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As well his tackle expertise, Jack is also highly regarded for his extraordinary angling skills. He is the only angler on record to capture eight black marlin on IGFA 2kg (4.4lb) line class in one day, setting four consecutive world records at the time.

Jack’s reputation is international. He spent several years working and fishing in the United States and it was there Jack met with Johnny Morris, owner of Bass Pro Shops, who invited Jack to assist him in establishing Offshore Angler in Florida. Their friendship continues to this day, as it does with any person fortunate enough to have met this gentleman of the sport and industry.

The name Jack Erskine has been synonymous with the cutting edge of tackle innovation and development for more than 30 years. But for all his technical wizardry, Jack is primarily an angler: one of our finest light tackle specialists. He is a founder member of the Australian National Sportfishing Association, he has participated in all forms of fresh and saltwater fishing, nationally and internationally, for more than 40 years. Whether it's billfish on fly off Cairns, barramundi at Tinaroo or tarpon in Costa Rica, he's done most of it. He also has a record of fishing in teams that have either placed first or in the first three places in more than 45 tournaments. He is also one of only three Australian light tackle anglers ever invited to fish the prestigious Masters Tournament conducted by the Sailfish Club of South Florida.

Jack has done just about everything in fishing and earned the respect of an international community. He has changed the way everyday anglers fish and made the difficult more possible. Jack Erskine has arguably done more for modern recreational fishing than any other Australian and there is nobody better to lead our Pro Team in advising and assisting Jarvis Walker Brands with our tackle testing, development and innovation.

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Haydon Bell has grown up with the Great Barrier Reef as his playground. He has more than 25 years experience in the sport and gamefishing industry and is one of Australia’s top light and heavy tackle skippers. Haydon’s experience extends beyond his base on the Great Barrier Reef and includes extensive national and international knowledge having fished the world’s gamefish hot spots from the Gold Coast to Sydney, to Hawaii’s Kona, Mexico, Costa Rica, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Haydon learnt his trade as a deckhand under several of the world’s most respected skippers including Frank Thompson, Billfish; Laurie Woodbridge, Sea Baby 2; and Peter B. Wright, Duyfkun. Haydon graduated to skipper the famous Tanderra, winning many light and heavy tackle tournaments. Haydon is now considered by his peers as one of the leading new age skippers on the heavy tackle scene. His boat Release, formerly Don’t Ask Me, has been one of the top performing boats for several seasons producing numerous giant black marlin including several over the magic 1000lb mark for his Australian and international clients. Haydon’s versatility extends to saltwater fly fishing and his clients hold several world records on dogtooth tuna. Giant black marlin, wahoo, Spanish mackerel, yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi are all regular captures on board Release with Haydon at the wheel.

Haydon’s known for his expertise as a game skipper but he also has a passion for sportfishing, particularly for North Queensland’s famous barramundi. Release often runs extended charters to remote locations such as Princess Charlotte Bay, where pelagic trolling is only part of a menu including bottom fishing, barramundi and mud crabs. Haydon loves a fishing adventure to the Gulf of Carpentaria chasing monster barramundi with a crew of mates and family. His versatility as a fisherman is evident in the capture and release of more than a hundred metre-plus barra during his personal fishing adventures.

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Steve Cooper is a freelance writer based in Geelong, Victoria. He started his serious fishing career chasing big winter snapper in Corio Bay when he was 14 years old. Later he moved into land-based gamefishing and these days is as much at home waving a fly rod for trout or flathead as he is fishing from a rock ledge for tuna or working the cobalt currents offshore for marlin.

He was founding editor of Saltwater Sport Fishing magazine, which he ran for three years. He has also edited the Australian National Sportfishing Association's quarterly newsletter, Australian Sportfisher, and Rod and Reel. He was also editor of the Explore Australia book series, Fish Australia, Victorian Fishing Atlas, Queensland Fishing Atlas and New South Wales Fishing Atlas.

Steve has regular weekly fishing columns in The Weekly Times, Sunday Herald Sun and Herald Sun, which have a combined readership of more than three million. He ran his own fishing show on Radio Sport927 for four years and has contributed features to many Australian fishing magazines and some overseas publications.

Steve has written more than a dozen books on fishing, his most recent being Fishing Techniques, Snapper Secrets 3 and 1000 Great Places to Fish in Australia.

His sportfishing portfolio includes most forms of fishing - whether it is bait fishing for snapper or bream, trolling for yellowbelly and Murray cod, or polarising blue salmon from a remote beach in north Western Australia.

