The Burrill Lake resident recently competed in the inaugural Daiwa Hobie Kayak World Fishing Championships in Port Macquarie.

He successfully took out the world champion team event paired with the individual winner Scott Baker from Mornington in Victoria.

The championships also coincided with the grand final of the Daiwa Hobie Kayak Fishing Bream Classic.

Lewis failed to take out the individual honours, at the grand final, but through the season managed to win an incredible six of the 13 rounds, the best individual performance of any angler in the last 12 years.

His performance helped secure the Angler of the Year award, as well as, the number one ranking in Australia.

The modest world champion has been fishing all his life but puts his success down to luck and a little bit of patience.

“A friend of mine always says he’d rather be lucky than good,” he joked.

“You have to look at the situation, fish accordingly and have patience, I have a lot of patience.

“You can’t get frustrated if you’re not catching anything, you need to relax and be confident in what you are doing.”

There is a little more skill involved then Lewis makes out, he has spent years honing his tackle box, becoming so familiar with each lure that he knows exactly what he has available and the perfect conditions in which to use it.

“In the past I’ve been pretty active as far as experimenting goes,” he said.

“I always had new lures and tackle to try out and there are lots of spots around here where I like to practice.”

Formerly from England Lewis learnt to fish for Australian species while living in Burrill Lake.

He has lived in Burrill Lake for 10 years now and with a wealth of competition experience knows exactly the signs and subtleties to look out for.

While he intends on culling down his competition calendar next year, the keen angler is still ‘frothing’ for the 2012 season to kick off.

“I did a hell of a lot over the last few months but I will certainly be competing again next year,” he said.

“I don’t think it will be quite at the same level as I have been. I say that now but by the time the season starts I’ll start frothing again.”

Lewis aims to make the Australian team in 2012, to travel to the USA and compete in the second Daiwa Hobie Kayak World Championships where competitors will be targeting bass species