In Tasmania, we are coming to the end of our wild trout fishing season and there are a few tips on gear storage and care you might like to look at.

Fly Lines — first up a general clean of your fly line is a good idea, then if not using it for a few months, strip it off the reel and hang in large loops (say a metre in dia.) store in a dry cool place.
This stops the line coating from shrinking/expanding while stored on the reel and allows a much better casting performance when again used. Nothing worse than having tightly coiled fly line jamming the rod rings and ‘bunching up’ on the water when presenting to that first feeder next season. Check for cracks in the surface, if numerous and deep, replace line.

Reels — take apart and clean the old grease out. Put in new grease, vaseline or petroleum jelly are good. Lightly smear the casing, gears and spindles before reassembly. Check your backing to make sure it is still OK.

Rods — check ring bindings for wear, rings and rod surfaces for damage. Store in dry place and a protective tube. If manufacturer has not supplied one, then PVC pipe is excellent with capped end fittings.

Waders — again check for damage, make sure they are dried out then hang in dry and airy place.

Great grin and big brown. Agnes had never fly fished before taking a full day workshop.

Late summer and the damsels a plenty. Had a few fish leaping around.

Sighted, stalked and taken on a Blue Damsel, it doesn’t get much better than this first up.

Tasmania’s wild trout fishing experience has established its world class standing primarily through the highland (Central Plateau) lakes, lagoons and tarns trout fisheries.

Whilst this is well founded, it is sometimes forgotten that all of Tasmania’s rivers and streams hold wild trout, in particular wild brown trout. Many of these waters are at lower levels and have a much longer dry fly/surface feeding season than do the lakes.

Ripples, runs, glides, deep pools, undercut banks and sighted fish, this is the fly fishing world I love to share with my clients and (when not guiding and I get the chance) fish myself. From early October to late April (often dry fly fishing the last day of the season) a wde range of hatches and insect falls bring the fish up to feed and take a fly.

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Young at heart Roy (81 years young) finally got to enjoy the full day introductory fly fishing workshop his wife had booked as a surprise for him some 18 months earlier.

Hip replacement and interstate trip had intervened to delay the start oh his fly fishing experience.

That behind him he got off to a flier. Sighted, polaroided, ambushed (with our emerger mayfly) and landed Roy has now got a beautifully conditioned 3+lb brown to share with his family for Christmas lunch.

Roy had the lot during the day, Missed the first take, then success, then a full on fly inspection refusal. Now planning his next fly fishing trip, look out trout is all I can say.