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Abz | Lure Fishing Enthusiast

@finesseangler

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⚫️ @daiwaaustralia | Sydney 🇦🇺
⚫️ Inspiring anglers to catch more fish on lures
⚫️ [email protected]
🔴 Long form fishing videos ⬇️

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I started with nothing but a vision.

No following, minimal skills and no idea where this journey would take me. I just knew that if I really wanted to make something of it, I had to get out of my comfort zone and put the work in.

There’s been plenty of blood, sweat and tears along the way. Mistakes, setbacks and days where I didn’t feel motivated at all. But I kept showing up, kept learning and kept pushing.

One thing I’ve learnt is to never compare your journey to someone else’s. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone moves at their own pace. Stay positive, focus on your own path and keep moving forward.

I’ve added a little piece of the story under each photo. Swipe through and read along to see how it all unfolded.

In January 2024, I decided to start taking YouTube seriously.

I’d uploaded a few videos before then just mucking around, but there was never really a goal behind it. This was when I decided to properly give content creation a go and see where I could take it.

About 4 months later, I took this screenshot at 871 subscribers.

At the time, even that number felt huge. I was learning everything as I went, but seeing people starting to follow along gave me even more reason to keep pushing.

Little did I know where the next couple of years would take me.

This is where my journey back into fishing really started.

I’d actually stepped away from fishing for a few years. I’d run myself into the ground being so heavily obsessed with chasing Mulloway, and I was also going through some struggles with my mental health at the time.

My mate @brotherhood_hunting kept asking me to come fishing with him. I kept saying no, but eventually I changed my mind.

Around the same time I started watching fishing videos on YouTube again, and before I knew it, the bug was back. The Daiwa team, Byron Tea Hill, Dale Baxter, Paul Malov, Flick with Mick, Josh D, Brooksy, Will & Mary and so many other quality creators had me wanting to get back out there.

That eventually led me to buying this Hobie Outback, taking a camera with me and learning how to film and edit my own fishing trips.

I had absolutely no idea where that decision would eventually take me.

At the same time by @finesseangler

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a month ago

After a fair bit of time and effort in all sorts of conditions, it all paid off with this Mulloway!

Caught on the new Bait Junkie 4” Herring

Video and full story coming soon. Keep an eye out 😉

@daiwaaustralia @baitjunkieofficial
#daiwaaustralia #feelalive #baitjunkie #aminox #elastomax by @finesseangler

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2 months ago

Still trying to take in the last few days. Being invited to the Anglers Summit and the Reel Connections event honestly feels surreal. This is the kind of thing I used to dream about, so being part of it means a lot.

The Summit was special. I spent real time with the sponsored anglers and it opened my eyes to how much knowledge, passion and pride sits behind the scenes. Hearing their stories and being around that level of experience was a privilege.

I also filmed with Josh D, and we clicked straight away. Long days on the water, good laughs and a stack of ideas for what’s next.

The drive with Will and Mary was another highlight. They’re both so genuine and down to earth. I was star struck at first, but they made me feel welcome straight away. They’re a real power couple and great people to be around.

It was unreal meeting creators I’ve watched for years like Brooksy, Briggsy and Matty Scholz. Seeing how they carry themselves in person gave me even more respect for them.

Reel Connections was on a different level. It was pushing 40 degrees and the turnout was huge. I spent the whole day meeting people, taking photos and signing phones, shirts, hats, lures and shoes. I also jumped on stage with John for my first ever public talk. I was nervous, but it turned into a grounding experience. Big thank you to John for the encouragement.

I also want to put a real spotlight on the Daiwa staff. The work, planning and energy they put into both events was unreal. Being behind the scenes showed me how much they care about the community and how much pride they take in doing things properly. None of this happens without them.

Massive shout out to my family who came out in the heat to support me.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, to the Daiwa staff who put so much into this, and to all the sponsored anglers who helped shape the experience. And thank you Daiwa for trusting me with these opportunities. I’m grateful and I won’t forget it.

