Meet the Team

Joshua Davey

Fishing is a constant and a profound presence in Josh’s life with the Adelaide local splitting his life between his job as Fisheries Research Officer and his obsession as a passion filled lure angler.

With a connection with the aquatic world that runs deep Josh’s angling is broad and varied, a diversity that often sees him heading offshore to chase kingfish one day, then fishing a small river or stream for yellowbelly or redfin the next.

About Joshua

Name:

Joshua Davey

Location (City/State):

Adelaide, SA

Profession/Job:

Fisheries Research Officer

Favourite angling location?

South Australia’s West Coast

Favourite species to chase?

Yellowtail kingfish

Favourite style of angling?

Jigging or topwater

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

My first fishing memories stem from trips with my grandfather at a young age (< 5 years old). He taught me the fundamentals of fishing land based for squid and bread and butter species which I will be forever grateful for. As I got older, my love for fishing grew to an arguably obsessive level. I started riding my bike to my local jetty and estuary after school, began working in the tackle industry and even purchased my first boat before my first car. This passion has only developed with age, leading me down the path of marine science and diversifying my target species.

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

For the first year or two I was addicted to chasing squid (Southern Calamari) off my local jetty. Eventually this led to me diversifying into fishing an estuary not too far from my house, where I would start my bream fishing journey. Captivated by using lures to catch squid, I wanted to try the same to catch fish. My transition to estuary fishing coincided nearly perfectly with the boom of bream fishing with soft plastics, providing the ideal opportunity. For years this was nearly my primary focus, honing my technique and skills within my local estuary. Eventually leading me to kayak fishing and entering bream tournaments. This steered me to travelling inter and intrastate, exposing me to a wide variety of people, techniques, and opportunity. The rest is history.

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

Originally my fishing deep dive was almost solely to escape reality, albeit just for an hour or so. A mental reset and something to focus my energy on. I still treat fishing as this escape; however, my time fishing has deepened my connection to and my understanding of the natural world. Not to mention the incredible people and opportunities the fishing world has exposed me to.

Who or what inspires your angling?

Honestly as cheesy as it is, for me it’s the thrill of the chase. The constant striving to figure out a new species, a new technique, a new location. The options are endless and there is always a bigger fish to catch. I thoroughly enjoy the problem-solving component of fishing and trying new things which will always keep my mind busy, because at the end of the day you never “complete”, “win” or “finish” fishing.

What has been your favourite moment/memory in fishing?

My favourite fishing moment is such a difficult thing to pin down to just a sole experience. I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to some incredible fishing opportunities. I must say the ones that stick out to me are the ones I worked the hardest for. My first big cod out of the Murray River, my PB Kingfish and catching my first barrel tuna are all highlights that stick out to me in my angling career.

What’s your angling goals for the future?

To put it simply, catch new fish in new locations and upgrade those PBs.
In saying that, finally cracking a 50lb mulloway or a 150cm topwater kingfish are high on the priority list.

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

Do it for the love of it, stay humble and be open to new ideas. But above all, be earth friendly and respect the fish you catch and the waterways you are fishing.

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

Priority number one is to look after our fisheries. Take on advice from science and work together to keep our fisheries as sustainable as possible. There also needs to be a mindset shift amongst rec anglers to erode the tall poppy syndrome which can be rife amongst angling communities. At the end of the day, we all have the same goals and interests.

What does the Daiwa brand mean to you?

Believe me when I say that I have always been the world’s biggest Daiwa fan. As a youngster, most kids have their favourite sporting personality or celebrity to look up to. For me it was my favourite Daiwa Angler. In my mind there is no better innovator in the game, with products designed by anglers for anglers. Those that try Daiwa typically don’t go back, and I am an outcome of that.