Tall Tails Fishing Podcast

Jake Rotham & Mark LeCras

Welcome to The Rodcast! The unfiltered, salt-crusted fishing podcast based out of The Wild West of Australia Fishing runs deep in our blood—passed down through generations, shaping who we are and how we live. It’s more than just catching a feed; it’s about the adventure, the laughs, and the wild places it takes us. But above all, it’s about the storytellers—the salty sea dogs, the trailblazers, the madmen with experiences so wild they’re almost unbelievable. Join Mark LeCras & Jake Rotham as they dive into raw, unfiltered conversations with WA’s most seasoned fishos, uncovering legendary Tall Tails from the wild west and beyond. No filters. No fluff. Just fishing, good banter, and real stories from the people who’ve lived them.Cheers for Tuning in to the Rodcast!

  1. MAR 29

    Ep.29 | Ben Patrick | Spanish Mackerel Tactics, Abrolhos Islands & the Story Behind Halco

    In this episode we're joined by Ben Patrick — owner of Halco Tackle.  Halco is the most iconic fishing lure brand to ever come out of Western Australia. If you've ever tied on a Laser Pro, a Twisty, or a Rooster Popper, you've got Ben, his family & Hal cooper to thank for it. Ben is the second generation owner of Halco Tackle, a brand founded in 1950 by Hal Cooper in his garage in Mosman Park. Today, Halco sells to over 80 countries, designs everything in-house out of their Fremantl HQ and manufactures out of their own factory in Batam, Indonesia. Halco lures are distrubted & fished hard all over the world. In this episode with Ben Patrick we discuss… The origin story of Halco — from Hal Cooper's garage in Mosman Park to a globally recognised lure brandHow Ben's dad Neil purchased the company in 1980 and the lures that defined that eraBen buying the business with his family in 2002 and taking it globalThe challenges of cracking the US market and what makes American anglers differentBen's earliest fishing memories — the Abrolhos Islands, 30lb mackerel in Grade 5, and a 48-year-old boat called Safari TwoThe real story behind the Rooster Popper — how it came to be, why it took a year to get right, and why it's now the best-selling mass-produced popper in the worldLure design philosophy — what most anglers misunderstand about buoyancy, weight, and balanceWhy clean water is the single most important factor for chasing metro Spanish mackerel on luresBen's Spanish mackerel trolling spread and the stick bait tip Craig White swears byThe Abrolhos Islands — how the fishery has changed, why the baldies are better than ever, and the Batavia shipwreck storyThe Iconic Twisty — how it's still made the same way Hal Cooper invented it in 1950, and why Ben nearly dropped it from the rangeLive scoping and how sounder technology is changing lure designNoodling for catfish in Texas Ben's most memorable fish — a 180lb tarpon in Panama on a Laser Pro 160Why the red and white Laser Pro catches more fish A limited edition Halco Twisty idea that the boys pitched to ben on airBen's wood duck moment — sniping a drone on national television with a Rooster PopperPlus we give away an epic Daiwa Saltiga Topwater lure pack for the best listener question submitted through our Instagram @TallTailsPodcast thanks to Daiwa Australia halcotackle.com TALL TAILS! Honouring the past & acknowledging the future of Australian Fishing Culture. DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE RODCAST! FOLLOW THE RODCAST ON SOCIALS! 🎣 Youtube 🎣 Instagram 🎣 TikTok 🎣 Facebook 🎣 Rothy's Instagram 🎣 Lecca's Instagram  INTRO TUNE 🥩 Red Bellied Black Snake - The Beefs 🥩 Courtesy of Sam Smith Click here to listen to The Beefs on Spotify For all enquiries about Tall Tails Fishing Podcast, please contact jakerotham@gmail.com

    1h 34m
  2. MAR 2

    Ep.27 | Vin Rushworth | Mental spearfishing stories from the W.A coast

    You asked for a Spearo. We delivered. This week  we sit down with Perth spearfishing weapon and Australian Underwater Federation record keeper, Vin Rushworth. Vin is a marine biologist by trade who has tagged Great White Sharks in Western Australia and whales in Antarctica. That mindset shows in the way he hunts. Originally from Brisbane, Vin cut his teeth on the east coast before moving west 15 years ago. Since then he has speared up and down the WA coastline and built a serious list of stories with some legends of the sport. In this episode we cover... • Growing up in Brisbane and getting into spearfishing • East coast vs West coast spearing • Working in fisheries research • Tagging Great Whites and whales • Shark encounters while diving • Crossing paths with an Australian Navy submarine while chasing marlin off Perth • Yellowfin tuna & wahoo missions • His role as record keeper for the Australian Underwater Federation • The upcoming InterPacific Spearfishing Championships in Busselton • Chasing Northern Pearl Perch in WA • Spearing marlin off the teaser out wide • A gnarly near drowning diving for crays • Future goals in the spearfishing world Plus we fire through a stack of listener questions & give away a Squid Jig pack thanks to Daiwa Australia. If you have been asking for more spearfishing content, this one is for you. TALL TAILS! Honouring the past & acknowledging the future of Australian Fishing Culture. DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE RODCAST! FOLLOW THE RODCAST ON SOCIALS! 🎣 Youtube 🎣 Instagram 🎣 TikTok 🎣 Facebook 🎣 Rothy's Instagram 🎣 Lecca's Instagram  INTRO TUNE 🥩 Red Bellied Black Snake - The Beefs 🥩 Courtesy of Sam Smith Click here to listen to The Beefs on Spotify For all enquiries about Tall Tails Fishing Podcast, please contact jakerotham@gmail.com

