Don only had the one day on the water, but what a day it was. Mid-November on a river somewhere in Tasmania and all the things he had read about a top mayfly day happened.

Early morning nymphs on the move, emerging mayflies, big black spinner hatch during the day, polaroided takes, sipping pool dwellers, feeding lane fanatics and wild browns to hand.

Above, Don tightens on a polaroided pool cruiser that just couldn’t refuse a well presented Dark Brown emerger.

Then later one of the fish falls for a Black Spinner big time.

It is always nice to ‘break the duck’ with a new rod and Colin is very pleased the way his 6′ 4pc #3wt handled a fiesty wild brown trout first up.

On the previous day up at Currawong, his 9′ #5wt got a real workout on some top conditioned rainbows and big browns.

With clear water, light tippets and non-weighted nymphs plus emerger patterns the browns won a number of contests, but this 2lb rainbow, above, being released and the 4lb brown, below, (IMGP 3896) earned Colin the traditional ‘Cherry Ripe’ reward.

Whereas on this occasion the trout had the last laugh.

Received my copy of the new Pro Angler magazine the other day along with some of the new PA gear.

The new boots are great, lightweight and very comfie! Also am having trouble controlling myself, guess what I got in the package …a new Aire #2wt 4+1pc 6’6″ fly rod and it is a gem!

Can’t wait to put a fly over a fish with it. Might get a day in before Christmas, but it does mean that the next (experienced) stream fisher will probably christen it for me — lucky devil.

The new Stalker Otway fly reels are also great value … and I have a couple of those with a #2 and #4 on them now in the kits.

Get the full Pro Angler news here.

Long time planned flyfishing workshop for Kevin and Delwyn netted results from day one.

First up Dad (looking justifiably pleased) shows the way, above, with this topconditioned wild brown trout on the dry while Daughter gets the shot.

Then not to be outdone, Delwyn got onto one of her rainbows, again on the dry, for the day.

Next day they share this wild brown stream with a delighted Delwyn having early success on the emerger.

Day one of Grant’s return tour set a new mark for the season and it was not yet November!

He got 14 to hand with some lovely small stream gems on light gear like this one, above.

Then next day more fun in some tight spots leading to success on the dry (emerger again) on another water.

Simon was back for another couple of days on our Tassie streams and was soon into his first wild brown trout on day one.

This one was taken on the dependable copper beadhead brown nymph. Even though still October, fish were taking the dry by afternoon.

Although Paul remembered a few basics from a go some time back, he soon got the into action on this day.

In this shot, above, he is onto a good brown polaroided working around the log to his left. A well presented unweighted brown nymph proved the tout’s undoing, but not before its charge for deeper waters was brought under control.

After a couple more to hand, a few misses, dropped fish and a break off (all in a day’s fly fishing,) Paul ended a good day with this top rainbow.