@daiwaaustralia @briggsyfishing @frothcafe2 @pelagicpursuit @willandmaryoutdoors @josh.dfishing

#daiwaaustralia #feelalive #reelconnections by @finesseangler

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10 months ago

One of many big Estuary Perch harassing bait on the surface.

New Bait Junkie 4” Herring doing some serious damage on the locals!

@daiwaaustralia @baitjunkieofficial
#daiwaaustralia #feelalive #elastomax #baitjunkie #aminox

Night time winter Aussie Bass feeding along side a big school of Estuary perch

Another chunky EP from the same night! Ended up with 4 EP + 1 Bass out of the same school

1/5 Soapies landed on the night

5 soapies landed, 3 lost! Crazy little night time session

Another bar of soap from an epic session 🧼 by @finesseangler

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a month ago

A closer look at a few of the new Bait Junkie releases for 2026.

The new 4” Herring, 4” Prawn and EWG Jigheads.

I’ve spent some time with the 4” Herring trying to find myself a quality fish and I may have landed one 👀

@daiwaaustralia @baitjunkieofficial

#DaiwaAustralia #feelalive #baitjunkie #elastomax #aminox by @finesseangler

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2 months ago

Some days aren’t about numbers.

They’re about chasing a feeling.

We started before sunrise with one goal in mind. To find a trophy trout. The morning was freezing, the kilometres quickly added up and before long we’d walked well over 10km without landing a fish.

That’s when your mind starts to wander. You question every decision, every cast and whether the next bay is worth the walk.

But that’s why we kept going.

As the light started to fade, it felt like the opportunity was slipping away. We’d covered close to 20km on foot, spotted plenty of trout cruising the shallows, but nothing had come together.

Then, at our final stop of the day, everything changed.

@brotherhood_hunting saw a trout appear behind his lure. He thought it had turned away… until his line came tight.

His PB rainbow trout.

A trophy? Maybe. Maybe not.

But after a day like that, it didn’t matter.

Some fish are measured in centimetres. Others are measured by the journey it took to catch them.

Rod: 26 Daiwa Infeet SK 722LFS
Reel: 24 Certate LT 2500S
Lures: Bait Junkie 2.5” Minnow, Risky Critter, Presso Minnow

@daiwaaustralia @baitjunkieofficial
#DaiwaAustralia #FeelAlive #TroutFishing #LureFishing #rainbowtrout by @finesseangler

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3 months ago

A cold winter morning on the Hawkesbury.

Not every session ends with a fish. Sometimes you come home with nothing but still get the chance to reflect, learn and take something away from the session.

A moody morning on the Hawkesbury with @donutdaddy__ chasing Mulloway through the rolling fog on a crisp winter morning.

📸 Sony A7III - Tamron 28-75mm
#photography #landscapephotography #landscape #winterphotography #mullowayfishingaustralia by @finesseangler

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2 months ago

Running the Double Clutch 48mm on some local trout streams over the weekend.

In the tighter sections it was great for accurate casts, but once the stream opened up the S-GOS system really helped punch long casts into wider water.

Fishing a simple twitch, twitch, pause retrieve and letting the lure suspend in the current had the trout all over it.

One thing I love about the Double Clutch range is how versatile it is. From trout to bream, bass to larger estuary species, there’s a size and colour for almost every situation.

@daiwaaustralia
Rod- 23 Infeet Z 712LFS
Reel- 24 Certate 2000s
Line- J Braid Expedition PE 0.6
Leader- X Link 4lb Fluorocarbon
Lure- Double clutch 48mm

📸 @brotherhood_hunting

#DaiwaAustralia #feelalive #DoubleClutch #TroutFishing by @finesseangler

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5 months ago

Not your average bream fisho 🤷‍♂️

@mullowayfishingaustralia
#daiwaaustralia #lurefishing #mullowayfishingaustralia by @finesseangler

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2 years ago

This still doesn’t feel real.

