1 - Name, age and where's home?
Tony Bennett, 36 yo living in Yarrawonga / Mulwala.

2 - How long have you been fishing - can you remember your very first fish?
Have been fishing for around 32yrs with vivid memories of catching "bag full's" of Reddies with my old uncle as a 4yo in the Loddon River near Kerang.

3 - How many days a year, do you fish on average?
Around 100.

4 - What's your deadliest or fav lures/bait?
With out trying to upset too many people, if this was a life or death question I would say Bassman or Outlaw Spinnerbaits and Oar-Gee, AC & Stumpy hard body lures.

5 - Who are your three most influential or admired people in your addiction to angling, and why.
These come more as groups of people rather than individuals.
* Hodgie, Rod McKenzie, Gus Storer, Dave Silva & "No Legs" Casey for their sharing of knowledge, info and skills.
* My old man Gordon & his mate Stan Fraser for teaching me a few of the finer arts of fishing (their style!) when I was a kid.
* Can't go past good old Rexie for the enthusiasm and knowledge he pumped into a new generation of Aussie anglers.

6 - If you had three wishes, what would change about today's fishing world?
* Slot size limits for Murray Cod 60cm - 80cms being legal and only 1 per person per day.
* The kill & grill mentality that still exists with the majority of the older brigade.
* Banning of all wake enhancing boats except for in specialised zones or on man made lakes e.g. Mulwala Water Ski Park.

7 - List some of your PB's - any species you like.
110cm Murray Cod, 54cm Yella, 98cm Barra, 68cm Toga, 2meter+ Hammer Head shark. Proud to say I have never caught a Trout.

8 - You've got one month left to live - where and how do you now fish your last days?
Gather together "The inner-sanctum", the "Macorna Boys" plus Vanessa & the kids and spend a week at one of McKenzie's secret spots then up to the NT for 3 weeks chasing Barra & Toga. I would be happy if I lasted the month!

9 - When you are six foot under, what will other angler's best remember you for?
Hopefully for being able to provide them with a great time for participating in the Cod Classic or just being a "good bloke" who had a bit of a crack.

10 - What was your WORST/MOST TRAGIC fishing experience!?
Unpacking my gear after a trip out on the bay, somehow I dropped one of my rods that had a double hook rig set up on it. You guessed it; the spare hook that wasn't attached to the rod became firmly stuck in the cartledge in the end of my nose. I can still see it now, the doctor putting a couple of needles in either side of my nose to numb it then he cut my snout with a scalpel to get the hook out. Very embarrassing and sore.

11 - What are some of your hottest sessions or greatest memories on the water?
Chasing natives, numbers of fish aren't huge but 6 legal's in 3 hrs during the Sunday session of the Mulwala Classic 2003 or 4 legal's in 2 hrs in the Lowrance Invitational 2005 weren't bad. Apart from that 200 or so "rat" Barra up Clear Creek on the Daly River, NT in 2002 with Skank & Scum Fedke wasn't bad.

12 - What are you reading at the moment and fav music? (Cannot answer "bit of everything").
Reading - I struggle to get past anything heavier than the local rag or any fishing magazine.
Music - The missus calls it "Bumpkin" music by I like to call it Country. A bit of 80's stuff late at night around the fire is also good for a bit of trivia.

13 - It's easy to criticise, moan or complain, but over the last few years, what are three big positive outcomes or developments in our sport of angling?
1. Number 1 without a doubt would be the changing mentality with anglers leaning more toward C&R even though I think it will take another couple of generations for it to be totally accepted.
2. Another common response for this question but all the latest gadgets from rods and reels to lines and lures. We are becoming more Americanised or Japised every day.
3. We are starting to develop a few of our own "house hold name / cult hero" anglers even if they are only targeting bread and butter species that could be caught with a hand line and a bit of bread out of a rubber Dingee! It's scary to think the countries two most unrewarded anglers Rod McKenzie & Gus Storer may become "gods" one day.

14 - So you're a fishing tragic and totally obsessed - how in the hell have you stayed in a relationship!!?? What are your secrets, and what do you have to do to please the better half? (Less than a thousand words please fellas!)
I can't believe all these blokes who say they have to earn brownie points or do jobs or favours to be able to earn a leave pass. Quiet simply I must have the best bride in the land. My wife Vanessa is as passionate about fishing as me. She makes as many plans for trips away as I do (especially to the NT) and when I tell her I'm going away for a weekend, the only question I get is when will you be home and how much cash do you want? She also just told me that I have to buy a new bigger boat after a croc tried to climb into our boat the other day up north. It also helps that the kids Tori 12 and Cooper 9 love it

Appart from the above info I've just retired this year from playing Aussie Rules, enjoy doing a bit of boxing, shooting, doing a few casting demo's with Hodgie and getting on the fizz with the boys out the river.

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You can catch Tony's regular reports by going to the Chat Page

Articles
Family Fishing Trip to the Northern Territory

You can email him at Tony[at]sweetwaterfishing.com.au