He was photographed with his catch, a 1.6kg bream caught in Wallis Lake using a soft plastic lure, before it was released back into the water. 

The resulting photo has been used on the front cover of Fishing World magazine, which hit stands recently. 

Chef Chris, who owns Restaurant 26 in Forster, said bream was a tasty fish, but this one was lucky enough to be released back into the water. 

“I let them all go,” he said.   “For me, fishing is about the sport, the fun.”

Photographer Shane has had his work used in Fishing World many times and photos of Chris with catches of jewfish and bream have appeared on inside pages many times. But Chris said there was a special excitement to seeing the photo on the front cover. 

Shane said the front cover-worthy fish may make another appearance on the end of someone else’s line when it is much bigger. 

Chris said he has caught larger bream in the lake, up to 2kg, but only a couple of times a year. 

He has been bream fishing for 30 years and over the last 15 years has taken up team competition. At the Gamakatsu Team Bream Series held at Taree on Sunday April 13, Chris was proving his ability to land big fish, taking home the prize for the biggest bream caught on the day. It weighed in at 1.108kg. 

In June, Chris and his fishing partner Peter McKinnon from Nabiac will be hitting the water when the next round of the Gamakatsu series comes to Wallis Lake. 

They will be aiming to catch the heaviest five-fish haul of the day, emulating the success of Forster fisho Todd Riches, who took home first place in the Taree event. 

Chris will be hoping his intimate knowledge of the lake will help get him over the line. 

Shane said Chris was known for keeping his best spots to himself. 

“He told me he caught (the 1.6kg bream) near an oyster lease, but I don’t know if I believe him,” he said. 

“He doesn’t even tell his mates where he fishes.”

In reply, Chris said a fisherman’s got to have some secrets.