Name: Tayla Clatworthy

Pursuit: Individual Grant - Game Fishing

Tayla is a young woman with a strong drive and dreams to succeed in the sport of game fishing. She has been fishing since she was two years old and at now sixteen years of age is a very accomplished and successful female angler in a predominantly male dominated sport. Tayla began competing in tournaments in 2008 and she has shown her abilities with determination to succeed by pitting herself against other anglers, including female, male, junior and senior. As a junior she has achieved a lot including three state records, three Australian records and one world record.

When did you start? 2 years old, my dad taught me to fish!

Career highlight or biggest achievement? I have achieved so many different things in my fourteen years fishing; however one of my biggest achievements would be in 2010 during Gamex when I caught my first junior world record! Which was a Spanish mackerel caught on line class 4 kilo and weighed 16.7 kilos.

What is your dream? My dream is to compete at world class level and have my own fishing television show!

Who or what have inspired you?

Who's your hero? I have three hero’s Steve Irwin & My Dad (dirk)- He has inspired me become the best that I can be! My Dad is amazing at fishing and he teaches me so much about fishing and safety upon a boat! Dad is helping me too become the best and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t still be fishing he started teaching me when I was just two years old, I love that dad has given me the opportunity to fish and that he always pushes me to fish hard! He always tells me “No pain, No Game” he makes me work real hard but it always pays off and when I’ve done well he is always proud of me! Jenny Gates is also my hero, Jenny is not only a friend but is one of the highest achieving women I’ve ever met in my life. Jenny’s fishing skills are phenomenal she knows everything about everything. I look up to Jen, as she has inspired me to become the best at fishing as I can be. At approximately 25 years later Jen is still fishing and is one of the best in the World. Jen has also taught me how to write articles about fishing and is helping me develop my English skills. Jenny is not only a true fisherwoman ,but She also owns her own tackle shop with her husband Matt Gates and is the President of Exmouth Game Fishing Club, and she writes articles for Blue water Tackle , Jen has also been on the television show IFISH. I can only hope that I turn out half as good as Jen when I am older. She is a true inspiration!

Any other special talents? Singing, Playing the Saxophone, Jazz Voice Choir, surfing & I love playing football!

Favourite Music? A few of my favourite Artist are: Glee, Rihanna, Black Eyed Peas, P!nk, Shania Twaine, Katy Perry, T-Pain and Flo-Rida

Favourite Movie? I love lots of different movies from romance, to comedy to horror but my favourites would have to be the last song, The Hangover & meet the Fockers

Favourite Book?

Favourite TV Show?

Favourite Food? I love Spaghetti Bolognaise and Watermelon is a great treat after you have been fighting a fish for a good five hours (Very Refreshing)

How the grant will help you/how will you use the money? I live in Perth WA an attend boarding school at Penrhos college, while my family live 1300km away in a town called Exmouth, I would say Exmouth is the best place in Western Australia for fishing. This means that most of the big tournaments such as AIBT (Australian International Bill Fishing Tournament), Gamex and Bill Fish Bonanza are hosted in Exmouth. So coming home to fish a tournament during the year can be quiet expensive so I am only allowed to fish one competition a year. However since the grant it has allowed me to fly from Perth to Exmouth so I can compete at different fishing competition during the year, so most of my money will be used for air fares and competition fees. I am also hoping to use some money on new equipment such as a new rod or reel.

Last words: Quote or Motto you live by? “Do it properly or don’t do it at all”