The First Marlin
'The First Marlin' - A Pioneering Game Fishing Documentary
​
Eager to see the world's earliest known swordfish (marlin) capture captured on film?
Interested in knowing how and who started the game fishing movement in Australia?
Want to know why making fishing films in the 1930s was so difficult?
Then see this and more in the Swordfish and Tunny Club's (STC) pioneering game fishing documentary - The First Marlin.
​
'The First Marlin' is a historically aligned documentary that discusses at length an important pioneering Australian fishing film. The film discussed, made in February 1934 by a group of intrepid big game anglers, as part of an expedition to discover new fishing grounds near the port of Bermagui on the New South Wales South-east coast, formalised the birth of the Swordfish and Tunny Club. It also contains the earliest recorded vision of a swordfish (marlin) capture on rod and reel.
The STC is heralded as the pioneering game fishing Club that started the game fishing movement here in Australia. The film presents amazing and inspiring accounts of game fishing practises and successes from that trip, as well as aspects of life in the 1930s.
​
STC Club members Jim Allen (Former Compleat Angler Tackle Stores Owner), Vic Teasdale (film buff), Tim Simpson (Bluewater Boats and Sportfishing Magazine owner and editor) and game fishing historian John McIntyre will delight you in dissecting parts of this ground breaking 1934 film and shedding light on the tackle, people and film equipment used and seen in the production. From Reg Lyne to Zane Grey, Bill Southam Rods to Super Marlin reels, Kodak film to Paillard Bolex cameras, no stone has been left unturned in this documentary as it expertly explores the origins of Australian game fishing, making it a must see for historians and anglers alike.
​
Want to know more? Here's the release article
The Swordfish and Tunny Club (STC), has produced a documentary film about the rise of gamefishing here in Australia.Titled ‘The First Marlin,’ the production focusses on the Club's first swordfish capture in 1934 by Reg Lyne and an unknown film he helped make that captured it all and is now turning heads aboard.
​
This 1934 film, the main focus in the documentary, has been recognised by the IGFA as holding the earliest recorded vision of a swordfish capture in the world, making it highly valuable, and formed the basis for the STC to make the production. STC Vice President, Scott Gowland, the producer, director and writer of the documentary noted that "when the 1934 film came to us via the National Sound and Film Archive the Club didn’t really understand its significance or importance or that it existed. It wasn’t until we delved more deeply and did some research on it we realised that we had something very special in our possession.”
​
Ironically the film was shot by a group of intrepid big game anglers as part of an expedition to test potential fishing grounds near the port of Bermagui on the New South Wales South-east coast. During this trip, the group founded the STC and from this started the game fishing movement in Australia.
“We were astounded to learn our Club's formation was in fact documented by this film,” Scott acknowledges.
Sprinkled with a bevy of well known fishing industry identifies, including STC Club members Jim Allen (Former Compleat Angler Tackle Stores Owner), Vic Teasdale (film enthusiast), Tim Simpson (BlueWater Boats and Game fishing Magazine owner and Editor-in-Chief) and game fishing historian John McIntyre, the documentaries cast delights viewers in dissecting parts of this ground breaking 1934 film and sheds light on the old style tackle, gamefishing pioneers and film equipment used and seen in the 1934 production. From Reg Lyne to Zane Grey, Bill Southam Rods to Super Marlin reels, Kodak film to Paillard Bolex cameras, no stone is left unturned as the production dutifully explores the origins of Australian gamefishing, making it a must see for historians and anglers alike.
Upcoming Screenings
Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic all planned screens of the documentary have been placed on hold.
Have a question about the documentary?
Please feel free contact us using contact form below. We are also fielding enquiries on screenings on behalf of game fishing clubs as a fundrasier event. A proposal will be completed soon in support of this concept.
​
​
​