Backward Glance: recreational fishing still as popular today as the early days on the Coast

Summer is just around the corner and it is an ideal time to pack a picnic, hat and sunscreen and some fishing gear and take off with the kids for a relaxing day.

There are plenty of shady spots to select from, stretching from the pristine shores of Pumicestone Passage up into the waterways of the Maroochy and Mooloolah rivers or perhaps the calmer waters of Currimundi.

Recreational fishing is still as popular today as it was in the early days of the Sunshine Coast.

The Sunshine Coast with its beaches, lakes, rivers, estuaries, creeks and dams has plenty of options to keep young anglers entertained.

The Coast has had some recent rain which makes it an ideal time to try to catch some fish or perhaps a mud crab.

Just for fun, children enjoy making dough bait with flour and water or some moistened bread.

The thrill of a nibble on the line from a feisty bream is very exciting and landing a fish is the ultimate prize.

We all have memories of using prawns or worms purchased from the local bait shop.

Whether you are well acquainted with fishing, or you and your family are trying it for the first time, it is a leisurely pursuit that you will remember with your own fishing tales.

If you are lucky enough to catch a fish that is the correct size, there is nothing more enjoyable than fresh pan fried fish and fried chips.

If you don’t have any luck with the fish it is still a good day out.

There are some great fish shops here on the Coast that sell fresh cooked fish to make up for the one that got away.

In the early days, experienced boat builders constructed sea worthy vessels for the local fishermen who had to make a living and relied on their craft and their abilities to survive.

There was no Coast Guard or Air Sea Rescue craft in times of trouble.

Renowned boat builders of the region included Claude Boyd, Kuskopfs, Caloundra’s Clarke and Chaplin families, Massouds of Noosa, the McKenzie family for which McKenzie’s Bridge is named, Cannons, Charles Clarke of Maroochydore, Tripconys, Brisbanes, Norman Wright and Sons and others. Not to be forgotten are the Maloney Brothers.

These fishing families knew the region and the pristine waters of Moreton Bay and how treacherous the sea and bay can be at times.

In earlier days, the fishermen rowed their boats out into the rivers or puttered along in their wooden fishing boats. Some can still be seen but not like in years gone by.

Members of the Chaplin family have fished in the region since Mr Fredrick “Charlie” Chaplin, obtained a fishing licence in 1911.

“Charlie” Chaplin and his sons, Bob, Fred, Steve, Sonny and Jim fished the Pumicestone Passage and supplied fish to both the American and Australian Army stationed at Caloundra during World War 11.

The Chaplin brothers had a slipway built behind their family home in Maloja Avenue.

Chaplin Brothers purchased the Tewantin ice works from Len Hatch in 1952 and most of the brothers then moved north to Tewantin.

The Kuskopf family were well known in the Maroochy district for their fishing and building skills.

Harry, Bill and Edward (Eddie) Kuskopf were three of nine sons of Harry Kuskopf senior.

All three brothers lived at Mooloolaba, where they had a slipway on the Spit.

Eddie became a professional fishermen and Harry, who also fished, constructed a number of buildings in the locality and designed and built a wide range of boats.

The Clarkes were an important fishing family in Caloundra, arriving by boat from Coochin Creek near Beerwah in 1924.

Evan Clarke set up an ice factory in Maloja Avenue near the Passage which enabled the Clarke family to store the big winter hauls of mullet from the ocean side of Bribie Island until trucks were available to take the catch to Landsborough Station for transport to Brisbane.

Clarke Place at Happy Valley is named after this pioneer family.

In 1924, Maloney’s Wharf was a very busy part of Caloundra where fishermen unloaded their catch, mended nets and supply boats delivered cargo.

Maloney brothers Tom, Jim and Norman purchased the “Kauri” in 1917 from Andrew Tripcony of Caloundra, who had used the boat to transport goods between Caloundra and Brisbane after 1912.

Charles Clarke also ran a passenger and carrying service between Buderim, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba and acquired a fleet of rowboats which he hired out.

In 1939, after qualifying as a master of a motor vessel, Clarke used his boat the “Gee M. See” to meet a demand for deep sea fishing, making trips to the Gneerings, the shallow reef system around 5km off Mooloolaba.

In addition to net fishing, Arthur Short owned a motor boat “Phyl” which he used for fishing and family outings on the river.

Today, licenced fishermen still catch mullet and are a regular sight on some of the beaches during the winter sea mullet season.

Gone are the days when the mullet were transported by cargo vessel or train.

Mooloolaba’s fishing co-operatives have cold rooms that store seafood for both Australian and overseas markets and are a popular location for locals and visitors to the Coast to purchase fresh catches of the day.

Large trawlers come and go with the seafood catch unloaded fresh daily from wharves direct to the public through retail outlets so you can enjoy the very best seafood the Sunshine Coast has to offer.

Did you know Mooloolaba’s trawling fishing fleet is one of the largest on the east coast of Australia?

Mooloolaba's fishing trawlers have become an iconic part of the town's geographical and cultural background.

Trawlers fish for prawns, tuna and billfish as well as other catches and have safe access to the sea via a rock groyne and wall made for the industry.

Thanks to Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers for the words and Picture Sunshine Coast for the images.

In 2017, we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Naming of the Sunshine Coast. For more information on this milestone anniversary visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/fifty

Image captions:

Hero image: Fishing boat,'Wollomai', with a record marlin catch, ca 1938.

Carousel images:

Image 1: Albert John Foster and friends with their fishing catch at Maroochydore, ca 1937.

Image 2: Stephen Short and friends with their fishing catch during their annual trip to Caloundra, November 1948.

Image 3: Alan Clarke's barge towing a fleet of Bream fishermen up the Mooloolah River, 1950s. Boats pictured include: Charles (Charlie) Menary's launch (centre) and small cabin launch (left), both built by Henry (Harry) Kuskopf of Mooloolaba.

Image 4: Net fishing on the Maroochy River, Maroochydore, ca 1918.

Image 5: Charles Clarke and friends displaying their catch of fish at Mooloolaba, 1930.

Image 6: Lloyd Clarke and Caloundra fishermen with a catch of sharks, ca 1957.

Image 7: Fishing party from Landsborough and Beerwah district, ca 1930.