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Col Cordingley is acknowledged as one of the best anglers in the Northern Territory. He is also known around the country as a barramundi and Daly River expert.

Col started fishing as a kid, then in the Territory in 1972. His name has been in print and other media for more than 35 years and he has close relationships with other fishing identities such as Pro Team Captain Jack Erskine, Alex Julius, Col Roberts, John Mondora and Rod Harrison.

Col has influenced the way anglers fish for barra and the designs employed for boats and equipment. Col’s move to larger and faster customised barramundi boats for the Northern Territory is just one example of a national trend he set.

Col has enjoyed success in high-profile fishing tournaments such as the Barra Classic, Barra Nationals and the Kakadu Barra Klash, either winning or placing in the major tournaments from 1982 to 2009.

Col’s influence spreads to behind the scenes as well. He has contributed to the development of recreational angling in the Territory as past President and Life Member of The Darwin Game Fishing Club, and a long association with the Amateur Fisherman’s Association of the NT inc.

Col shares his knowledge with regular appearances on the ABC Radio show ‘Tails from the Tinny’. He’s even been recognised in song: at the presentation night of the 2003 Barra Nationals fisherman Bill Luck paid tribute to Col, singing Cords’y of the Daly’O!

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Lindsay Dobe started fishing at a young age with his father, targeting the diverse range of fish in North Queensland’s Whitsunday region. Lindsay caught the barra bug, chasing these iconic fish in the local rivers and creeks. He still enjoys all the different forms of fishing the area has to offer, but his real passion is lure fishing for Barramundi in salt and freshwater.

Lindsay started Proserpine Bait and Tackle in 1999. At about the same time the Queensland impoundment barramundi fishery was in its infancy. Lake Proserpine (Peter Faust Dam) was just starting to generate hype with large numbers of quality fish being caught. Interest grew in catching these huge Barra in the heavy cover of the lake and Lindsay started Lake Proserpine Fishing Charters and is credited as being one of the pioneers of the impoundment barramundi fishery. This experience has given him the opportunity to meet and fish with many capable and experienced anglers, picking up tips and techniques along the way, honing his own skills as a lure fisherman.

Lindsay has featured in many fishing magazine articles during the past decade, plus most major fishing television shows, including the highlight of guiding Rex Hunt onto a metre-plus barra for his final show.

After Lindsay met Jack Erskine has was invited to be a member of Jack’s Pro Team. Jack and Lindsay have travelled to the Top End on a number of occasions and experienced some fantastic times fishing some wild rivers with fellow Pro Team member and Top End legend, Col Cordingly. Lindsay will always be passionate about fishing the flooded forests of Lake Proserpine, but the NT’s Daly River has become another of Lindsay’s favourite fishing destinations.

Lindsay regards tournament fishing as a great learning curve and looks forward to fishing more with Jack and the opportunity to test their skills against Australia’s top tournament barra fishermen and women and add the below list of achievements so far:

• Champion Team, Kakadu Klash
• Champion Team, Hinchinbrook Catch and Release Tournament
• Top five finishes in four out of five ABT Barra tournaments

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Emma George is better known for her pole vaulting skills than her fishing pursuits, but she is just as enthusiastic about casting a line as she is with her vaulting. The 17-time pole vault world record holder, Olympic athlete and Commonwealth Games gold medallist grew up fishing for trout and redfin in country Victoria. When Emma won her fist pole vault competition prize money, she bought a small 14ft runabout, which she used to chase snapper in Western Port Bay.

In 1998, Emma moved to Perth, upgraded to a Haines Signature 702C and began to develop her fishing knowledge and experience with species such as WA dhufish, snapper, bream, flathead and mahi-mahi.

After Emma retired from pole vaulting in 2003, she’s been focussing on her love of fishing and diving. She moved north to Karratha, became completely hooked on sportfishing and was signed up to the Jarvis Walker Pro team in 2006. She enjoyed catching GTs on poppers, jigging for big Spanish mackerel, tuna and trevally, plus luring the creeks for barramundi and threadfin salmon.

Emma’s a qualified journalist and now combines her love of fishing with writing. Emma worked for the West Australian Newspaper as a sports journalist but now writes for magazines such as Western Angler and Fishing World.

Emma has two young boys and still fishes, but admits she needs to be more organised with more than just her tackle gear! The boys love going out on the boat and Emma rates her best days on the water to when she caught a 113cm threadfin salmon on son Cooper’s first trip at just 8-weeks-old. She hooked her first black marlin during a trip to Exmouth with just her keen fisho husband Ashley and the two young boys on board.

