Episode Twenty Nine : Rick Pollock - Tails of Pursuit

Reel Tails with Sweens - Podcast By Dwayne Sweeney

Episode Twenty Nine :

This episode I sit down with Rick Pollock.

Rick was a professional charter skipper here in New Zealand for over 40 years.

His trips were iconic. Anglers travelled from all corners of the globe to fish our infamous New Zealand waters, aboard his vessel “Pursuit”. He provided anglers from here and abroad the opportunity to fish in places most only dream of, with the chance of catching the fish of a lifetime. In places such as White Island, Ranfurly Banks, The Three Kings and everywhere in between.

During this podcast we get some great insight into the life of a skipper that consistently spent over 250 days a year at sea for over 40 years. Including topics such as, a 32 hour Blue Marlin battle, world record kingfish, his first experience fishing White Island and catching kingfish with dog chain.

We also discuss how catching sharks off the Motu river turned into one of the most memorable Black Marlin captures of all time, the true character of people when faced with horrendous weather at sea, the high caliber of deckhands he had, being the first skipper to fish the Ranfurly Banks and so much more…

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Show Notes:

2:35 - Introduction, fishing white island in the early days, the true power of kingfish, The gratitude shown by customers, his mindset on being a charter skipper, The range of people

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18:13 - Where fishing started for him, catching 100 billfish before the age of 18, dropping out of Medical School to fish, living his dream and what fishing has given him

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22:56 - What is really involved in being a professional fisherman, the importance of a good attitude and enthusiasm when fishing

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28:58 - How is the state of the New Zealand fishery, the evolution of electronics in boats

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38:11 - The boom of the Bronze Whaler shark population, mechanical jigging and the change he noticed

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46:45 - flying fish and how good they can be for bait, live bait fishing at White Island

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50:51 - Fishing Ranfurly Banks for the first time, the introduction of Stickbaits, evolution of fishing gear

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1:03:54 - Tails from The Three Kings, the beauty of saltwater fishing

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1:09:52 - 32 hour Blue Marlin battle, multiple 10 hour plus battles on fish, the back up rig

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1:22:40 - Fishing Rangatira knoll for the first time

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1:27:21 - losing gear overboard, medical emergencies onboard

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1:37:59 - Getting caught in horrendous seas, fishing the far east and the far west

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1:49:16 - The quality of his deckhands, getting to know your gear, the importance of consistency and drive, people performing under pressure

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2:07:33 - Coming aground off north cape and dealing with extremely rough seas

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2:10:11 - Memorable captures onboard Pursuit

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2:24:45 - Using Bonze Lures light gauge system for the first time and how good Bonze is a sharing his knowledge

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2:38:14 - The process of training deckhands, how long is too long

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2:51:20 - His enjoyment of connecting with the customers, greed on the boat

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3:00:15 - Finding Mark Collins as a deckhand through social media, learning to balance life at sea with life on land, jigging for Tuna, how he prefers late season Marlin fishing to early season

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3:20:50 - Marlin live bait tips

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3:28:25 - two 1000 lb Tuna in one trip

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3:32:26 - favourite place to fish and for which fish

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3:39:43 - tails of Blue Marlin

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3:54:58 - worst client experience

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4:02:13 - tails of sunfish

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4:05:17 - drunk yellowfin tuna

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4:10:49 - Targeting the different species of Marlin

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4:15:35 - Final thoughts and how he will give back to the sport he loves