Starlo’s World: A Visit with Steve Starling and His Beastmaster Snubby

Step into Starlo’s world—a place where fishing, storytelling, and a lifelong passion for the water come together. Steve Starling, one of Australia’s most respected recreational fishing authorities, has spent decades at the forefront of the sport. Generations of anglers have followed his adventures through Rex Hunt’s Fishing Adventures, countless fishing and boating magazines, the iconic Starlo & Bushy tackle line (home of the legendary Squidgies soft plastics), more than twenty published books, and, most recently, digital and television appearances on platforms like FishFlicksTV and The Offroad Adventure Show. His latest venture, A Fisherman’s Life with Starlo, continues that legacy, sharing both the joy and the craft of angling.

My visit with Steve took me to his idyllic hometown of Tuross Head, a charming fishing community on the far south coast of New South Wales. It’s easy to see why he calls it paradise: the rugged peaks of the Great Dividing Range ease into lush farmland, winding rivers, and shimmering estuaries before meeting sapphire-blue waters and golden beaches. This is “Starlo Country,” where fishing and lifestyle blend perfectly.

We met at the Tuross Boat Shed, Steve’s go-to spot before launching onto his home waters. Over breakfast and coffee—something he insists is essential before any good fishing session (“Bushy taught me that you can’t fish properly without coffee!”)—we chatted about trends, tackle, and his latest pride and joy: the Beastmaster Snubby 500, powered by a Yamaha F70 four-stroke tiller steer.

Now, both in our late fifties, we share an understanding of what many years of offshore fishing can do to one’s back and knees. Steve laughed, claiming he’s “well on the way to becoming a cranky old luderick angler with a clinker putt-putt and a centrepin reel.” For now, though, his new Snubby 5-metre rig suits him perfectly. With a top speed of around 30 knots at 6100 RPM and an easy cruising range of 22–25 knots, it delivers efficiency, stability, and the right balance of speed for serious estuary fishing.

The Beastmaster Story

Beastmaster Boats, based in Hervey Bay, Queensland, is the creation of Robbie Ferguson, a perfectionist boat builder who produces a handful of bespoke, high-performance fishing boats annually. Models include the 440 and the Snubby 500—Steve’s chosen ride. Robbie’s approach is entirely custom: each build is tailored to the buyer, with progress updates and direct input along the way. It’s a patient angler’s process, where waiting times may extend to two years and beyond.

Many were surprised to see Steve return to a tiller-steer layout, but his reasoning was simple—“I wanted to maximise deck space.” The design achieves excellent balance even with two large anglers moving around. The solid fibreglass hull, built with compartmentalised flotation, delivers superb stability and a reassuringly solid feel on the water.

The hull’s shape is particularly clever: a fine flared bow leads back through strakes and reverse chines to a moderate-V hull, incorporating subtle concave sections along the keel that enhance lift and tracking. The result is a soft, dry ride with outstanding stability and shallow draft—perfect for flats fishing, where Starlo spends most of his time chasing bream, flathead, estuary perch, and whiting.

His first experience with the Snubby design came in Hervey Bay with guide Mark Bargenquast, where long runs across wind-chopped water are common. Achieving both stability and comfort in a narrow hull is no small feat, yet the Snubby nails the balance beautifully. Its 1.9-metre beam feels surprisingly roomy while maintaining seaworthiness for close offshore work. The fibreglass construction helps absorb vibration, soften the ride, and insulate against temperature extremes.

Smart, Functional Design

The Layout

The layout is simple but effective: a spacious forward casting deck with ample underfloor storage, rear platforms that house batteries, and neatly wired switchgear accessed via bulkhead hatches. The non-skid deck can have an optional self-draining system that channels water to a unique sump and engine-well arrangement. There’s also a plumbed live well at the stern, which drains into the sump rather than overboard—a system Steve reckons might benefit from a minor tweak, but otherwise works well.

What’s Old Is New Again

Starlo’s optional beige colour scheme is reminiscent of the 1970s, when muted tones and off-white decks were common. The finish reduces glare for the passengers and lessens underwater reflection, which can spook skittish fish on the flats—a smart and subtle advantage. (I was thankful for it after losing my sunglasses overboard!)

The fit and finish are outstanding. The deck-to-hull bonding uses an overlapping flange instead of a traditional gunwale strip, creating a seamless, strong join that adds rigidity and a sleek aesthetic. Steve opted for computer-cut SeaDek across all decks and coamings for traction and comfort, featuring a camouflage-style pattern complete with an integrated ruler for quick fish measurements and photo-proof releases.