    1h 39m
  3. FEB 15

    Ep.26 | Jono Ellis | West Kimberly Barramundi & Livescope Tactics

    In this episode we’re joined by one of the best Barramundi fisho’s that you’ve probably never heard of -  Jono Ellis.    Jono is an absolute sniper when I comes to catching BIG Barra using live-scope and has pulled some massive Barramundi upwards of  120cm from his home waters around Derby & Broome in WA’s North. Regular listeners of the Rodcast will know that Lecca loves his Barra so he didn’t hold back on questions for Jono…   In this episode with Jono Ellis we discuss… Jono's fishing upbring living in Derby, WAProgressing from bait to lures and eventually introducing Live scopeShark & Crocodile encounters in the Kimberly river systemsTips for avoiding croc attacks and some close callsJono's boat setupTips for setting up livescope for your best chance at scoping a BarramundiJono's preffered Barramundi luresWood duck momentsThrowing rocks at lazy fish to tempt them into biting a lureLecca's recent Mully session on the Swan River with Tim FarnellPlus we give away an epic line & leader pack from Daiwa  for the best listener question submitted through our Instagram @TallTailsPodcast Follow Jono on Instagram... TALL TAILS! Honouring the past & acknowledging the future of Australian Fishing Culture. DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE RODCAST! FOLLOW THE RODCAST ON SOCIALS! 🎣 Youtube 🎣 Instagram 🎣 TikTok 🎣 Facebook 🎣 Rothy's Instagram 🎣 Lecca's Instagram  INTRO TUNE 🥩 Red Bellied Black Snake - The Beefs 🥩 Courtesy of Sam Smith Click here to listen to The Beefs on Spotify For all enquiries about Tall Tails Fishing Podcast, please contact jakerotham@gmail.com

    1h 32m
  4. FEB 1

    Ep.25 | Matt Gates | Exmouth Game Fishing, Shark Depredation & Barramundi

    In this episode we are joined by the man behind Tackle World Exmouth, Matt Gates, along with his two sons, Kalvin and Dean. When we asked past guests who we had to get on the show, one name kept coming up. Gatesy. If a species can be targeted in the Exmouth region, he has spent time figuring it out. Matt moved from Perth to Exmouth to run the store under mentor Hal Harvey before eventually buying the business and carrying it forward. We sit down with Matt and the boys to talk about: • Long weekend missions driving Perth to Exmouth in the early days • Cutting his teeth at Bluewater Tackle World • Learning the ropes under Hal Harvey’s mentorship • Opening Tackle World Exmouth and eventually buying the store • A lifelong passion for barramundi fishing • Favourite barra locations and proven techniques • Being early to adopt circle hooks in WA game fishing • The growing reality of shark depredation and near misses • Life spearfishing the Exmouth coast • Fishing as a way to connect generations • Close encounters with Irukandji and box jellyfish • Rescuing Ross Chapman after a solo marlin release went wrong • Proper wood duck moments • Swordfish and deep water talk This one is equal parts fishing knowledge, life lessons, and Exmouth history. https://www.instagram.com/tackleworldexmouth/ TALL TAILS! Honouring the past & acknowledging the future of Australian Fishing Culture. DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE RODCAST! FOLLOW THE RODCAST ON SOCIALS! 🎣 Youtube 🎣 Instagram 🎣 TikTok 🎣 Facebook 🎣 Rothy's Instagram 🎣 Lecca's Instagram  INTRO TUNE 🥩 Red Bellied Black Snake - The Beefs 🥩 Courtesy of Sam Smith Click here to listen to The Beefs on Spotify For all enquiries about Tall Tails Fishing Podcast, please contact jakerotham@gmail.com

