Kelly is a 2nd generation in the Cairns giant black marlin fishing charter industry her father being well-known captain Jim Dalling. She was born and bred in north Queensland and grew up on the water with her parents Jim and Anne, and caught her first world record as an 8 year old fishing the annual Whitsunday Tournament (Anne is also a world record holding angler).
After graduating university, Kelly took some time away from fishing, living and working overseas in Japan. She then returned to Australia and the reef in 2005, and has been working on board ever since. With so many seasons on the reef, she’s seen as much action as even the most seasoned deckies!
A latecomer to the estuary fishing side, she is now also a veteran of 8 Gulf barramundi seasons and is just as comfortable casting into mangroves as switching juvenile black marlin off the teaser. Her PB saltwater barramundi left (108cm – PB impoundment is 120!)
Kelly also serves on the committee of the Cairns Professional Game Fishing Association and was the driving force behind the very successful 50th Anniversary Cairns Black Marlin Tournament (celebrating the anniversary of the first 1000lb black marlin caught off Cairns) in 2016.
Kelly also holds her Coxswain Grade 1, Essential Shipboard Safety Certificate, Current Senior First Aid Certificate and Radio License.