Enjoying a beautiful quiet moment on a river somewhere, Greg (left) and Rosie from the USA, sailed into Hobart as part of their cruise ship holiday and booked us for a day’s wild trout fly fishing mid-February.

Greg introduces himself to another Tasmanian wild brown trout.

Peter and Prue were the winners of the three days/two nights all-inclusive package from Pro Angler and Red Tag valued at around $5000.

This was especially good news for Peter who was recovering from a serious health issue and looking forward to casting a line again, while for Sue it was an opportunity to learn a new skill and enjoy the experience with Peter.

Both broke their duck on our new teaching water with a small rainbow each, then Peter landed this very nice wild brown on the river later on day 1.

After a tough second day on the wild fish rivers, Prue topped the trip with this great wild brown on the river — dry fly (‘hopper pattern) around the 3lb mark! No wonder she is delighted.

Or something like that is the Northern Territory tourism mantra, home of our next workshop couple Rob & Denise.

From north east of Darwin to central Tassie is about as far away as you can get in Australia.

Well, they did have a go and got to know the wiles of the wild browns of Tassie.

Rob was successful with this nice river brown, above, taken on the ‘hopper patter.

Denise was not to be outdone on the dries with this plump wild brown.

Andrew, a regular ‘tagger’, was our last angler for the month and didn’t let the team down as his final day with us ended as his best day ever on a Tassie stream.

Ten to hand and as many more to the fly saw plenty of action all day.

Some serious stalking like this resulted in some great small stream wild browns like this one below.

Said earlier January just got better and better, and, well this trip blew me away.

Went like this – around mid-January mobile goes, “Paul here, what dates in last week of this month do you have available?”… ‘Only the 27th” says I. “Ok says Paul hold and I’ll confirm for Sue and I tomorrow.”

Next day all arranged, they fly in last flight 26th, I pick up 7am 27th off to river, 22 fish to hand and personal records shot to pieces return them later that day to airport hotel, and they fly home next morning!

Stats like this – Paul 18 to hand – all on dry – all on #2wt – his best single day fly fishing ever in Tassie. Biggest was 4lb brown, and he was also broken off by ‘unseen monster’.

Sue got four to hand – all on dry – including her biggest wild brown trout ever.

Keeping the tension on the ‘monster means fast footwork as well a good hands.

Paul’s ‘fish of the day’ this top Tassie river brown to hand after interesting fight.

A study in concentration with what turned out to be Sue’s biggest brown ever.

Up at Currawong Lakes they have a new set up with single operator float boats, complete with buoyancy vests etc.

Red Tag club member Peter, shown floating above, and I had a fun couple of hours drifting the ‘wind lanes’ and floating the deeper spots on their top lake.

Peter manoeuvred in the ‘wind lane’. Had a good hit but missed it. Then got three excellent fish from the more traditional shore fishing.

Only embarrassment was the guide who got the ‘monster in the deep!’ Very limited shot of self being ‘towed’ gently up wind by, what eventually turned out to be, a top conditioned 6lb brown.

The Currawong Lakes action was followed by two days of different stream/river work with action a plenty resulting in something like 17 fish to hand and probably 30+ to the fly.

Nigel was last down in 2003, but still has both the enthusiasm and skills to get fish like this lovely rainbow to hand.

This was followed by another top day on the rivers. All on the dry.

Client and fish wise, January turned into our best ever, with the ‘hoppers coming on strong, fish in top nick and the early season forecasts by the Inland Fisheries Service as ‘best in 40 years’ living up to expectations.

New teaching water ‘christened’

Louise with the first fish on the Red Tag teaching water, a plump little rainbow taken on an unweighted brown nymph. Not huge yet, but good to get one to hand to check out quality (good) and feeding (yes).

Then it was onto the river that afternoon for her first ever wild brown to hand. Day two was all on the rivers and saw many more to both fly and net. Well done Louise.

Warwick ‘ticked all the boxes’

Next up was Warwick, a relative newcomer to fly fishing who had a rivers & streams ‘preference’.

After two separate days and 19 to hand, progressing from 7 on day one to 12 on day two, it was his most fish ever in a day, largest wild brown, also a rainbow to hand, day 2 was all on the dry!

He certainly christened all the gear that had not seen action till then.

From southern stream success to ‘hopper stream net result’ Warwick’s time on the water had it all.