you will need to hook up on Regional Pacific Airlines flight (see http://www.regionalaviation.com/) to get there. You can have a chat with them to discuss pricing on1300 797 667 - I haven’t as yet chased this up.

I’ve managed to tidy up my web site a little bit and added some commentary about the Skipper Meggs approach to pulling together a fishing package that combines some other fun adventures along the way.

I’ve included a poll on whether or not my book will ever be published and it will be interesting to see what the najority vote will be.

I’m off to a BBQ tomorrow with the FARTS crew and we’ve already booked the Mayweather Hatton fight. For what it’s worth the FARTS money is on Hatton.

Sea you later,

Skipper Meggs

Greetings Scurvy Cur!

This is Skipper Meggs and our mottley crew are heading off to Weipa in May 2008 in search of Black Jewfish, Cobia and Bonefish!

Stay tune for our amazing exploits.