So I’m back in Sydney at the moment and so excited about the fish! I hadn’t eaten fish since the last time I went fishing (6 months ago) because in Bangkok it’s really difficult to get sustainably caught seafood. Because fish is one of my favourite things to eat, angling was on the top of my list of things to do while in Oz. But… don’t go telling my grandmother because she is a strict buddhist who discourages me to fish (taking the life of an animal), while at the same time says it is acceptable to eat fish. I definitely see a paradox there, but her views on this subject is not uncommon in Asia.

Apart from being super fun, catching your own seafood (provided that it is the correct size and bag limit) tells the story of where your dinner comes from. Freshly caught seafood is also incredibly delicious, although I am interested in the idea of maturing your fish before cooking as Magnus Nilsson (the brilliant young chef behind Faviken) writes about in the Faviken cookbook.

I bring to you the first part of my fishing series: How I rig up my rod. I am no fishing expert, but have caught quite a lot of fish in my time. Here I have illustrated to you my easiest knot, and simplest way to rig up a fishing rod. Part one takes place on what my pals and I call ‘floating rock’ at Watamolla beach, in The Royal National Park. Open scene:

My Simplest Way of Rigging up a Fishing Rod

You will need:
A fishing rod
Fishing line
A line cutter
A swivel
A fishing hook
A sinker

Assuming your fishing rod has a spool full of line, release the end and thread it underneath the bail. Thread the line through each ‘o’ hole from largest to smallest until you reach the end of the fishing rod.

Now you are ready to tie on the swivel: Thread the line into one of the swivel’s holes. Now for my number one fishing knot (check the illustrated version above if you get confused.) Make a single loop in the line so that the swivel is at the top of the loop (bunny ear loop). Twist the loop around a few times so that you have several twist (6-8) at the bottom of the loop (bunny runs around the tree). Now thread the line end back into the big loop (bunny runs into the hole). Pull on each end until tight. It will tighten onto itself. Finally trim the excess line so that everything is neat and tidy.

Cut a fresh 2 foot long piece of line. Tie this to the other swivel hole using the same knot, then thread on the sinker, looping the line once more through itself. Finally, tie on the fishing hook onto the end of the line using the same knot.

Tada! A simply rigged fishing rod that is ready for you to hook on some bait and cast into the water!