Steve Starling
Fishing/Boating/Outdoor Journalist & TV Presenter
Steve
Starling is one of Australia's best known and most highly respected
fishing and outdoor journalists. He has published in excess of 15
books and a CD-ROM on the subject of angling, as well as thousands of
magazine articles, both here and overseas. In addition, Steve has
scripted and presented several instructional videos, and has been a
researcher and on-screen presenter for both "Rex Hunt's Fishing World"
and "The Great Outdoors", both on the Seven Network. Currently, he is
co-host of "Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures" on Seven, co-host of "The
Australian Fishing Show" on Foxtel's Lifestyle Channel, and a regular
summertime presenter of the "Legends of Fishing" radio program on
Sydney's 2GB.
Starling had his first magazine article accepted at the age of 16,
while in his final year of school. Later, he went on to the
University of NSW to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and
English and a Diploma in Education, qualifying as a secondary school
English/History teacher in 1980. Following a stint as a teacher in
the arid outback, he left the
Education Department to take up a
position as Assistant Editor of Fishing World magazine (Yaffa
Publishing). After three months with this company, and just prior to
his 22nd birthday, Steve became Editor of the magazine.
During his four years with Yaffa Publishing, Starling helped break
all previous sales records for Fishing World, and elevated the title
to the position of Australia's top-selling angling monthly. Late in
1984, he left the Editor's chair to become a Field Editor and
full-time freelance writer, publishing his first hard-cover book early
the following year.
In 1987/88, Steve was the Editor of Bay Books' highly successful
weekly part-work publication entitled "Fishing Australia" and chief
scriptwriter for the ABC television series "Go Fish Australia", hosted
by the late John Meillon. Upon completing these tasks at the end of
1988, he departed for a year's working holiday in North America, where
he became the founding Editor of "Canadian Sportfishing" magazine; now
Canada's top-selling angling publication. He also appeared on the
popular North American television program of the same name.
Since his return to Australia at the end of 1989, Starling has
continued to develop and expand his freelance market. He has been a
Field Editor, contributor and columnist for Modern Fishing, Small
Boat
Fishing, Freshwater Fishing Australia, Rex Hunt Fishing adventures,
Fly Life, Sydney Afloat and Canadian Sportfishing magazines, as well
as a frequent contributor to several other domestic and international
titles, including the American magazine, Fly Fishing in Salt Waters,
and the
Japanese title, Sport Anglers. His work has been translated
into seven languages, and his stories and photographs have appeared in
travel, outdoor and angling publications from Sweden, Norway and
Poland to the United States and Japan.
Not surprisingly, Steve Starling's fishing expertise and experience
is extensive. He has cast a line in every state of Australia, as
well as more than a dozen other countries, including Papua New Guinea,
New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, The Solomons, Thailand, Finland, Norway,
Russia, Canada, Britain, the United States and Japan. At the age of
18, he was recognised as a "Master Angler" by the Australian National
Sportfishing Association (ANSA), and held six national fishing records
by his 20th birthday.
In October, 1981, while competing in the Air Canada Tuna Cup on the
icy waters off Nova Scotia, Starling became the first Australian ever
to land a bluefin tuna weighing in excess of 1,000 pounds; ultimately
winning this prestigious event for his country. In 1984, he was half
of the victorious
Australian team which beat competitors from around
the world at a media salmon fishing tournament staged in British
Columbia, Canada. In 1991, he set a new World Record mark for
Australian salmon (kahawai) on fly fishing tackle, landing the largest
example of this species ever recorded anywhere in the world by a
fly-casting angler. In 1995, he was joint runner-up in the inaugural
Broome Fly Rod Tournament, catching and releasing three Indo-Pacific
sailfish on fly. More recently, in August 1998, he joined the ranks
of that small elite of saltwater fly rodders who have successfully
landed a black marlin on fly fishing tackle.
Steve is equally at home casting tiny dry flies to timid trout in
alpine brooks, fishing the wave-pounded ocean rock ledges around his
seaside home south of Sydney, or chasing giant marlin, tuna and sharks
on the deep ocean grounds offshore from the world's most famous game
fishing ports. It would be true to say that no other Australian
angler has Starling's depth of knowledge and widespread expertise on
fishing, nor his extensive communication skills. With an output well
in excess of a quarter of a million published words each year and his
regular television appearances, he is clearly one of this country's
most prolific and high-profile fishing communicators