Space, Balance, and Precision

The tiller-steer setup offers an open, uncluttered workspace ideal for casting. Steve added a raised rear poling deck, giving him better sightlines and casting distance over shallow water. Instead of using a push pole, he relies on a Motorguide Xi5 55lb 12-volt electric motor for silent, remote-controlled manoeuvring. He joked about his choice of the black freshwater model as it matched the trim, and tried to tell me it wasn't due to fashion - "yeah, sure Starlo", I laughed! Yet he did after fit it with saltwater anodes to reduce corrosion.

A tubular alloy seat frame occupies the space where a console might usually go, providing a perch for hanging tackle bags and cameras. The backrest doubles as a grab rail for stability when standing at the tiller. A removable U-shaped rail at the front casting deck adds extra security when moving around the boat.

Final Thoughts

Steve Starling’s Beastmaster Snubby 500 isn’t just another fishing boat—it reflects his fishing philosophy: practical, efficient, and tailored to real-world conditions. Built by hand, powered by a reliable Yamaha four-stroke, and finished with thoughtful detail, it’s a rig that perfectly suits his home waters at Tuross Head—shallow, scenic, and full of fish.

For Steve, simplicity and precision have come full circle. What’s old truly is new again.

Yamaha F70

This is Steve’s second Yamaha F70 four-stroke, and it’s easy to see why he rates them so highly — I completely agree. My first encounter with this model was around eight years ago, during the maiden voyage of a 5-metre Javelin powered by the same engine. The Javelin featured a deep-V hull with bold strakes, pronounced chines, and a heavy commercial-grade fibreglass layup, so I wasn’t expecting much in the way of lively performance. To my surprise, the F70 proved exceptional — pushing that hull with ease on an extended offshore trip from Cooktown to Lizard Island, and then up along Cape York to Cape Melville and Princess Charlotte Bay. Even after years of use across different boats, I’ve never found fault with the F70. It consistently performs above its class — a true overachiever. Yamaha claims that “the launch of the F70 redefined customer expectations for mid-range outboards,” and I’d have to agree.

The F70’s engineering is impressive. It is a four-cylinder, 16-valve SOHC design with four valves per cylinder, producing remarkable output from just under one litre of displacement (996cc). Yamaha credits its exceptional performance to improved volumetric efficiency — better airflow and exhaust flow that enhance torque and reduce fuel consumption, all while keeping the unit compact and lightweight.

It’s fitted with Yamaha’s Electronic Fuel Injection system, which ensures ultra-smooth delivery and responsive power. The Prime Start feature automatically adjusts warm-up settings for easy ignition, and the Variable Trolling Control allows for fine 50RPM adjustments — a thoughtful touch for those who spend hours trolling at low speeds.

I also appreciated the ergonomics — all the key controls fall naturally to hand. The trim and tilt switch, conveniently located at the end of the tiller handle, allows for true one-handed operation — something not all competitors get right.

Wrap-Up

There comes a point where experience tells you exactly what works. Over decades of fishing, Steve has owned and tested an impressive lineup of sportfishing boats, but this latest setup seems to tick every box. Both he and his wife, Jo, are passionate anglers — equally skilled with lures and flies. In fact, Jo has committed to her own “Fly Gear Gap Year,” exclusively using fly tackle for a full twelve months. The Snubby’s innovative design and versatility perfectly complement their style, and the Yamaha F70 ties it all together — a lightweight, efficient powerhouse that completes this dream fishing combination.

Starlings Beast Master Review Specifications

Length: 5.0 metres (16′ 6″)

Beam: 1.98 metres (6′ 6″)

Hull depth: 0.76 metres (2′ 6″)

Hull sides: 0.57 metres (1′ 11″)

Draft: 0.26 metres (10″)

Dry Hull Weight: approx. 375 kilos

 

Performance

RPM

SPEED KNOTS

SPEED KM/H

3500

15

28

4000

20

37

5000

25

46

6000

29

54

6100 WOT

30

55.5

Boat Built By: Robert (Robbie) Ferguson, Beastmaster Boats, Hervey Bay, Qld

 

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This is an updated version of an article that previously appeared on Tradeaboat.com.au, which is now powered by Only Boats.

 


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