Meet the Team

Darren Weda

At his happiest and most content when on the water, fishing provides Darren with many things in his. An escape from the stresses of day-to-day life, a chance to explore and travel, and the opportunity to learn and expand his skills to find and catch fish, fishing is more than an interest to Darren, it’s a defining element to his life and who he is.

While the adventures, challenges, and the fish themselves are key attributes to Darren’s angling life the ability to capture it through the lens of the camera adds an important element to his passion for the fishing lifestyle.

About Darren

Name:

Darren Weda

Location (City/State):

Yarra Ranges, VIC

Profession/Job:

Water Supply Operator

Favourite angling location?

Tough one. I'll keep it a bit broad and just say East Gippsland in Victoria.

Favourite species to chase?

Another really tough one. But I'd have to pick black bream.

Favourite style of angling?

Fishing edges with topwater or hardbody lures.

When did the love of fishing grab you and was there someone that got you into it?

My grandpa used to take me fishing as a kid, probably starting back when I was 8-9. We would go chase redfin from the bank with bait, and every year we would go stay at Metung and fish off the jetties for bream. I reckon that's where it all started for me. Later in life when I got my license I really got into fly fishing for trout as it was quite accessible from where I lived. That morphed into some fly fishing for estuary species, and luckily that coincided with the years that soft plastics came onto the fishing scene. So, the natural progression was learning to fish soft plastics for trout and bream. That’s what kick started my love of chasing bream on lures.

What was the style of fishing that you did when your first started fishing?

Bait fishing as a kid, then fly fishing as a young adult and onto lure fishing. It was all land based back then.

What (e.g. escapism, competition, connection with people/nature) does angling give you?

Escapism, adventure, and travel is a huge part of why I love to fish. Being able to get out and see this amazing country and being able to zone out from the day-to-day stress. It is definitely a type of meditation for a lot of us.

Who or what inspires your angling?

I get inspired to explore new parts of the country, challenge myself to catch fish with different techniques, and to try and create some high-quality content that will help inspire others.

What has been your favourite moment/memory in fishing?

Would probably have to be the first metre cod that I caught back in 2017. After doing a lot of hard yards with new techniques, in a relatively new fishery I will never forget the sight of a big green fish slowly rising out of the clear depths and exploding on my surface lure.

What’s your angling goals for the future?

I still have so many places I'd like to go and fish within VIC and Australia. So many more adventures are to be had, kayaking, and hiking wild rivers. I also want to compete in a full season of one of the bream comps. Keep creating informative content.

What advice would you give to new anglers entering the sport?

Enjoy the ride. Take social media with a grain of salt. Find genuine friends who you can fish with that have the same passion as us. Listen, you can learn a lot by listening. Don't be afraid to ask questions, lots of great people willing to help.

What can we do as anglers to make our sport and the industry better in the future?

Share our passion for fishing in an informative and open way. Teach where we can and set a good example. Show respect for the fish, and our waterways.

What does the Daiwa brand mean to you?

Daiwa to me means, quality, family, and the future of fishing tackle in Australia. Constantly innovating and trying to improve.