September Fishing Banter

This month’s yarn starts with a trip back in time, back to 1606 when Williem Janszoon (Australia’s Columbus) was the first European to discover Australia on a little “privateer” called DUYFKEN, “Dutch for Little Dove” making this cute little ship the Aussie equivalent of the Mayflower, Santa Maria or  Mary Rose.

Now you may ask, “What’s Jimmy prattling on about Australian history for, especially in a fishing column based out of Phuket?

Well me Jolly Jack Tars, for any of you who know Brian “Mad” Mohally, you were actually witnessing history, through his experiences of another famous boat of the same name “Duyfken”, a boat that if it wasn’t for her famous predecessor, would be up there with Hemmingway’s Pilar and Joan’s Ark. Why? Because this boat has caught more IGFA (International Game Fishing Association) world records and Ghanaian (Africa) records than any other sports fisher.

As I write and having sold Duyfken, Brian is on his way to the Philippines to oversee a 280,000 USD refit of this custom built sports fisher. Designed by F. W. Woodnutt,  this 40” Riviera has a plane-ing hull similar to that of the torpedo boats of WW2 and can turn on a piece of eight using her two powerful engines for steerage. Brian can’t remember how many records he has as many have been subsequently broken but between Brian and the many professionals who have owned and chartered the boat over the years, including the IGFA “Hall of Fame” angler Peter B Wright, Duyfken has more records than any craft afloat.

Image - Duyfken sports fishing boat

A visit to Mad Mohally’s Bar (Irish Bar) in Rawai, Phuket is a must for all Big Game afishinados as the walls are covered in photographs, and trophies of record catches and fishing experiences that most devotees can only aspire to in their wildest dreams, many of which were taken from Duyfken.

After her refit it is planned Duyfken will spend 4 months on the Australian Great Barrier Reef, 4 in Sai Pan, (Marianas Trench) and 2 in the Philippines with Brian retaining a few weeks every year to work on this already considerable reputation as a fisherman AND storyteller, the latter being an occupational hazard for us old salties.
Image - Brian's wall of fame

And this week’s humor since I am writing about boat’s names, here’s a few crackers:-

Campbell’s Sloop, Sea-Nile, Titan Uranus, Ship-for-Brains, Wasted Seamen, A-Salt Weapon, Settlement & In Solvent Sea.

Image - Duyfken with her mother ship weighing in a 1000lb + Marlin (picture Australian Fishing Museum)

Club News :- The Thailand Sports Fishing Club, (TSFC) the “new” club that now runs the Thailand’s premier “Classic” Fishing Competition,  (1^st /3^rd March) sponsored by the Phuket News has now confirmed it has a five man “tournament committee” team and a growing 50 plus membership all raring to go. Enquiries for the competition should be directed to Warren Crowe at thailandsportsfishingclub.com.

Finally it’s nice to see the Phuket Game Fishing Club (PGFC) has not lost its sense of humor either. After rescinding my life membership (for services rendered) because of my recent article (Kraken – July 16) that amusingly high-lighted the gross mismanagement of the club, which at the time of my resignation from the committee had resulted in a paid-up membership you could count on your fingers, “no thumbs” the PGFC committee now wants me to pay 2,000 Baht to renew my membership. Hysterical!!!

As usual, tight lines to all,

Jimmy