Advertise on podcast: Reel Tails with Sweens

This episode I sit down with Hayden Wright overlooking the beautiful Tutukaka harbour.During this episode Hayden shares some incredible ‘Tails’ of his journey growing up with the sport of game fishing.We cover a range of topics, from catching his first marlin with his late great Pop Wynne Going to winning this years Kubota Billfish Classic, the largest Billfish tournament in the world.We also discuss, the incredible fishing he has experienced at the Whanganella Banks, chasing Blue Marlin in Tonga, kingfish on light tackle, using an omni directional sonar and so much more.

This episode I catch up with Luke Davis to discuss all things Marlin fishing.We get a ‘Reel’ insight into Luke’s journey from taking four years to catch his first marlin, to now being one of New Zealand’s most consistent Marlin fisherman.We cover a range of topics from his introduction to using light gauge hooks, to then being a big part of the development of the hook so many of us use today.We also discuss the phenomenal fishing location that is the Whanganella Banks, the magical spot that is Hokianga, catching Marlin without a hook, tips, tricks, the secrets and so much more.

This episode I catch up with Bonze to discuss all things Blue Marlin. During this podcast you are going to get some awesome information on how to find, hook and land Blue Marlin, from someone that has been on the journey from beginner to 2x World Billfish champion skipper for the most tagged and most captured Blue Marlin in the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout his journey he has also been lucky enough to fish with and alongside some of the greatest Blue Marlin fisherman of all time. Which has helped him build up an incredible amount of knowledge to share from the lessons he has learnt along the way. also includes fishing in some of the best Blue Marlin fisheries in the world such as Kona, Hawaii, Cape Verde and the Azores.

This episode I catch up with Aaron Cruden, Cruds is a professional rugby player and his career has had some amazing experiences. From starting out in the mighty Manawatu to play for teams in New Zealand such as, the Hurricanes, Chiefs and the All Blacks. Then abroad to play for Montpellier in France and Suntory in Japan then full circle to return to New Zealand and play here in the Waikato for the mighty Mooloos. Through this podcast you will get a great insight on professional sport from one of the very best to ever play the game of rugby here in New Zealand. We discuss the importance of leadership, game management and how he has a heavy focus on life blance. We also discuss the Chiefs winning back to back Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013, kicking the winning conversion to secure the All Blacks undefeted season and so much more.

This episode I catch up with Jimmy Brown.Jimmy is a professional skipper and has had some experiences that most can only dream of. His journey from a 12ft tinnie to skippering Jaruco a 90ft Jarrett Bay with a build cot of $24,000,000 USD has been amazing.Some of the tails he shares will blow your mind.Such as setting the world record of over 900 Blue marlin in a single year and at times travelling travelling over 200 nautical miles to the fishing grounds. We also discuss catching a 344 kg Swordfish with good friend Tony Carpenter off Hokianga, Giant Black marlin, fishing with the legend that is Chris Ash and so much more.

This episode I catch up with Mark Collins.Mark is a deckhand, skipper, boat builder and an extremely well rounded fisherman. As you will hear through this podcast Mark has gained a very high skill set over time when it come to all things fishing.We cover a range of topics from our first time meeting at a boat ramp to catching a marlin on our very first day fishing together. We also discuss targeting swordfish, the skills he developed fishing on a wharf, catching over 10 billfish with his son, kingfish over 50kg on Pursuit, 14 hour long battles with fish and so much more.

This episode I sit down with Tom Martin from Shard Studios.As you will hear during this podcast Tom is a very well balanced and self aware individual. Especially considering he is only 23 years of age. We cover a range of topics such as how his frustration in a rugby changing room pregame led to his world’s first multi tool for rugby and football players.We also discuss the mental health challenges of back to back ACL injuries, how he fuels his creative side and how passionate he is to be successful in both rugby and his engineering career.

This episode I sit down with Bonze and we discuss the evolution of my boat Mini Chiefie.We share in detail the changes we have made and the learnings we have taken along the way.The podcast has been a great platform for us to share information to help keen fishos build their confidence when targeting marlin. As you will hear the journey has been extremely enjoyable for us both and we hope that you can take some learnings that we have had and apply them to your fishing.

