Frank Gaukroger

Frank's the more seasoned bloke in the team! - an experienced and entrepreneurial businessman who used to head up a multi-franchise (Holden, Nissan, Daewoo) motor dealership @ Inverell, NSW. He now manages the Predatek production team @ Port Macquarie and thinks about strategic product development. Mixes a mean colour scheme and tinkers with the ultrasonic welder and pad printers.

Conservative by nature, he's a good balance for his cousin on the right. Loves mucking around in boats.

Doesn't do enough fishing these days, but that goes with the territory of being a lure maker as opposed to a lure buyer! Has been known to leave a rod unattended while trolling a Viper and have it pulled out of the boat by a Spanish mackerel. Amazing thing is that he later found the lure floating in the sea and was able to retrieve his rod and reel, still attached! The fish got away...of course.

Married to Sue with a family of three; David, Lisa, and Sarah. Sue also works at Predatek, managing the assembly and packaging operations.

Favourite fish? Murray cod, bass, barramundi, mangrove jack. Will not eat fish - therefore a good catch-and-release man!

Kevin Clark
(now retired from the company)

Kevin, "Clarky", is affectionately known as the bearded bloke. A natural fisherman. Vic McCristal (the doyen of Australian outdoor writers) once described Kev as having an almost aboriginal sense for fishing. He has a keen eye and is a streamcraft exponent. If there is a fish anywhere in the vicinity, Kev can usually locate and catch it.

His practical knowledge helped land him a job as a technical assistant at the Grafton Fisheries research Centre. He had a long and successful association with NSW Fisheries efforts to develop artificial breeding techniques for the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod.

An acclaimed bass fisherman, he knows the northern rivers district of NSW - the best riverine territory for bass in Australia - better than anybody.

Kevin always has the best interests of fish and fisheries at heart and is a committed catch-and-release angler. He was catching and releasing fish with a kiss long before Rex Hunt started doing it on TV!

He's something of an angling activist and has a history of jumping up and down to get the attention of those who have the power to make positive changes to fisheries laws.

These days Kev is retired in the Kyogle area and maintains an active interest in the craft of lure fishing.

Rob Smith

Rob's the younger bloke in the team - but not as young as in this photo! Loves freshwater fishing, has a degree in Zoology, 23 years experience in IT and marketing, and oversees the technical and graphic design team @ Predatek. A prolific burner of midnight oil.

Used to be a freelance fishing writer/photographer in the 80's before the team got serious about lure making. Loves thinking about possibilities, experimenting, and challenging conventional thinking. Likes to tinker with things that ain't broke, in case they can be improved.

Like Frank, doesn't do enough fishing these days but promises to fix that. Loves any fish that will try to steal a lure, but has a soft spot for Murray cod and anything pelagic. Thinks mangrove jacks are just about the coolest looking fish around - but hasn't yet landed a Papuan black bass.

Tends to be a careless at times and either hooks himself or his offspring if they get too close in the boat. Give him a wide berth if you see him on the water! Absent minded and prone to daydreaming.

Married to computer-widow Ruby, and has three young boys, Dylan, Matthew and Benjamin, who love fishing too (They have no choice!).

Excerpt from an article by Dr Brian Pratt, talking about the history of lure fishing in Australia:

"There are lots of other reminiscences. One that was particularly significant was on a trip to northern NSW to fish Copeton and other reservoirs and rivers and bumping into a remarkably knowledgeable, quiet young man who hand-carved his own lures and caught lots of fish on them. His name was Rob Smith and yes, he, with Kevin Clark and Frank Gaukroger later put the famous Boomerang lures on the market. These fellows and others are the new wave of anglers and lure makers in Australia. They have changed the face of lure production and use by shifting this country from a dependence on imported lures to widespread use of Australian patterns. Australian-designed and Australian-made. Made to suit our fish and our fishing conditions. Apart from making good fishing sense it does a heck of a lot for our balance of trade. More power to your inventive and manufacturing skills chaps and ladies. Keep them rolling out and I'll keep using them."

Dr Brian Pratt - Tackle Retailer & Fishing Writer
"How it was"
Freshwater Fishing Australia - 50th Issue - May 2000