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.

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.

Jim, and son Brantley, had a top time ‘catching up’ on their recent tour. Jim has fly fished for quite a while and was keen to see if Brantley would enjoy the experience as well.

While Jim (bringing it to hand, above) took the honours on day 1 with a nice 4lb wild brown trout at Currawong Lakes, Brantley soon picked up the importance of presentation and was top rod on the rivers both day 2 & 3.

Brantley is justifiably happy with this very nice Tassie wild brown for his first trout on the fly – dry (‘hopper pattern) at that!

He then topped that off by outfishing Dad on the second river day with fish like this one, catching them on a 2 to 1 ratio!

Finally showing a mastery of all aspects of the art, Brantley helps Dad out by netting one of Jim’s feisty browns.

Now living in West Australia, but still a keen fly fisher, Ewan was in search of some wild trout during his recent visit to Tasmania.

He Found one of many to hand over his tour in this well formed ‘bubble-line’ seen above.

A very plump wild brown trout brings a well satisfied grin to end the last trip of 2011.

Fishing buddies Tom and Alby from the USA were blown away with their Tasmanian wild trout fly fishing experience.

Tom, who has fished a number of times in Chile and New Zealand, says Tasmania is now top of his list.

Alby, who has been to Chile with Tom, said he had never experienced dry fly fishing like it and now has headed back home to fish the nearby streams of Nevada (all I can say is look out home state trout!).

Tom (right) and Alby ‘doing it tough’ after a hectic morning session.

They loved their rivers and stream fishing, and fished a different area each day over four different rivers, all to wild trout (mainly browns), primarily with the dry, covered kilometres of water on numerous rivers and only once saw another angler (end of day six, farmer and friend upstream for an evening flick) for the whole time on the water.

A nice quiet corner, Alby looks on while Tom presents upstream to a rising fish .

Apart from the wild trout, they saw wombat, echidna, platypus and wallaby plus dozens of local birds … the complete Tasmanian experience.

Tom even supplied entree one evening complete with local wine, Tassie beer, fresh homebaked bread and open fire. Know it sounds like a hard life, but Tom understands, someone has to do these things!

This was top fish on day two for Alby; client and guide very pleased with the result.

Alby has got the 4wt working well on this one.

While next day, Tom gives his new Sage a workout on this lovely lowlands brown, shown at the top.

You can see Tom’s thoughts on his newfound favourite worldwide trout fishery on our Feedback page.