Captain Eddy Lawler
Eddy Lawler is a highly experienced and extremely talented angler and fishing captain. At the helm of one of Australia’s premier sport and gamefishing operations, he spends upwards of 250 days a year providing the best bluewater, sport, game and fly fishing that the fish rich waters of Exmouth have to offer.
From the time he was old enough to hold a rod, Eddy would tag along with his dad, uncles and grandfather to fish and hunt throughout the state of Victoria’s north east. As a teenager, the scope of his angling passion broadened to include trout fishing the waters of the Snowy Mountains region, exploring the species of the vast Murrumbidgee River, and fishing the salt for snapper in Port Phillip Bay.
When he finished school, he headed to the Northern Territory and worked in a Darwin tackle store while studying to get his ticket, with a view to guiding on the Cobourg Peninsula. He spent 2005 and 2006 seasons guiding in Arnhem Land, during which time he met his now wife Sibby. They set off to travel Australia, fishing and surfing along the way, a trip that would include part time stints on commercial and charter fishing boats in Albany, in Australia’s South West. When their travels took them to Exmouth, on the North West Cape, in 2007, they fell in love with the place and have been there ever since.
While planning to start his own charter operation, Eddy took a job in a tackle shop, fishing and learning as much as he could about the sport and gamefishing potential in the Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Reef and the many offshore canyons in the Indian Ocean. As well as sportfishing locally every chance he got, he also pursued his love of popper fishing on trips to Fiji and Tonga, in a quest for a 100lb GT. During this time, he was also getting serious about billfishing, and worked the 2009 heavy tackle season on the Great Barrier Reef with legendary captain Ross Finlayson.
In 2010, Peak Sportfishing was established, and, as he awaited delivery of the Contender, Eddy was part of a team led by marlin fly fishing experts Australian Dean Butler and USA fly angler Tom Evans. During the month-long charter, the guys successfully caught and released 28 billfish on IGFA legal fly fishing tackle - an achievement that smashed any lingering doubts about the international standard gamefishing potential the Exmouth grounds.
Hard work and long fishing days are the cornerstones of any successful charter operation, and there’s been plenty of hard graft in the fine tuning of Peak Sportfishing crew’s techniques to optimise every opportunity. Still, as demanding as the operation can be, Eddy still enjoys the challenge of new fishing environments, and spent a month in 2015 crewing in Cape Verde for NZ lure maker Bonze Fleet, returning for two months the following year as captain, catching all up around 100 Atlantic blue marlin.
Today Eddy is committed to getting you the most out of your fishing experience. He is highly skilled in a wide variety of fishing styles, including fly fishing, sportfishing (especially popper fishing) and game fishing. His aim is to tailor your charter to suit you, focusing on whatever style you choose. He is there to offer as much or as little assistance as you desire, while combining knowledge and high quality service to deliver an unforgettable fishing adventure.