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Photo Gallery

Captain Peter Bristow

Captain Peter Bristow

Smallest Billfish off Madeira

Smallest Billfish off Madeira

This is the smallest Billfish I ever caught in 55 years of Big Game Fishing. I believe it is an Atlantic Long billed Spearfish?

Katherine B

Katherine B

Early days in service with the RN on sea trials on the Solent.

Congratulations Matt White with his 900 + Blue Marlin in August 2021

Madeira 2021

Congratulations Matt White with his 900 + Blue Marlin in August 2021

Emilio Botin

Emilio Botin

Seen here with one of three Granders caught in two days on AVALON.

Katherine B

Katherine B

First job at the start of the rebuild was to cut off the house. There were no engines there either !!

Cairns - 1976

Cairns - 1976

Emilio Botin from Santander Spain with two granders - 1050 and 1014.

Katherine B

Katherine B

Hauling out in the winter of 1996 for the major rebuild.

Rupert Murdoch

Rupert Murdoch

Watching on while Doug Lewis takes the wire. He was pretty to watch.

Katherine B

Katherine B

The cockpit looking getting there. I would like to do it all again but without the budget constraints.

Katherine B

Katherine B

The house under construction.

Katherine B

Katherine B

Getting started with the floor.

Katherine B

Katherine B

Engines are in. 2 x V8 540 Perkins diesels.

Katherine B

Katherine B

Engines are in. 2 x V8 540 Perkins diesels.

Katherine B

Katherine B

The house nearing completion. There was no plan, no drawings - I just put everything where I knew it had to go.

Cairns 1970 - some background history

Cairns 1970 - some background history

First Grander on the Avalon was a new Australian record - 1231 lb.

Cairns 1972

Cairns 1972

Jo Jo with the new Australian record - 1271. I was going to release this fish for 850 lb. IGFA angling rules were changed because of this fish.

Katherine B

Katherine B

Under way at last - August 1998.

Cairns 1971

Cairns 1971

Jo Jo with his first fish over 1,000.

Cairns - 1973

Cairns - 1973

D Mead Johnson with World record 1218 lb on 80 lb test. On the way into Cooktown from number 10 Ribbon Reef.

Katherine B

Katherine B

David Hugarts with a Big Eye Tuna - 1989. BET can be found off Madeira almost every month of the year and are World Record size.

Bahamas 1972

Bahamas 1972

Madeira 2006

Madeira 2006

I waited 8 years for the fish to return.

Cairns 1991

Cairns 1991

George Bransford, myself and Pepe with a record mackerel. We did not realize the size until it had been dressed - Oops!

Cairns - 1976

Cairns - 1976

Wahoo fishing

Wahoo fishing

At work on the bench.

Wahoo fishing

Wahoo fishing

Wahoo on light gear is a blast in Madeira because there is little or no shark problem.

Wahoo fishing

Wahoo fishing

Waiting for the bite.

Madeira July 2006

Madeira July 2006

Wahoo in Madeira

Wahoo in Madeira

Laser Pro by HALCO. A fantastic lure and thats where they come from - Neil Patrick and Tim as above.

Madeira

Madeira

Using the snooter and de-hooker for release.

Nice Wahoo

Nice Wahoo

Madeira

Madeira

Coming along side - nice and easy.

Baby hatchet marlin

Madeira

Baby hatchet marlin?

Miami

Miami

Billfish Foundation donation - fund raiser. . The night they auctioned off the Legends book. L to R. Brazzaka - myself - Peter Wright - Ellen Peel - Pat Mancell - Bouncer Smith - Ron Hamlyn. We did well.

Madeira - Blue Marlin

Madeira - Blue Marlin

Howard Williams captures the moment.

Perth WA. 1978

Perth WA. 1978

A 450 lb Blue Marlin caught by Graham McKinnon - then Minister of Fisheries WA. Myself as boat Capt, afterwards took a cast and made the fish mount.

Cairns Black Marlin

Cairns Black Marlin

They can jump.

Point Lookout - Nth Stradbroke Is - way back

Point Lookout - Nth Stradbroke Is - way back.

Mackerel fishing from my old dory - off the beach and thru the surf every day. Twice a day in summer. good old days. Best days of my life.

Charles Perry - GBR - Early 80s

Charles Perry - GBR - Early 80s

Big Tigers became a problem for black marlin fishermen on the GBR.

Madeira

Madeira

An 800 right outside the harbor - for Luc.

Duarte gets a closeup

Madeira

Duarte gets a closeup.

Madeira Blue Marlin

Madeira Blue Marlin

Crashing the switch.

Blue Marlin attack

Madeira

Blue Marlin attack.

IGFA donation

IGFA donation

Karl with his second fish over 1,000 on July 3. Next day - 4th July in the World Cup, we caught nothing!

Blue Marlin Grander

Madeira

Blue Marlin Grander.

IGFA

IGFA

Madeira

Madeira

A beautiful fish - 900 - right outside Funchal harbor.

Madeira

Madeira

One of a double header. Not a good shot of this fish - was way over a grand. The other one was 700.

Jerry Pezzimenti with his first fish

Madeira

Jerry Pezzimenti with his first fish.

Madeira - 900

Madeira - 900

Madeira Blue Marlin

Madeira Blue Marlin

Luc with an 800. Hang on Luc!

Madeira Blues

Madeira Blues

Madeira big Blues

Madeira big Blues

Madeira- 900

Madeira- 900

Madeira - 800

Madeira - 800

Madeira - 900

Madeira - 900

Madeira - Grander

Madeira - Grander

Madeira - 850

Madeira - 850

Peter Fox gets a nice one.

Katherine Bristow releases a potential junior WR

Madeira

Katherine Bristow releases a potential junior WR.

Katherine in the chair

Madeira

Katherine in the chair.

Katherine with her first Big Eye Tuna.

Madeira

Katherine with her first Big Eye Tuna.

Madeira - 700

Madeira - 700

Luc in action. A great heavy tackle angler.

Madeira

Luc in action. A great heavy tackle angler.

Madeira - BET

Madeira - BET

Some years the BET stay all year long.

Cairns - 1973

Cairns - 1973

The Marlin Jetty with a crowd to watch a new Aussie record being weighed. Jo Jo and Jock Izatt on the left and Daphne Nielsen to the right. Jo Bethune weigh master.

WORLD RECORD on 80

WORLD RECORD on 80

Capt Peter Bristow. Gordon Hallam. Capt Jacky Lance. D. Mead Johnson.

Gordon Hallam

Gordon Hallam

Gordon talking to the entire population of Cooktown

Cairns 1973

Cairns 1973

First fish of the season. Cairns 1973

The good old days

The good old days

Capt Walter Voss on the left - my friend and mentor. Gordon Hallam. Ed Gould. John Nagan camera man John Bidell. Not a happy day for Mr Gould - he missed out on a grander by 11 pounds. Shucks !!