I drove up to Cairns to fish with Brodie from @fnqfishingadventures . It’s been on my bucket list for a long time and I finally made it happen.

We hit Lake Tinaroo for my first Barramundi session. Straight away I saw why people rate this place so highly. Fish everywhere. Following lures, turning away last second, not committing.

I’d already blown my best shot earlier in the trip by not striking hard enough. That one stuck with me.

So this time I stayed locked in.

Then it happened. One clean hit and I made sure it stuck.

The fight was intense. I was getting soaked and slowly realised this was a proper fish.

Just under 119cm for my first Barra. Couldn’t have asked for a better result.

Big thank you to Brodie for making this trip happen.

Gear used @daiwaaustralia
Rod: Daiwa Black Label 742HXS
Reel: Daiwa 24 Certate 4K ARK
Line: Daiwa Saltiga Durasensor 12 PE2.5

Brodie is also running a giveaway for a fully paid FNQ trip for you and a mate. My audience gets 50% off annual subscription with code ABS50.
www.fnqfishingadventures.com.au by @finesseangler

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6 months ago

Yesterday was one of those sessions I’ll be thinking about for a long time. The night before, I ran a poll on my story asking which @baitjunkieofficial 4.2 inch minnow I should throw. Two colours. I left it to the people, and white came out on top. So that’s what I tied on.

I hit the water just before 7am, stayed close to the ramp, and focused on finding bait. When I finally found a pocket of it, I made the call to hang around and give the area a proper go. By 8am, I had my first and biggest Mulloway on deck. I was shaking. Over the moon. I had to sit there and regroup before deciding whether to call it or keep going.

Glad I stayed. What started as a short peddle turned into more than an hour of searching. Eventually I spotted them schooled up on the sounder. That’s when the session really switched on.

Fish after fish. Four legal Mulloway. Plenty of undersized. A few pulled hooks. It turned into a feeding frenzy and easily one of the best sessions I’ve had in ages. This is the first time I’ve left Mulloway on the bite!

By the time I got back to the ramp I was wrecked. Legs cooked. Back shot. Could barely walk. But the kind of day I had? Worth every bit of it.

Moral of the story is simple. You don’t get these sessions sitting on the couch. You’ve got to go out and earn them.

Gear used for larger fish:
@daiwaaustralia
TD black shake n bake - 24 Certate 4k ark
20lb main/20lb fluorocarbon
Baitjunkie 4.2” minnow (white pearl) 3/8 5/0 jighead

Finesse combo for the rest of the fish:
@daiwaaustralia
Infeet SK 681LFS - 24 Revelry 2.5k shallow spool
8lb main/8lb fluorocarbon
Baitjunkie 3” prawn (bloodworm) 1/8 2/0 jighead

#daiwaaustralia #mulloway #mullowayfishing #mullowayfishingaustralia #lurefishing #lurefishingaustralia #jewfish by @finesseangler

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a year ago

Hit the Hawkesbury with a plan over the weekend. Had 4 rods rigged and ready to target bream all day, but also brought along a new outfit I’ve been keen to test. I decided to spend an hour or so around the tide change flicking some Bait Junkie paddle tails to try and find a Jewie, while my mate worked the edge for bream.

A few casts with the 6.2” minnow I snapped my leader, so I switched over to a 4.2” already rigged on a 3/8 jighead. A couple of casts in, I felt that clunk and the line started peeling on the reel. Safe to say I’m really happy with this new outfit. There’s no better feeling than having a target species in mind and hitting your goals.

@DaiwaAustralia @Baitjunkieofficial

Gear:
Rod - Daiwa Black Label 742MHXS
Reel - TD Black 3000
Line - J Braid Expedition PE 1.5 - X Link 20lb Fluorocarbon
Lure - Bait Junkie 4.2” Minnow (Black Gold) 3/8 Jighead

#DaiwaAustralia #FeelAlive #BaitJunkie #Aminox #Mulloway #mullowayfishingaustralia by @finesseangler

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a year ago