Reel action on blue water
Mon 23 April 2007
John Hammond, Journalism
Sunshine Coast father and son team John and Luke Longworth are recognised in Australian game fishing circles as a formidable combination on their local waters.
Mr Longworth, formerly a Sydney rock fisherman and surfer, moved to Maroochydore with wife Kerry in 1989.
He soon bought a small boat to go fishing with mates. It was at about the same time that he met 17-year-old James Parker.
“James knew how to rig marlin baits. I considered it a sport for the rich and famous. He showed me anyone with average skill and equipment could adapt to a light game set up,” Mr Longworth said. “I was soon catching juvenile billfish.”
Mr Longworth’s son Luke was introduced to the sport as a six-year-old. Now 13, he loves to catch fish; the bigger the better.
“Dad took me out and I liked it,” Luke said. “A barracuda was the first big fish I caught. I can still remember it.”
The Longworths are members of the 300-strong Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club. Once John joined in 1997 he met many members, all the while expanding his knowledge and experience.
“I am considered an experienced game fisherman in our local area after 10 years,” Mr Longworth said.
“I can skipper and am a valuable crew member.
Luke is very experienced but he doesn’t have the fine motor skills yet to be a crewman.”
Club membership included International Game Fishing Association code of conduct obligations, committed to game fish conservation. These include responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.
“Queensland has a conservative policy with 98 per cent tag and release,” Mr Longworth said. “Our point scoring system is formulated to calculate more points for tag and release than capture.”
Sea sickness is the biggest deterrent and like many, Luke suffers the occasional bout.
“Sometimes I get sick and lie down but when there are fish on you forget about being sick,” Luke said.
People regularly ask Luke to fish on their boats because his combination of youth and skill make age/weight records possible. He was the 2005 Australian champion runner-up in his division.
“Juniors learn a natural style which they never lose,” Mr Longworth said.
“Black marlin are my favourite. I’ve caught too many to remember,” Luke said. “My friends enjoy being taken out. Reid caught an Australian record sailfish…on our boat.”
“Recapture of tagged fish is about six per cent on the Sunshine Coast against a world average of one per cent,” Mr Longworth said.
The sport is Mr Longworth’s passion and as the skipper his reward is to put the angler onto fish using his knowledge. 
“That’s why it’s called fishing not catching; there is no guaranteed result,” he said. “Someone who has never caught one…the thrill of watching them catch their first fish…they are buzzing.”
Days commence from about 5.30am. Boats head for shore at about 4-6pm unless there is a late strike by a fish.
“We run a Kevlacat. They’re really good quality boats; the world’s best,” Mr Longworth said.
Luke meanwhile dreams of something a little bigger. “I’d like a…40 foot Riviera,” he said.
Image(s) designed by John Hammond and John Longworth