Learning how to catch doggie mackerel for the table has become a family tradition in my house and recently my son had a chance to put his skills to the test.

Ever since I was a boy, early morning fishing trips in search of the humble doggie mackerel have been a winter ritual.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve sat in a small aluminium dinghy in the pre-dawn cool as it glides over the swells of the Coral Sea, on the way to one of the local hot spots.

I didn’t come from a fishing family. My father, and grandfather for that matter, weren’t fishermen.

But for me, it was different. I loved fishing . . .

Continue reading →