Tackle Tactics » Pro Anglers » Keeghan Painter

Keeghan Painter

HOW DID YOU GET INTO FISHING?

Fishing for me is a great family pastime. Growing up, my dad’s parents lived up on the Sunshine Coast, on the canals at Maroochydore. I would fish any chance that I could, on any stretch of water that I could find. It wasn’t until I was about 23 that I caught my first bass, fishing with my best mate. That was it, I was hooked, and I’ve never looked back. Bass all the way!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT FISHING?

Fishing for me is my passion, my career and literally my entire life. I think the thing that inspires me most about fishing is the people that I look up to. For me competing on the ABT platform and trying to progress into the USA tournament scene is the goal, and seeing guys like Carl Jocumsen, Scott Martin, Brendan Palaniuk, and so many more make it and hit the big time, just makes me want that for myself. I want to wake up every day before the sun, be out on the water, and catch fish for my career.

WHERE IN AUSTRALIA DO YOU FISH AND WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN TARGET SPECIES?

My Fishing pretty much 100% consists of chasing the amazing Australian bass. Competing in the Australian Bass Tournaments (ABT), my fishing takes me to a bunch of freshwater impoundments, from the picturesque Lake Cania, all the way down to the green rolling hills of Lake St Clair.

WHAT ARE 3 OF YOUR FAVOURITE SPECIES AND WHY?

1. Australian bass is my obvious first in the list of favourites. The amount of knowledge, skill and technique needed to actively and successfully chase these fish always keeps me on my toes.
2. Bream I’m going to have to say would be my second choice. I actually started my tournament career chasing these little silver weapons. I think a lot can be taken from either chasing bass or bream fishing and adapted to other species in terms of the finesse approach you sometimes need when the fishing gets tough.
3. Barramundi is the last on the list for me. I’ve not had much time to chase these slabs of fish but I’m on a mission to change that. I’m no barra expert but all I know is that when you hook one, hold on to your horses because things get real, QUICKLY!

WHAT ARE A FEW OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE CAPTURES?

Two immediately spring to mind when I think of this question. Both of which are with my best mate Josh. The first would be when I caught my very first bass. Josh asked me one easter to head out to a little secret spot near Lake Somerset. We got up there on a Friday night, went flicking surface lures and that was when I caught my first ever bass. Little did I know that would lead to where I am today. The second would be when I landed a just under a metre Spanish mackerel, off the cape of Moreton Island, fishing with Josh and his dad. I hardly ever fish for ‘big boy fish’ but that was fun.

GO-TO TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS AND SOME TIPS FOR USING THEM?

Fishing for bass, my favourite TT products would have to be the TT Vortex Spinnerbait and the TT Jig Spinner, with the Jig Spinner rigged on a TT Demonz Jighead in 1/4oz, complete with a ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ. I fish them close in around timber and weed, and they never let me down.

GO-TO OKUMA PRODUCTS AND WHY?

All the Okuma products, including rods to reels, punch well above their weight. For me the Helios SX range in spin and baitcast knock it out of the park. They’re light, they look slick and the smoothness these reels have is insane. However, the new kid on the block, the ITX range, may just top it. In my opinion these are the coolest looking reels in the lineup. Backed up by bang for buck and a 10 Year Warranty, these reels are hard to go past.

WHAT SPECIES ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? WHY?

There are definitely a few on the list. With my dream being to hit the big time over in the USA tournament scene, obviously my bucket list fish consist of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. These fish are such brutes of bass and the techniques used to catch them just fills me with such drive to hook into them. I guess we can also include peacock bass in that lineup as well. Fishing the canals of Florida just seems like such an unreal location to chase these gorgeous fish. Last, but not least, I have always wanted to catch the prehistoric looking white sturgeon. Something about these fish just blow my mind. I would love the opportunity to jump in the water for a photo with a metre plus white sturgeon that I’ve landed.

WHAT IS A PIECE OF FISHING ADVICE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THAT STILL STICKS WITH YOU?

Never Give Up! You often learn better from your failures than from your successes.

WHAT ARE 3 TIPS FOR SOMEONE NEW TO FISHING?

1. First tip would be RESEARCH. Research the area that you are fishing or about to fish. There’s plenty of places to access information about different fishing spots, the lures used in these areas and the key techniques to land the species targeted there.
2. Next tip would be to pay attention to your surroundings. What I mean is, if you are chasing flatties for example, look for sandbanks that have flatty indents (flathead lies) in them, or hit the drop offs on a runout tide, where these fish are going to be sitting in wait for food to pass by.
3. Lure placement and casting. These two for me go hand in hand. When chasing Aussie bass, for me this is everything. Being such a ‘finesse’ species, at times you need to cast your lure so accurately into the tightest, scariest looking places because that is where the fish are holding. Practice, practice, practice people. Practice your casting so that you can make those casts and get your lure into the ’target zone’.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

For those of you wanting more fishing tips or if you are a diehard fan of fishing like me, head over to my YouTube Channel - Keeghan Painter Fishing and make sure you hit that LIKE and SUBSCRIBE button.