This episode I catch up with Joe and Kate founders and directors of Ironclad. Ironclad as a company was founded in 2019 and have been producing cast iron cookware with a three generation guarantee.During this podcast you will hear a great Tail of passion, perseverance and loyalty. We cover some great topics such as starting a company during a global pandemic to losing it all over night and having to rebuild.We also get to know Joe and Kate, what drives them to deliver such an awesome product and so much more.

This episode I catch up with Joe Edlington or as many of you will know him J.E. Wilds. Joe is one of New Zealands leading content creators. He does this by documenting his Hunting and Fishing adventers through his YouTube channels JE Wilds Hunting and JE Wilds Fishing. Alot has changed for Joe since he was last a guest on the podcast and through this epidsode he shares the next chapter of his 'Tail'. Catching big Kingfish off the rocks, becoming a father, Hunting the red stag of a lifetime in the remote west coast bush, this episode has it all.

This episode I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Amanda, Geoff and Jeremy Wells. Two of the three generations that have owned and operated Kilwell Sports.Kilwell Sports that started out as Rotorua Sports 90 years ago by Jeremy’s late father John has grown into one of New Zealand’s most iconic distributors of Fishing, Hunting and Outdoors goods. As you will hear in this podcast it’s not only the sporting goods where the Kilwell brand has become recognisable both here in New Zealand and round the world.As you can imagine with 90 years of business there are many Tails to share, From Jeremy moving to USA in the late 1960’s living off $19 a day and learning to produce fishing rod blanks, to Geoff becoming a New Zealand trap shooting champion and being fortunate enough to learn off the best to ever do it. We also discuss Amanda never really having a passion for the outdoors but is now one of the key figures in one of New Zealand’s biggest outdoors distributors, the lasting impact the business has had on the Rotorua community and families, developing components for some of the worlds most successful businesses and so much more.

This episode I catch up with my instagram pen pal turned great mate Aaron Styles. As many of you will know Azza is the founder of the clothing brand Just Another Fisherman. During this podcast we discuss the journey both he and the brand have been on. As you will hear they are both in a great space. We discuss a broad range of topics from personal routines, family, friendships, mental health, fishing, celebrating success, the importance of spending time with ya mates, Anglers Escape and so much more.

This episode I’m back with Bonze to share some insight into Teaser systems for lure fishing when targeting marlin. We follow along the same lines as we did with the ‘Boat Set Up’ episode with the aim to share some of Bonze’s knowledge on a very useful tool when targeting marlin, in particular striped marlin here in New Zealand. We both share our observations from our experiences of fishing with a well set up teaser system. We breakdown the different types of teasers from surface chain teasers to dredges and the part they play to help increase your chances. We also discuss how you can set up your system and the different levels of investment to do so, as well as an epic Blue marlin Tail.

This episode I had the pleasure of joining Hamish Beattie in his workshop to discuss all things NaCl Lures, but as you will learn there is more to Hamish than just being a great lure maker. We cover a broad range of topics, from spending his childhood on the rivers of Hawkes Bay fly fishing with his family, his first humbling experience of fishing East Cape with his Dad and being extremly under gunned. We also discuss what it was like to work for the United Nations helping develop communities in Kenya, how he credits his early days of tying flies to the development of his business NaCl Lures, his passion for fishing with sustainable practices, what success is for his business NaCl Lures, the development of his custom boat and so much more…

This episode I sit down with Alex Waller or as many of you may know him, the creator of New Zealand’s leading fly fishing YouTube channel Trippin on Trout. During this podcast we discuss a broad range of topics such as, fishing stocked lakes as a kid and having to purchase capture tickets from a vending machine lakeside, the special bond he had with his grandad over their shared love of fly fishing and coming to New Zealand to be a skydive instructor. We also discuss our addictive personalities and how we use fishing to channel this, the grounding influence fishing has been for him through life, how important it is for mental health, using his YouTube channel to share knowledge and awareness, dry fly fishing the backcountry and so much more..