Iain, Rebecca and John could be called Red Tag’s mayfly musketeers, all for one and one for all, they are regulars for the mayfly hatches in November.

1- must be dry fly only: Iian starts the proceedings with this wild brown on the emerger! (IMGP1645)

2- cane rods where possible; Rebecca gets the top fish on her lightweight cane while Iain lends a hand.

3- small waters; streams and rivers only. John puts some good weight on his outfit with this nice hook-up. (IMGP 1678)

Daniel from Germany thought Tasmania would be a good place to learn to fly fish and he wasn’t far wrong.

Within an hour or so of picking up a fly rod for the first time here he is into his first trout.

Later on this quality wild brown comes to hand, taken feeding just off the reed bed.

Gary ‘of the 2wt large wild brown fame’, had a day at Currawong (weather driven) then a second day on the Macquarie river.

Both turned out to be good fish days, if very different experiences. First up weather not so hot but the fishing was at Currawong Lakes. Gary releasing his first to hand for the day, a lovely wild brown.

Then a number of top condition rainbows among them. The conditions at Currawong were fantastic after those winter and early spring rains.

This photograph shows the edge growth and feeding grounds which have produced top mayfly nymphs and hatches.

Then on the Macquarie, top conditions for a mayfly hatch and a good fish on here.

This is it, a magnificent river wild brown … they don’t come in much better nick, or more wild, than this.

Paul, foreground, has some early success while John is working on another fish in the distance.

The action results in a nice rainbow for Paul.

John was not to be denied his moment in the sun when his first ever trout on the fly was this excellent conditioned rainbow. (IMGP1515)

Robert and son Peter came down for a return and soon got amongst them. Peter’s patience and calm presentations were rewarded with this early morning sipper, above, taken on the emerger.

Next it is Robert’s turn to get onto a nice wild brown, again on the dry, while Peter helps out with the netting.

This was a very well deserved, and worked for, brown by Peter. Double hauling on the #4wt to get a dry almost across the broadwater, then skilfully guiding the resultant trout through the reeds. I think many a wily trout will fall to Peter’s presentations for years to come!

To get seven mates into fly fishing and onto fish could have been a big call, however with Adam’s help at Currawong Lakes, enthusiaism plus some rapidly-gained skills helped all the boys get fish to hand with a total of 30+ to the fly and some 15 to hand.

Mind you at times some were more into it than others, then again, any vantage point may help the polaroiding!

This healthy rainbow is heading back after giving a good account of itself.

A nice bit of team work to get another rainbow to the net.

Long time friend and lapsed flyfisher Trevor (long time no fish, not his doing) makes a triumphant return to the water. This set of pics sums it up beautifully when Trevor sighted his first riser.

Above: He has fish sighted, stalked & fly presented.

Below: Fish rises, takes & lift.

It was a top day on the dry (emerger) and we both enjoyed it very much.

We are finally getting some stream and river action.

After the big wet winter and early spring, the rivers are starting to settle so you will see much more action on these types of waters from now on.

On reflection it was probably a month later than usual and certainly the latest since I started guiding in ‘96.