    1h 57m
  5. JAN 18

    Ep.24 | Ryan Turner | Pilbara GT's, Dogtooth Tuna & Line-Class Records

    In this episode we’re joined by Karratha local, Ryan Turner, or RT.    Ryan has a massively diverse fishing skillset and is one of the most technically skilled anglers we’ve had on the Rodcast so far.  Growing up in Dampier, Ryan has spent his whole life targeting trophy fish in his backyard that most fisherman can only dream of. In this episode, we cover a huge array of topics, focusing heavily on Ryans home turf in the Pilbara Region, We talk about... Growing up fishing in DampierStealing his dads Landcruiser & boat to go fishing instead of going to schoolWorking out how to fish the Dampier Archipelago & its incredible species diversityThe Pilbara being a hot spot for some of Australia's most skilled fishermanThe early days of Giant Trevally fishing in Exmouth & Ryan's obsession for GT's in the Pilbara RegionTips for catching Pilbara GT'sLight Tackle Game Fishing & IGFA line class recordsWinning GamexCrazy Shark Fishing storiesRyans Custom 7.5m Svensson NQ Fisher boatPilbara Dogtooth TunaA gnarly Wood-Duck storySome EPIC listener questions Crack a tin & grab a notepad because there is some serious knowdlege being shared in this one! Click here to follow Ryan Turner on Instagram - @RyanTurnerProTeam TALL TAILS! Honouring the past & acknowledging the future of Australian Fishing Culture. DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE RODCAST! FOLLOW THE RODCAST ON SOCIALS! 🎣 Youtube 🎣 Instagram 🎣 TikTok 🎣 Facebook 🎣 Rothy's Instagram 🎣 Lecca's Instagram  INTRO TUNE 🥩 Red Bellied Black Snake - The Beefs 🥩 Courtesy of Sam Smith Click here to listen to The Beefs on Spotify For all enquiries about Tall Tails Fishing Podcast, please contact jakerotham@gmail.com

    1h 41m
  6. Ep.23 | Tommy Miller | Marlin, Southwest Kingfish & Tournament Success

    JAN 4

    Ep.23 | Tommy Miller | Marlin, Southwest Kingfish & Tournament Success

    In this episode we’re joined by Bunbury local Tommy Miller. Tommy has built a serious reputation in the WA fishing scene as a versatile angler, comfortable everywhere from jigging deep to chasing pelagics offshore. Fresh off winning the 2025 Sovereign Blue Marlin Classic with his dad Dusty and mate Sam Colvin, we break down how they did it and what anglers should be thinking about heading into the 2026 comp. We cover the wins, the lessons, and the bigger conversations shaping fishing in WA right now. You’ll hear about Tommy’s fishing upbringing and influencesHis 28ft Contender centre console setupWinning the Sovereign Blue Marlin ClassicWhy Tommy and Sam rate it as the best value game fishing comp in the countryTargeting new species and expanding your fishing playbookDiscovering an unreal south west kingfish fisheryFirst thoughts on WA’s new demersal closure rulesThe growing divide between recreational and commercial fishingFishing Useless loop in Shark Bay& much more!Plenty of insight. Plenty of opinion. Plenty of laughs! Sovereign Blue Marlin Classic 2026 If you've ever wanted to have a crack at Game Fishing in WA, the 2026 Sovereign Blue Marlin Classic is one to be involved in! Running from 28 February - 2 March 2026 Click here to learn more The iconic Sovereign Blue Marlin Classic is back for its 47th year and it’s shaping up to be a cracker. Why this comp is a no brainer • Massive $120,000 prize pool • Daily marlin cash prizes to keep things spicy all weekend • Outstanding value for both first time game fishers and seasoned crews • Early bird entries open until the end of January • Expecting up to 60 boats and around 240 anglers in 2026 If you’ve ever thought about stepping into game fishing, or you’re already hooked, this is a comp that delivers bang for buck and serious bragging rights! Key dates • 28 February – 2 March 2026 • Fremantle, Perth Western Australia • The 47th running of the Sovereign Blue Marlin Classic Game Fishing Info Night Want to sharpen your skills before the big weekend? • Thursday 29 January @ Fremantle Sailing Club • Game fishing presentations • Bluewater fishing masterclass • Perfect for newcomers and experienced anglers getting dialled for the Classic TALL TAILS! Honouring the past & acknowledging the future of Australian Fishing Culture. DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE RODCAST! FOLLOW THE RODCAST ON SOCIALS! 🎣 Youtube 🎣 Instagram 🎣 TikTok 🎣 Facebook 🎣 Rothy's Instagram 🎣 Lecca's Instagram  INTRO TUNE 🥩 Red Bellied Black Snake - The Beefs 🥩 Courtesy of Sam Smith Click here to listen to The Beefs on Spotify For all enquiries about Tall Tails Fishing Podcast, please contact jakerotham@gmail.com

    1h 45m

About

Welcome to The Rodcast! The unfiltered, salt-crusted fishing podcast based out of The Wild West of Australia Fishing runs deep in our blood—passed down through generations, shaping who we are and how we live. It’s more than just catching a feed; it’s about the adventure, the laughs, and the wild places it takes us. But above all, it’s about the storytellers—the salty sea dogs, the trailblazers, the madmen with experiences so wild they’re almost unbelievable. Join Mark LeCras & Jake Rotham as they dive into raw, unfiltered conversations with WA’s most seasoned fishos, uncovering legendary Tall Tails from the wild west and beyond. No filters. No fluff. Just fishing, good banter, and real stories from the people who’ve lived them.Cheers for Tuning in to the Rodcast!

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