While South Australia may not be viewed as an enviable sport fishing destination in a global sense, our state is steeped in early game fishing history and still boasts some exceptional sport fishing for those in the know. The likes of Alf Dean, Ern Palmer, Jim Cowell and Jim Veitch helped put SA on the angling map back in the 1950’s with world record captures of great white sharks at locations such as Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay and Ceduna.
Alf Deans world record great white of 2664lb taken out from Ceduna in April 1955 still stands today as the heaviest capture ever taken on a rod and reel, and with the species protected across Australia since 1998 this capture looks to be cemented into the record books indefinitely.
Bluefin tuna were another species through the ‘60s and ‘70s which helped to drive SA’s game fishing profile. Schools of southern bluefin were found in the early days out from Cape Jervis, Kangaroo Island and offshore from Port Lincoln by anglers fishing in basic and often crude vessels. Most of the fish were school sized bluefin from all accounts, but a few +100kg fish were encountered south of KI.
Bluefin tuna are still one of the mainstay
