Reel life

GEOFF HUTCHINSON WAS HOOKED ON FISHING FROM AN EARLY AGE

A marlin the size of a small dinosaur hangs on Gooff Hutchinson's lounge room wall. "It's not the biggest fish I've ever caught," says the FCPA about the 40kg catch. "The biggest was a 120kg black marlin. That was at least 12-foot long." Another fishing tall tale? Maybe. What you can be sure of is that Hutchinson is a serious fisherman.

Hutchinson - 'Hutchy' to mates - got hooked on fishing at an early age. His father handed him a fishing rod as soon as he could stand up and it was only a matter of time before he wanted to catch bigger swimmers. Game fishing in deeper waters is now his passion.

Some anglers like to enjoy a beer and relax when throwing in a line. Not Hutchy. His typical expedition takes two weeks of planning and research. When the fishing starts, it's no holiday. "On the last trip we fished 11 hours a day for four days [without a catch], and on the fifth day we got two fish in an hour," says the 50-year-old, who stresses that he now tags and releases his catches.

Not a great believer in luck, Hutchinson says there's a reason why 20 per cent of the fishermen catch 80 per cent of the fish - it takes strategy, planning and perseverance, much like in business.

He loves the thrill of the hunt. "There's nothing better than being 20km off the coast, floating on a warm current, with a line in the water and waiting for the adrenalin rush of a 150kg fish hitting it at 70km an hour," Hutchinson says. The element of danger also keeps him on his toes. He has many cautionary tales, like the day a mate caught a marlin, and then the marlin caught him with its razor sharp 36-inch bill. The bill spiked in and out through the man's cheek, just missing his eye socket. The sea can be unforgiving, says Hutchy.

The business executive at software company Ocean - yes, the name had a big influence on him joining - says his hobby is a great networking tool. He has dangled a line with clients all over the world but singles out Bermagui, on the New South Wales south coast as his spot of choice. "As soon as I arrive I become relaxed," Hutchinson says. "It's the most beautiful place I've fished."

Copyright CPA Australia Feb 2005
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