Captain Billy Billson
1957-2020
The Legacy
Brad Craft - Captain
If I had only three words to describe Capt. Billy, they would be innovative, passionate and competitive.
Throughout his life, Billson was responsible for a number of game and sports fishing achievements, including as a five-time winner of the Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic, and a four-time winner of the NSW interclub tournament.
Other records his boats have held include the largest blue marlin weighed (836lb), the largest game fish on a saltwater fly, a 289lb blue marlin caught on a 20lb tippet, and the largest striped marlin on fly, weighing in at 231lb, on a 16lb tippet.
Billson was known to chase the big fish. Other catches logged on his watch include 11 marlin weighing more than 1000lb, with two of those tipping the scales at 1200lb. Over one season out of Cairns, Viking II twice caught more than 100 fish for a single black marlin season using a new technique he had developed.
Ian Bladin - president of the Game Fishing Association of Australia
“Billy Billson was larger than life, his contribution to our sport was incredible and there are many skippers out there who learned so much working the deck for the big fella on their way up in the world,”
In 1995, after 10 years as Captain of the Viking, one of Capt. Billy Billson’s long term clients Tom Pfleger formed a partnership to design and build a new state-of-the art sport fisher. Bill was commissioned by Tom to be the sole principal for the design and construction of the most versatile and practical sport fishing boat. It suits live aboard charters and day trips on the East Coast of Australian waters. The result is the magnificent 46ft Viking II built by Frank Woodnut. Capt. Billy Billson ran the boat successfully until his passing in 2020. Today the Viking II is still state of the art and considered to be one of the most practical and versatile sport fishers Australia can offer. Viking II is currently owned by one of Capt. Billy Billson’s great friends and long-time fishing companion. It is run by 2 of Billy’s former crew with the aim of keeping the legacy alive.
