OzFish Welcomes Sammy to The Team!
If you have ever found yourself scrolling social media or YouTube on a rainy day in search of that next fishing fix, then you have probably come across Sammy Hitzke.
If his name doesn’t already ring a bell, Sammy is a gun angler residing in Queensland’s picturesque Southeast region, although you’re just as likely to find him wetting a line in almost any other part of this fishy country.
Sammy is a fishing and outdoor content specialist who over the last four years has been invited into the loungeroom of rec fishers all over Australia through his weekly YouTube clips. Each Sunday, Sammy sets out with a boat full of action cameras to take fishers of all levels of expertise along for the ride. Whether it be off the continental shelf jigging for bar cod, standing on the rocks spinning for tailor and mulloway or cooking up a feast at the end of the day, Sammy does it all, with over 10 million views to show for his troubles.
Over the years Sammy has authored a swag of informative articles for various fishing publications and has made many guest and presenter appearances on Ch7’s Creek to Coast and Ch10’s Reel Action TV. Sammy continually pushes the fishing boundaries and is always looking to develop new and exciting ways of enticing a bite.
OzFish is proud that Sammy has agreed to be an OzFish Ambassador and help in raising awareness for the protection and restoration of fish habitat in Australia!
This week, we sat down with Sammy to chat about some of his best fishing memories, and what it means to work with OzFish.
What is your favourite form of fishing and why?
I love just about all types of fishing and I’d give just about any technique or species a crack, but if I had to narrow it down to just one it would be spinning the rocks for big tailor and mulloway. There is something about standing on the rocks and casting lures knowing you might be in for a chance at one of the most elusive fish to swim in our waters.
What is three of your most notable/memorable captures and why?
My first big tailor that I caught last year off the beach, my first big mulloway on a hardbody and a stick-baiting Wahoo session at Cato Reef.
The first two are memorable because I had targeted those fish for years and years, put in loads of trips and it was just such an unreal experience to finally tick the box. If anyone has ever tried chasing big tailor off the beach or mulloway, you’ll know you have to be ready to filter through lot’s of smaller fish, and at times donuts! So it was great to be rewarded for all my effort.
The wahoo session was just one of those incredible fishing days where we were in the right spot at the right time and they were biting their heads off. One even jumped in the boat! A session I doubt I’ll ever witness again and certainly one to tell the grandkids.
What is it about OzFish that you want to be a part of sharing the message?
Well, who wouldn’t want to support an organization that is focusing on the restoration of our waterways to ensure healthy fisheries for the generations to come! It’s a no brainer. OzFish is the one organisation ensuring recreational anglers have a chance to give something back and contribute to habitat restoration, whether it’s volunteering their time, donating, or wearing the member cap as a badge of honour. The work of OzFish ultimately helps us, as recreational fishers, continue to do what we love. What is not to love about that?
I feel OzFish Unlimited are on the cusp of becoming legendary in Australia for the great work they do. They are an organisation dedicated to helping Aussie anglers continue to do what we love and it is a group I feel lucky to be a part of.
What is one area that you are super passionate about when it comes to fish conservation and/or fish habitat?
I want to make sure that my kids and their kids have the same fishing opportunities in my local areas as I’ve been lucky enough to have. I don’t think there’s a better thing in this world than enjoying some time with the family out on the water, so I want to make sure that those precious resources are well managed, and in some cases restored, before it’s too late. The fishing of the future depends on it.
What are you doing in the fishing industry today?
I’m doing quite a number of roles in the fishing industry at the moment.
I make weekly fishing videos for my YouTube channel “Sammy Hitzke Fishing”, I’m a presenter on Ch7’s Creek to Coast, I do fishing presentations at fishing a boating shows, I’m an ambassador for BCF Australia as well as a number of other companies in the industry and I also create fishing and outdoors marketing content for a number of companies just to cap it off. It keeps me very busy! But I love it.
To catch up on Sammy’s adventures, check out his Youtube Channel