Early April action

Good weather, tough fish

Bob and Mickey from the US had a good weather, but a tough fish day. Here Bob is rewarded for his efforts with a good wild brown to hand, taken on the grasshopper.

Later, Mickey has success with another one on the dry.

This one was the perfect ambush, sunken log spotted 15-20 feet of the bank, ‘hopper’ presented over the outer side of the submerged trunk and bang! Lovely 1.5lb wild brown did the rest.

First timer gets a good result.

Louise from the Northern Territory had a great first up fly fishing day while on a short visit to Tasmania.

This excellent wild brown from was returned, but then the next one was a good sized rainbow that provided dinner back for the friends she was visiting.

Successful and productive on day one of fly fishing doesn’t get much better than that

Late April action

Good mates have a top short break

One day on the still waters of Currawong Lakes then day two on a wild brown trout river was just what Andy & John were after.

Andy’s reward after a good sighting, 30mins stalking and ‘controlled’ fish action brings this lovely rainbow to the guide’s net. As you can see, tough Autumn evenings in Tassie mid-April!

Next day John has some top action on the streams with this quality wild brown bringing a broad grin.

Trevor’s best ever!

Regular ‘Tagger’ Trevor probably still has his smile on after this magnificent rainbow taken on an unweighted brown nymph weighed in at close to 6lbs.

He triumphantly declared it was his biggest trout ever on the fly.

He’s coming back in a couple of months to look for its Mum and Dad!

Out of the West

Other returning ‘Taggers’ for some last minute wild trout stream action were Andrew & Jen who teamed up with long time local friend Vanessa.

The girls got away early on the success board with first up Vanessa getting this lively little one, above, to hand on a small copper bead-head nymph.

Next is Jen with this hook up on a #14 Humpy drifted down the run after spotting the fish.

Then Andrew gets onto this one with an emerger.

With a group tally of 10 or more to hand, 75% on the dry, not a bad finish on light gear for the end of April in Tasmania.

Good mates Phil and Tim from Queenslandd came down for an extended workshop towards the end of March and had a ball.

Here both are sharing a nice pool on one of the river work days, with Phil onto a nice fish while Tim looks on.

We don’t often fish more than one angler on the same stretch at once, but some times it is very pleasant to share the water and the rewards when the situation allows.

Ken loves his river and stream fly fishing, with dappled shade, shallow streams, ‘hoppers on the menu and wild browns he was in his element.

The fly had to be presented just right, under the overhang to the left and bang, fish did not hesitate.

Varum, presenter for a UK-based TV crew in March, first time fly fishing, was to bring home lunch plus provide the camera action on the day.

Think this 5lb rainbow ticked all the boxes, sighted feeding on damsels, presented Blue Damsel to fish, hooked up, into backing twice before brought to hand.

No wonder angler is delighted and guide quietly chuffed.

Thomas and Lenka pose for a happy snap while taking a break from stalking Tassie wild browns during their trip around the state.

Here Harald gets Autumn underway with one of a number taken on the dry in the perfect lie position.

The trout was stationed in the right hand bubble line a metre or so down stream from the rock line, fly was presented within a foot of the bank and Mr Brownie just couldn’t resist checking it out, much to Harald’s delight.

Next on the water was another regular, Simon, with new inductee mate Richard.

This is Richard’s first ever trout on the fly, day one on the still water a very nice rainbow.

The workshop followed up with introductionto dry fly techniques on the streams and rivers with this lovely wild brown great reward for concentration and application.

Simon was also getting into the action as well as this tight line shows.

As well as the US visitors, Mike from Wales, joined us for three days of great fun and fine fishing as these pics show.

A lover of the dry fly he started off on the clear rivers with a bit of overcast and soon had a big grin and weight on the rod.

This was followed not long after by a very strong wild brown picked up on the far bubble line just up stream near the bank.

Next day the cloud disappeared and we hit the still waters with good results again.

This fine rainbow was just one of a number of top fish to hand for the day.

December also saw a number of international visiting anglers for Red Tag, in particular from America.

From enthusiastic rivers and stream lovers to beginners all had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the fly fishing for wild brown trout that our beautiful island has to offer.

One of the river lovers was Mike. top, whose good day out, included releasing this lovely speckled wild brown.

That was soon followed by another fine example of Tasmania’s small stream wild fish. With either small fly nymphing or dry fly this is exciting and rewarding fishing.

Then followed by the beginner/novices group of, from left, Anna & Greg with Bret & Renee.

During the day both casting and catching were accomplished with a great deal of success with Anna getting a lovely wild brown to hand and then Bret soon after with a nice rainbow.

Not to be outdone, Renee nets a beauty and Greg ends the day with more tight lines.

Alec was in the right place at the right time back home when he entered and subsequently won the Tasmanian wild trout guided fishing trip from a promotion in the UK last October.

The trip was taken just before Christmas 2009 and his first two days were on the rivers of Tasmania, stalking for wild browns with the dry. Initially it was on some of our untamed rugged southern waters with day two on lowland meadow streams.

Day one started out with a hook-up almost immediately in the first session on the ‘big’ wild water, top, and progressed on to a small tributary, where over the course of the day, 12 wild browns to hand all on the dry.

This was a top effort for Alec’s first ever outing in Tasmania chasing those elusive ‘ex-pats’ in a variety of feeding and or holding stations he hasn’t encountered very often on the well manicured and maintained rivers back home.

As Alec said, he had to relearn the old (English) fly fishing stalking and ambush techniques long forgotten, e.g. drifting the flood debris, where wild trout lurk in this tough terrain, which was both exciting and rewarding.

Keeping them out of the structures on the lightweight and compact stream gear required gentle hands and quick reflexes.

Next up this feeding trout takes the well presented emerger and Alec is on again.

Day 2 was the more gentle lowland rivers with the mayfly feeders and more recent damsels, somewhat like home, and being a hotter day Alec opted for the comfort of the thigh waders which were fine for the shallow runs and the trout didn’t seem to mind the sunny day either.

All in all a thoroughly successful introduction to Tasmania’s wild trout fishing, where in many places the only things to touch the water are the feeding swallows, dancing mayfly, returning wild browns from frantic leaps after blue damsels and the occasional angler’s fly!

After the waters had settled down fom the record winter and early spring levels, our first month of summer was very much like the old days.

Still, the mayfly were hatching early in the month, good but very manageable water flows and the Blue Damsels over the surface. By now the majority of the fish were being taken, on or brought up to, the dry fly.

It started off with a group of friends from Qld, Keith & Lindsay (who had a little experience with the fly) with Neil and Katrina (beginners) with their first day at Currawong.

Above: Keith with a nice rainbow on the day, while Katrina, top, also scored.

Also returning Red Tagger, Marcus, above, keen to get into the handmade cane outfits who was trying out one of Tassie’s cane rod makers’ beautifully produced rods as Peter McKean was making one for him.
Looks like they work just fine.

Mike, one of our Pro Angler new clients this year, had a few days with us mid-month and got some top wild browns in the streams, this is one puts a nice bend in the rod.

The month closed out with Sue and Guy having a top introductory workshop at Currawong Lake with this big brown giving Sue a great reward.