Episode 5 - Captain Eddy Lawler from Peak Sportfishing Adventures

The Australian Fly Fishing Podcast

Recently, I got to talk with Captain Eddy Lawler from Peak Sportfishing Adventures in Exmouth, Western Australia. Exmouth is home to Ningaloo Reef, the largest fringing reef in the world and is the closest point in Australia to the Continental Shelf, making for some of the best marlin fishing in the country, if not the world. Eddy and his crew specialise in in chasing sailfish, black, blue and striped marlin on both conventional and fly tackle, spending upwards of 250 days a year on the water.

Eddy talks about what he got up to after school, travelling, working in tackle stores, getting his skipper's tickets and guiding in the Northern Territory. We then discuss the pre Peak Sportfishing days, when Eddy first arrived in Exmouth and how much potential he could see in the area. Eddy recounts being part of a team led by marlin fishing experts Australian Dean Butler and USA angler Tom Evans. During the month-long charter, the guys successfully caught and released 28 billfish on IGFA legal fly fishing tackle - an achievement that smashed any lingering doubts about the international standard gamefishing potential the Exmouth grounds.

We look at how Peak Sportfishing Adventures began upon the arrival of Eddy's 25ft Contender centre console and later, the addition of his 36ft Blackwatch. Eddy also speaks of the 2018 season which saw some incredible achievements such as USA angler Jeremy Block's IGFA world record 212lb black marlin caught on fly tackle and 16lb tippet. It was also the same year that Clay Hilbert's 1089lb blue marlin was caught on conventional tackle, the first 1000lb+ blue marlin caught in Australia, a monumental moment for Eddy and his crew.

To find out more about Eddy and Peak Sportfishing Adventures, visit: peaksportfishing.com.au