1 Name and birthplace?
Patrick Brennan – Nairobi Kenya, Africa
2 When did you first start fishing?
Like most really keen fishos, it’s hard to remember exactly when I started fishing. I know I was really interested in fish and loved aquariums as a very small child and did some fishing. My family moved to Australia when I was about 7 and my love for fishing is really clear from that time onwards. Family holidays always used to involve somewhere near the water. Tuross Heads on the NSW South Coast and Lake Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains were the two main venues but I used to fish for trout and carp in Canberra’s local lakes as well as yellowbelly, cod and silver perch in the local rivers. My Dad was not much of a fisherman, but I will love him eternally for giving me the opportunity to fish as much as he could manage and encouraging me to pursue it with passion and freedom.
Pat is a very accomplished fisherman who is just as happy fishing for local species as he is chasing exotics overseas.
3 When did you start writing for Fisho?
My first article was published in 1992 (I think) but that was after several knock backs. It was an article on spinning for blue water pelagics and based on a couple of trips I had done to the Coral Sea. I had written a couple of pretty ordinary articles before that but had lousy photos and no real understanding of how to construct an article. Fisho’s editor at the time was Gil Schott and he actually took the time to really set me on track to be able to provide an editor with something they could work with.
4 What’s your favourite form of fishing?
Surface or sight fishing for anything! Carp, trout, bonefish, bream, mullet, etc, etc, etc. If I can see them eat it, I’m in heaven.
Sight casting in which the angler sees everything unfold – from spotting the fish to the take – is Pat’s favourite form of fishing, no matter what the species.
5 What do you enjoy about writing for a fishing magazine?
For the most part, we write our columns or articles and don’t hear much more about it. But, when someone takes the time to let you know that something you wrote has helped them to catch fish or inspired them to do something, then that is really rewarding. The Shimano Kids Column is excellent for that. The kids ask for advice and when they can take that advice and convert it into results, it inspires them to go fishing more. That’s pretty satisfying for me.
6 Who do you most admire in the fishing media and why?
Ron Calcutt. When I was a young kid, Ron had a TV show called A Fisherman’s World, produced by Ossie Emery. It was decades ahead of its time. From memory, it aired on the ABC at around 10pm on a Friday night. If I had been good (and I always made sure I had been), my Dad would get me out of bed so I could watch it. That show inspired me more than just about anything else at the time to want to go fishing. The next morning I would be tinkering with tackle or talking my Dad into taking me somewhere for a fish. I now have a copy of the series on DVD and the messages are as relevant today as they were innovative back then. I also reckon Steve Starling is probably Australia’s best fishing communicator in a variety of mediums, but Peter Morse is someone that I would really like to see more of in front of a camera. I really enjoy his presentation style.
Pat and a nice Snowy Mountains stream rainbow trout.
7 What do you reckon is the best or most satisfying article you’ve written for Fisho?
It’s hard to say really, but I think in recent times the article that I have received the most positive feedback on was one called “Lure Lessons”. It involved my experiences with three friends of mine who are professional fishing guides and aimed to break down the key principles behind being successful with lures. It was inspired by the media attention given to soft plastics and the impression that anyone could catch anything on soft plastics. The reality for lots of anglers I was speaking with was that it was not that easy and there was a lot of frustration amongst novices. The feedback I got was that this article helped spell out the detail behind success with different types of lures.
I am also a very keen travelling angler and love nothing more than going somewhere new and fishing for something new. These types of trips are too exotic for the pages of Fisho, but I do write fairly detailed trip reports (with photos) on each adventure and email them out to an ever increasing mailing list. I get lots and lots of really positive comments on these reports and I find that very satisfying.
8 What camera gear do you use?
I have a Canon 5D with three Canon lenses. They are a 20-35. 24-105 and 70-200. I also have a small Olympus Tough point and shoot camera that takes pretty good underwater shots and is handy for just slipping into the pocket when I can’t take my whole kit with me.
9 What advice can you give anyone wanting to get into the fishing media?
Don’t plan on getting rich! Concentrate on being a really good communicator rather than a really good angler. Also, once you start writing, it is usually because you have accomplished a bit as an angler, or in other words, you are reasonably competent. But never forget who to pitch your writing towards. Less than 10 per cent of our readership would be even moderately accomplished anglers. Most are novices craving really easy to understand work on stuff that is really, really basic. The kind of stuff you may take for granted. Never presume that your readers know how to do the most basic of things, like tie a knot, put together a basic rig, cast, put bait on a hook, etc.
10 What’s your favourite fishing destination?
Because I have been extremely lucky and have travelled a lot, much of it overseas, I get asked this question heaps. I usually answer by saying “The next destination” because I never know what it may hold. But I realise that you may want some specifics and this is hard for me. Locally, I love Tuross Heads, St Georges Basin, Mallacoota, Jindabyne and Eucumbene. Overseas, New Zealand is one of my definite favourites but Mongolia really won a place in my fishing soul. For pure fishing awesomeness, the Arctic coast of Canada is probably one of the most memorable fish catching trips of my life.
Pat has travelled around the world to fish and has encountered an amazing variety of sporttfish such as lake pike in Canada (top) and peacock bass on the Amazon River.
