To me the wild brown trout is the ultimate fly fishing challenge. Since its introduction to Tasmania in 1864, from eggs of English wild stock, the Tasmanian wild brown trout has remained disease free and uncontaminated. It could well be claimed to be the purest strain of wild brown trout anywhere in the world.

The most exciting fly fishing test is dry fly fishing to the sighted, feeding fish. Be it rising to the local hatch, clear water polaroiding or shallow water tailing, the wily brown is always a challenge.

When you get it right and the fish is drawn to your fly like a magnet, you say to yourself, this is easy, only to have the next fish come to the same fly, balance it on its nose and refuse your perfect offering as not good enough.

My home fishing territory, Tasmania, is predominantly a wild brown trout fishery of world quality. The majority of our waters, rivers and streams and creek fed lakes or lagoons are self sustained populations. Of the balance, the vast majority of highland tarns and non-stream fed waters are managed by the introduction of wild local area fish transfers not farmed fish.

From left to right — Rebecca, Tom, Jane, Jason, Paul & David head in for lunch after the introductory casting and morning fishing sessions.

Note the nice kg+ brown Jason is carrying, having just caught his first ever on the fly — dry at that.

The venue here was Currawong Lakes, an ideal location for group workshops. With Jenny looking after the catering in excellent lakeside facilities side it enabled me to concentrate on the casting and fishing requirements for the day where six were looked well after.

In the afternoon, as skill levels grew and with increased insect activity, more fish came to the fly with yours truly netting Rebecca’s first, in this case a very nice rainbow.

It wasn’t just the anglers making firsts. It was the first time I had seen Robin Redbreasts taking hatching duns off the water in the same way as the swallows do.

In fact Jason had one come so low over his emerger pattern it actually created a ‘false rise’ imitation with the wind from its wings.

Fishing tales • First timers • Flies • Dry • The fish • Wild Brown Trout •