Tackle Tactics » Pro Anglers » Cameron Cronin

Cameron Cronin

How did you get into fishing?

It was those first bread and butter fishing sessions, collecting live nippers with my dad and catching a feed of whiting and bream that really sparked my passion. As soon as we had finished up, I'd be begging him to go again next weekend already. As I got older, I realised I could fish more if I learnt to how to fish by myself and since then I've never looked back.

What inspires you about fishing?

I love the thrill of setting a specific goal and managing to tick it off. I love the anticipation that keeps you awake in bed the night before a day on the water. Couple that with the constant evolution of the Australian fishing scene and the cool new products Aussie companies like Tackle Tactics are constantly bringing to the market, and you've got a sport that provides keen anglers like me with unlimited opportunity to explore new techniques and species. This, for me, is why as time passes I only become more obsessed with our great pastime.

Where in Australia do you fish and what are your main target species?

I'm based in Sydney, but don't be surprised if you bump into me fishing our rocks and beaches along the north and south coasts of NSW for my favourite target species, the mulloway.

What are 3 of your favourite species and why?

1. Mulloway: I love a good angling challenge and consistently catching these guys on lures in my local area can really be a headache at times. They also grow big, fight well, look awesome and can be caught on so many different techniques, from up near the freshwater to out on offshore reefs.

2. Bass: Are like the polar opposite to jewfish (mulloway). They are relaxing to target, are often caught in huge numbers and are relatively easy to catch. Whenever the weather is bad on the coast, you can always count on a bass trek for awesome scenery, plenty of fish and a great day on the water.

3. Murray cod: I don't get to target these guys much, but man are they a buzz to catch. While they are lacking in the fight department, they more than make up for it with explosive takes and a huge appetite for even the largest of lures.

What are a few of your most memorable captures?

Being a mulloway addict, any big jewfish I catch is always going to be hard to forget. Landing my PB jew of 140cm, from the bank on 15lb, will be hard to top, although any jew over 120cm is always burned into the memory banks.

My first wild bass over 50cm was an awesome moment for me, coming from a tiny, narrow pool, barely two foot deep, to crunch a skip cast ZMan 3" MinnowZ.

Last but not least, I'll never forget the 85cm fingermark that I scored landbased on 20lb, exploring the ledges around cairns. It absolutely belted the ZMan 5" StreakZ amongst the reef and in a miraculous turn of luck I somehow managed to bring it to the rocks.

What are your go-to Tackle Tactics products and some tips for fishing them?

ZMan SwimmerZ. If I had to fish one lure forever, this would be it. An absolute jewfish magnet, I love using the ZMan 6" SwimmerZ in the rivers and ocean rocks for targeting bigger fish, whilst the ZMan 4" SwimmerZ is a killer when the school size fish are out in force.

Tribe Fishing Jig Spinners: Great value and a must have for the bass lovers. They work wonders on dirty water bass, retrieved with a simple slow roll over the top of structure.

TT Lures HeadlockZ HD jigheads: Bulletproof and reliable, they are the only jigheads that I trust when fishing plastics in the wash on heavy line and tight drags.

ZMan 4" Turbo CrawZ: I love using this versatile lure for clear water bass fishing, rigged on a 1/6oz TT Lures HeadlockZ or SnakelockZ jighead. You can burn it across the surface as a topwater lure or hop it slowly amongst the snags. Whatever you do, it seems to always draw strikes from the biggest bass in the pool.

What species are on your bucket list and why?

Cobia, off the rocks in NSW. Ever since I witnessed my mate Ross land one of these from the rocks, they've become a goal of mine. Around NSW they are illusive and unpredictable, especially on lures, and they seem to turn up when you least expect them. To put even a small one on the stones would be a rush, to say the least.

Big kingfish, on lure. I've had a few run ins with these big brutes, where we have been absolutely laughed at by 120cm plus models on 50lb mulloway gear. To land one this size (or bigger) would be awesome revenge, especially off the rocks.

Spanish mackerel, off the rocks. By now you've probably worked out that I love my landbased fishing. Similar to cobia, Spanish seem to be pretty illusive around my home waters of NSW, and I'd love to spin one up sometime soon.

What is a piece of fishing advice that you've been given that still sticks with you?

"If something is too easy, it probably isn't worth doing"
Reaching your fishing goals isn't always going to be easy, but one thing that's certain is the harder you work for something, the better it will feel when everything falls into place.

Three tips for somebody new to fishing?

1. Invest in the right gear: A visit to your local tackle store is a must! You don't have to spend a fortune, but a light graphite rod, some braided line and a bit of lure advice will make your fishing experience that much more productive and enjoyable.

2. Do your research: The internet is such a powerful fishing tool, and I know it helped me a lot when I was first getting started. Chat to like-minded anglers on social media, learn how to tie knots and rig lures on YouTube and research potential fishing spots... the possibilities are endless.

3. Set a reasonable goal and stick to it: With the boom of the fishing scene on social media, it's all too easy to get caught up in the latest fishing trends and lose confidence in what you are doing. My advice would be to choose one bread and butter style of fishing, such as flathead or bass on plastics, and keep doing that until you are able to achieve consistent results. You will learn far more by being great at one style of fishing, than you will from being average across a few different techniques.