A move back to Perth has Emma planning fishing trips north as she readjusts to Perth’s fishing grounds. Emma admits a young family can have its challenges in regard to spontaneous fishing trips, but loves that her kids enjoy fishing. She sees it as a great family activity they can all do together. Her goal is to teach her children the love and respect for fish and the ocean which she is so passionate about. She is also looking forward to fishing in a pro-tournament but admits she will be more nervous casting a line alongside professional fisho’s than she was pole vaulting on the international stage.

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Jim Harris grew up near Wallaroo, on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula. Anybody looking for Jim during those early years would often find him sitting on the Point Rylie rocks fishing for large snapper, even in the midst of the worst winter storm.

The “big red fish” are still Jim’s favourite species, but he also enjoys the challenge of catching anything that swims, whether fishing rock, beach, estuary or offshore. Jim enjoys the variety in techniques as much as he does variety in terrain and is an accomplished angler whether using bait, lure or fly. Jim will have a crack at anything!

Jim’s love of fishing led him to forge a successful career in the Australian tackle industry, which has lasted more than 20 years and is still going strong. Would he throw it all in to become a deckie on a game boat in the Coral Sea? Don’t tempt him!

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Dave Hodge, or ‘Hodgie’ as he’s known to many in the tackle industry, has fished since he could walk. He started with small estuary species around his hometown of Newcastle and when his dad moved inland to Tamworth, he focused on trout, golden perch and his beloved Murray cod. That passion is still strong almost 30 years later.

Hodgie’s been working full time in the fishing industry for about 15 years. That time includes guiding 4WD and fishing enthusiasts around Cape York, putting clients onto barra, threadfin, mangrove jack, trevally and heaps of other tropical species.

Hodgie regularly bends his back jigging for big offshore species such as amberjack and samson fish. He also enjoys casting lures flathead, jacks, jewfish, snapper and anything else that swims. He can’t get enough of casting lures and pulling fish living in hard structure, but he also enjoys the impoundment scene and the dynamic tactics required for success in that environment.

Hodgie’s resume climbs a few more pages with his passion for beach fishing, kayak fishing, trolling, flats wading, creek crawling, fly, lure and live baiting for saltwater species. He’s into most styles other than chasing billfish.

Hodgie has worked for many years helping develop tackle and lures for big names in the industry since his early days. He has an in-depth knowledge of the workings of most things fishing related.

You can see Hodgie throughout the year at a variety of locations working as recreational fishing promoter, public speaker and demonstrator at events from boat shows to small outback fishing competitions - you never know where he’ll show up! His baitcasting ability is second to none and is said to be amongst the best in the world; he’s also more than competent with a spin or fly outfit in his hands.

Hodgie sees himself as nothing more than just another fisherman who has more of an opportunity to learn from others than most. He has a down-to-earth attitude and anti-elitist beliefs.

Getting away from the crowds, rolling out a swag under the stars and enjoying the bush he loves so much are just as important as the fishing itself to Hodgie. This keeps his passion for the sport continually growing.

Hodgie thrives on mixing with and teaching young up-and-coming anglers the finer points of the sport. He sees showing keen young anglers the best rigs, casting techniques, lures and tackle for their favorite species as his reward.

When asked about his fishing career highlights, Hodgie said: “To be asked to join the Jack Erskine Pro Team is my biggest highlight. Jack has been a mentor for me since my early days and has been a close friend and incredible knowledge bank for me to draw from”.

“It’s an incredible honor to have some one like Jack as a close friend and mentor. To be able to talk with Jack about technical and fish behavior intricacies has helped me learn and understand so many of the important things from this un-assuming man who has given us so much, but still has so much more to offer.”

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Gary Howard was born and bred in Brisbane and has been fishing since he was old enough to hold a fishing rod. Gary’s earliest casts were in the local estuaries of Moreton Bay and along the magnificent beaches of south-east Queensland.

Gary was caught on more than one occasion reading fishing magazines in high school chemistry but that didn’t do any harm, the 16-year-old began his writing career while still at school with a weekly ‘what’s biting where’ fishing column in the local newspaper. Thirty years later he still pens that weekly fishing column along with a monthly fishing and boating page in the same newspaper.

His fishing articles expanded to include regular contributions to local and national fishing magazines. It wasn’t long before Gary added boat reviews to his writings and in the 90s he was elected onto the board and boat show committee of the Boating Industry Association of Queensland. He then founded the Fishing Expo program, which continues to be a popular exhibition at the Brisbane Boat Show.

