Tackle Talk
What's in Al McGlashan's Tacklebox

I’m often asked about the tackle and equipment I consider to be essential for fishing and filming, and when I started mulling over my list, I really struggled. Fishing is such a diverse sport and there are so many elements that are essential for so many different techniques and locations, many of which don’t cross over.

Big game fishing for marlin doesn’t have much in common with backcountry bass, does it? But when you start to break things down, a few parallels do appear, and hopefully I can give you some ideas for the sorts of things that can make your fishing experience better, no matter where or how you fish.

I love fishing with lures for just about anything, but with literally thousands of lures to choose from, it’s almost impossible to know which one is the best.

If I was to pick a favourite deep-diving hard-bodied lure, it would undoubtedly be the Halco Laser Pro. In the 190 model, this lure has not only delivered all of my biggest bluefin, but our biggest yellowfin tuna, too. Upgrade the hooks from trebles to singles, or buy the newest 210 model.

This same lure in its smallest size also happens to be my favourite trout lure. The little 45mm version has caught me more trout casting in streams and trolling impoundments than any other lure.

Everyone makes prawn imitations but Shimano’s Squidgy Prawn Wriggler in cracked pepper is my go-to for everything from big flatties to kings, salmon and jewies  – everything eats it.

The most productive size for me in Sydney Harbour is the smallest 65mm version, which perfectly imitates the prolific local prawns.

When a fisho talks about an ‘outfit’, you probably think rod and reel, but don’t forget that a decent hat and a sunsmart shirt are fishing essentials, too.

Now for the other kind of outfit – the rod and reel. Picking the right outfit is not an exact science and I couldn’t name just one. With literally hundreds of sportfish on offer and dozens of ways to catch them in vastly different areas of Australia, I’ve narrowed my pick down to a favourite three.

Light spin: I find a 2-4kg spin outfit surprisingly versatile, and my pick is the Shimano Zodias/Vanford 2500 for a wide range of fishing options. I find it incredibly light and well balanced so you can cast lures or plastics all day. 

I fish this outfit around Sydney chasing pelagics, vibing down deep and even catching bait for offshore sessions. It’s just as effective for bass fishing, chasing yellowbelly or spinning or trolling for trout, and I have also used it bait fishing for King George whiting. 

Stump puller: To pull up anything from infamous dogtooth tuna up north to the biggest of kings, I use a Shimano Stella 14000 or 18000 reel matched up to a Grappler jigging rod. Despite being labelled a jigging rod, I’ll use it to troll livebaits inshore over the reefs and headlands, and when a black marlin decides to join the party I am still not out-gunned.

We also use this set-up out wide to bomb baits on marlin down deep. Using multicoloured braid, we’ll drop a bait directly onto a marlin marking up 100m deep, and stop it right on its nose. Ironically, this outfit doubles as great bait rod, cranking bait up 100m or more!

If you’re into topwater, especially stick baiting for kings or tuna, just swap the rod out for a casting model and suddenly you have another deadly outfit without having to buy a whole new rig. 

Monster catcher: Last but not least is my offshore sword/marlin rig that consists of a Shimano Talica 50 coupled up with a Tiagra Hyper 37kg bent butt. Loaded with 80lb hollow core braid, this outfit is what we use exclusively for all our big game fishing.

This is my personal choice but if you want more sport (and less sea monster action), a 24kg or even a 15kg outfit might be wiser – just don’t complain when a heavyweight hooks up and spools you.

Quite apart from taking great photos, a phone earns its place aboard for all the useful fishing and boating apps it puts right at your fingertips. From updated weather and tides, to sea surface temperature and even bathymetry maps, the right apps can instantly show you where you can and can’t fish, and help you avoid fines.

I use the NSW Fisheries app for information about size limits and to help navigate the increasingly complicated no-fishing zones. When we are backcountry canoeing or hiking a river, I load maps onto the phone while I still have service and, with inbuilt GPS, I can easily locate our position and navigate. Remember that a phone battery drains faster in remote locations, so don’t forget the back-up charger.

1. Halco Laser Pro lures (190 or 210) and Shimano’s Squidgy Prawn Wriggler

2. Reusable Yeti coffee mug

3. A set of razor-sharp knives

4. Polarised Smith sunglasses

5. Sunsmart clothing

6. Three versatile rod-and-reel outfits

7. A phone

A FULL REVIEW OF ‘FISHING ESSENTIALS’ RAN IN THE FEBRUARY-MARCH (40.1) ISSUE OF CLUB MARINE MAGAZINE.