BUZZBAIT [PROFI L E ]
AUSTRALIAN TV HOST ROB PAXEVANOS IS PASSIONATE FOR LITTLE BOATS
AS TOLD TO PAUL LEBOWITZ
Rob Paxevanos is in his eleventh year hosting WIN Television’s Fishing Australia. There’s a temptation to think of him as a celebrity— that’s a mistake—the gleam in his eye and thrill in his voice reveal this is a man mad about fishing. Cameras or not, he’s out there chasing big game, often from a kayak.
I
’m passionate about all forms of fishing, but in particular kayak fishing. While I regular-
ly get to fish from a massive variety of larger boats, there is something about kayaking that really appeals. Looking back, my most memorable
achievement from a ‘yak was tagging the first striped marlin way back in 2004. It was a team effort and recalling the memories makes us grin like schoolboys. My first kayak goliath grouper was even
more enjoyable. In the beginning, people gave me funny looks. They are incredibly hard to catch even from a big boat. When we
eventually cracked the code, we realized that stealth helps us catch these big, super wary fish in their shallow domain. We now outfish $50,000 boats most of the time! My biggest mission of late was something
we called a sail ‘yak marlin. We tested the Hobie Tandem Island on the planet’s biggest striper. It was a massive project to film on pro- fessional cameras, but the jump shot of a mas- sive marlin that dwarfs the ‘yak was worth it. I can’t even explain how we did this. Adrenaline can give you a real sixth sense in the heat of the moment. I never go kayaking without a fishing rod.
It would feel weird. I’m someone who really needs an excuse to be out there in the middle of paradise. I have been lucky enough to catch a good
variety of species like barra, trout and Austra- lian bass, some 50 different in all. So far Spanish mackerel have eluded me. I’ve hooked a few good ones. One was eaten
CAMERA MAN
DIGITAL EXTRA: To watch the Sail Yak Marlin episode of Fishing Australia, go to
www.kayakanglermag.com/0018 or download the Kayak Angler app.
by an eight-foot lemon shark while I was fish- ing from an inflatable. That worried my pro- ducer a little. I’m his fishing ticket too. Some day I hope to tangle with a giant Mur-
ray cod, the world’s fourth-largest freshwater fish and a super aggressive predator with a mouth the size of a bucket. But I often come back to the bread and butter species. This is the way to relax, engage family and newcom- ers, and catch a feed of fresh fish the likes of which the rich and wealthy often miss. Done sensibly, it’s the most sustainable. It’s quite a bizarre life I lead. One week I’m
out catching sharks, dealing with crocs and snakes, all while trying to catch THAT fish that will get me fired up. Then I get home and I have to remember which Barbie doll is my daughter’s favorite, or I am in the biggest trouble of all. Catch more of Rob’s fishing adventures at
www.robpax.com.
www.kayakanglermag.com… 13
P R O F I LE | TA C K L E | C LO W N FI S H | C O N S E R V A T I O N | G E A R | B O AT S
POINT TO PAXEVANOS. PHOTO: ROB PAXEVANOS
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