Gary was selected as a judge for four years of the Australian Boat of the Year Awards, plus two years as one of two grand final judges. During that time Gary started working with several boat manufacturers, advising on the design and layouts of fishing boats and accessories, and he continues that consultation work today.

Gary has also worked closely with Yamaha Marine Australia for the past 10 years, assisting with promotions and hands-on testing of new products. His involved practical approach to boating and fishing led to a close working relationship with Marine Safety Queensland including boating safety promotions.

As with many anglers who develop a strong presence in the written media, Gary later became involved in radio and television and continues as a foundation presenter on Channel Seven Queensland’s Creek to Coast program, which airs weekly on Saturdays at 5.00pm. Gary hosts several segments on the show covering fishing, boating and location guides.

Gary offers fishing tips on radio each Friday, advising where to wet a line and also discusses the weekend weather forecast. This is followed up with a full page spread on the weekend weather and tides in Queensland’s number one newspaper, the Courier Mail, for both the Northern and Southern editions.

When not wetting a line, Gary runs his own fishing rod manufacturing company in Brendale, Queensland. He and his team of skilled and efficient rod builders produce a comprehensive range of Australian-made rods. His passion for estuary and surf fishing is evident in the rod range.

The rod building began while at school, first making rods for himself, then for a few mates, and so his business grew to where it is today with Gary Howard rods sold all around Australia.

Gary’s alliance with Jarvis Walker Brands will no doubt lead to more truly refined Australian-made fishing rods for Australian fish, especially with Gary’s involvement with fellow gifted anglers in the Jarvis Walker Brands Pro Team.

Gary enjoys all facets of fishing, from catching marlin in the blue yonder to whiting in the surf. If forced to choose, he tells us he would find it difficult to decide between the quiet solitude of a sunrise with a surf rod in hand at Fraser Island, or the adrenalin-pumping action of throwing poppers on light gear at the waters around the Wessell Islands.

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Rob Madaffari’s passion for fishing started in a young boy fishing with his father. Fishing is in his blood. Rob was just nine years of age when he caught his first mulloway of about 12lb.

Rob spent the first half of his angling journey fishing the mighty Swan River targeting bream, mulloway, tailor, whiting and other estuary favourites. He earned his stripes, eventually purchased his first dinghy and has been looking to his next cast ever since.

Sportfishing has taken over Rob’s life. He has travelled up and down the Aussie coast fishing the world’s best rock platforms. He also enjoys fly fishing and is occasionally consumed by the challenge of sight-casting to Australian bonefish and big queenfish.

Rob hasn’t avoided the soft plastics bug either: snapper, dhufish, salmon, samson fish and tuna are far from safe when in season.

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Craig McGill is an experienced fishing guide and photojournalist. He has fished for 35 years, including a two-year non-stop fishing odyssey around Australia. He has also fishing Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

Craig has contributed articles to most major fishing magazines, plus some regional titles. He has a regular column in Saltwater Fishing, NSW Fishing Monthly and Trailer Boat. He is a ‘Pro Angler’ on the popular fishing website Fishnet.com.au, and contributes to many other websites.

Craig has appeared on many fishing and lifestyle TV programs, is a regular on Sydney Weekender and has a weekly segment on radio programs Hi Tide on 2KY, and The George and Paul show on 2UE.

The successful DVDs Fishing Sydney Harbour, Fishing Sydney, Local Knowledge and Soft Plastic Lure Fishing display Craig’s willingness to share his knowledge with other anglers. He also gives regular seminars at fishing clubs and tackle shops and is a member of the Sydney Pro/Am Committee, Australian Outdoor Writers Assoc. and The Professional Fishing Guides and Instructors Assoc.

Craig owns and operates Fishabout Tours Guiding Service in Sydney and is currently Sydney’s only full time Guide. Fishabout tours started in 1993 and is now Sydney’s premier guiding operation with three boats working Sydney Harbour and the Hawkesbury River.

More recently, Craig has branched out into organising tours for his Sydney clients to remote locations such as Cape York, NT, PNG, NZ, The Kimberley, Africa, Belize, Alaska and Arnhem Land.

Craig’s favourite fishing is using small boats and canoes to chase fish that live in snags, both estuary and freshwater.

Craig lists Vic McCristal, Ron Calcutt, Rod Harrison and his grandfather as his main inspirations when he was a young angler.

