SAMMY HITZKE JOINS DECKEE AS A BRAND AMBASSADOR

If you have ever found yourself scrolling social media or YouTube on a rainy day in search of that next fishing fix, then you have probably come across Sammy Hitzke.

Deckee's new brand ambassador is a gun angler residing in the southeast of Queensland, although you’re just as likely to find him wetting a line in almost any other part of Australia.

Sammy is also a fishing and outdoor content specialist and over the last four years has captured the attention of rec fishers all over Australia through his weekly YouTube clips.

Each Sunday, Sammy sets out with a boat full of action cameras to take fishers of all levels of expertise along for the ride. Whether it be off the continental shelf jigging for bar cod, standing on the rocks spinning for tailor and mulloway or cooking up a feast at the end of the day, Sammy does it all. His adventures have proved popular, with his videos racking up over 10 million views.

Over the years Sammy has authored a swag of informative articles for various fishing publications and has made many guest and presenter appearances on Ch7’s Creek to Coast and Ch10’s Reel Action TV. When it comes to fishing, Sammy continually pushes boundaries, looking to develop new and exciting ways of enticing a bite.

This week, Deckee sat down with Sammy to chat about some of his best fishing memories, and what he does to stay safe out on the water. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FORM OF FISHING? 

I love just about all types of fishing and I’d give just about any technique or species a crack, but if I had to narrow it down to just one it would be spinning the rocks for big tailor and mulloway. There is something about standing on the rocks and casting lures knowing you might be in for a chance at one of the most elusive fish to swim in our waters.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING OUT ON THE WATER?

There's always something cool or different to look at, there's the ever-present anticipation of when that next fish will come and what it will be, the feeling of freedom when you look ahead and see nothing but water on the horizon and just being outside in the elements. I pretty much love every aspect of being out on the water. Oh, there's one more, I love the lack of traffic lights out there!

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST NOTABLE CAPTURES?

Three of the most memorable catches for me were: a big tailor that I caught last year off the beach, my first big mulloway on a hardbody, and a stick-baiting Wahoo session at Cato Reef.

The first two are memorable because I had targeted those fish for years and years, put in loads of trips and it was just such an unreal experience to finally tick the box. If anyone has ever tried chasing big tailor off the beach or mulloway, you’ll know you have to be ready to filter through lots of smaller fish, and at times: donuts! So, it was great to be rewarded for all my effort.

The wahoo session was just one of those incredible fishing days where we were in the right spot at the right time and they were biting their heads off. One even jumped in the boat! A session I doubt I’ll ever witness again and certainly one to tell the grandkids.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO START FISHING?

I think the best advice is to understand from the very beginning that you aren't going to smack 'em every single trip.

Everyone has slow days, even the pro's. You gain knowledge from every session, and that is what will make you a more consistent angler. Never stop taking notice of the little things and never think you've got it all figured out.

WHAT IS YOUR SAFETY CHECKLIST BEFORE HEADING OUT ON THE WATER?

In the lead up to a trip, I'm constantly checking the weather. I'll have a look at every update until I put the boat in the water just so I know I have the latest models and predictions to go off. I've pulled the pin on plenty of trips while sitting in the carpark at the boat ramp at some crazy hour of the morning after the latest weather report changed for the worse.

Other things I tick off are always making sure I have packed plenty of water, that's always been a big one for me. I also like to do a quick walk around the boat and trailer to make sure nothing looks amiss or damaged.

In terms of safety gear, I make sure my lifejacket and PLB all look ship-shape (I wear one around my waist with a PLB attached whenever I fish solo). I also have my EPIRB and flare dates written on a calendar so I know when everything is due as well.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT BY WORKING WITH DECKEE?

I'm excited to have everything all in one place! From the weather to maps to trip logs to endless amounts of boating information and the countless safety features it's just a bloody good boating tool to have at your fingertips. The icing on the cake is that they vowed to constantly improve and add more new useful features. How could you not want to be a part of that community?!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY TODAY?  

I’m doing quite a number of roles in the fishing industry at the moment.

I make weekly fishing videos for my YouTube channel Sammy Hitzke Fishing, I’m a presenter on Ch7’s Creek to Coast, I do fishing presentations at fishing a boating shows, and I also create fishing and outdoors content for a number of companies.  It keeps me very busy! But I love it.

Sammy's fishing knowledge, engagement with the online community and his commitment to safety make him an ideal Deckee Ambassador. To catch up on Sammy’s adventures, check out his Youtube Channel.