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Peter ‘Swano’ Swanson was born in Dubbo, NSW in 1968 and was encouraged from an early age to participate in all kinds of outdoor activities, especially freshwater fishing. Peter’s grandfather founded the family business Swanson’s Gift And Garden Centre that incorporated one of Dubbo’s only retail fishing supply outlets and he would always give customers “the good oil” on the what, where and when’s of freshwater fishing in and around the western waterways.

Some of Swano’s earliest memories are of fishing on the banks of the mighty Darling River from Walgett to Wilcannia with his family and friends, from times of the deepest drought to fishing the flooded plains.

It wasn’t until his late teens that Swano discovered the art of lure fishing with several annual pilgrimages to the wild rivers of the Northern Territory in pursuit of barramundi and the many by-catch species. His new lure techniques evolved to trick NSW’s local Murray cod, trout cod, golden perch, silver perch and eel-tailed catfish.

Swano eventually relocated to Scarborough north of Brisbane on the Redcliffe peninsula where he continues to operate his own carpentry business. Since the move in 2005 he has enjoyed the saltwater estuary and bluewater fishing at his door step. Fresh and saltwater barra still inspire travel and newly-discovered varieties of freshwater fish attract attention also.

Soft plastics are Swano’s latest favourites and he regularly targets big snapper on light tackle both inshore and offshore.

Swano often attends the various tackle and boat shows in and around Brisbane, sharing his knowledge and passion with the general public. He is always keen for a yak at the boat ramp and is often seen teaching kids the finer points of soft plastic fishing after a day out on the water.

Swano has competed in the ABT southern barra rounds, finishing in the prizes on his first attempt. He hopes to take part in more tournaments in the future as part of the Jack Erskine Pro Team and is enjoying working with the guys and girls at Jarvis Walker, offering advice to help develop relevant and effective fishing tackle for Aussie anglers.

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Mark Williams was born and bred on the Central Coast of NSW into a family of keen recreational anglers. Mark started accompanying his father and grandfather on fishing trips from the age of three. They explored the rivers and lakes of the Central Coast in pursuit of luderick, mullet, bream, flathead, leatherjackets and whiting. Mark’s interest in fishing grew with him as he and his best mates continued to take advantage of the Central Coast’s excellent estuary fishing, accessing their favourite locations on pushbike.

Mark was inspired by articles in leading monthly fishing magazines and as soon as he secured a driver’s licence he was on the road in search of new piscatorial experiences. The NSW Central and Mid-North Coast land-based game (LBG) ledges became regulars. Winnie Bay was a favourite and here Mark landed a 54lb yellowfin tuna in April 1984. This pivotal capture in Mark’s career was his largest gamefish off the rocks, landed on his first lever drag game reel.

Mark had become a true LBG fanatic and the years following that memorable capture he fished famous LBG ledges from Green Cape in the south, to 1770 in the north and Quobba on the west coast. These adventures included landing prized LBG species such as yellowfin tuna, longtail tuna, Spanish mackerel, cobia, giant trevally and yellowtail kingfish.

Mark learnt the art of rockfishing, in particular high-speed spinning off the rocks as a member of Avoca Beach Angling Club. Mark has also been a member of the Australian National Sportfishing Association and has received ANSA master angler awards for Sportfishing, Lurecasting, Gamefishing and Tagging. He has landed a number of Australian record captures and won the ANSA NSW Champion Angler Tag and Release award in 1993. Mark has also been a member of the Lake Macquarie Gamefishing Club, where he enjoyed the legendary Stockton Bight yellowfin tuna as a crewmember of the well-known gameboat and yellowfin tuna specialist Tradition.

Mark now prefers to fish fly when on a gameboat. He’s landed a number of black marlin and sailfish on the long wand and credits these captures with the opportunity to share a boat with and learn from leading Australian fly rod billfish exponents and good friends Dean Butler, Rod Harrison and Jack Erskine.

Mark has travelled and fished extensively, experiencing the famed Australian bass rivers of the NSW North Coast, the freshwater impoundments of the Hunter Valley and New England region, the Northern Territory, the Kimberley and Far North Queensland. He has also spent time fishing Queensland's booming barra impoundments and has worked as a fishing guide at remote fishing camps in the Kimberley and Northern Territory.

Mark has added to his experience while fishing abroad in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, the Maldives, New Caledonia, Christmas Island, New Zealand and in Northern and Central America, where he landed an Atlantic tarpon in excess of 100lb on IGFA legal saltwater fly tackle.

Mark has been published in Fishing World, FlyLife and Boat Fishing magazines. In 1998 he was appointed as Fishing World's Technical Editor and his informative ‘Knots & Rigs’ column has proven popular with the magazine's loyal readership.