Gear Maintenance

Now that the majority of Tasmanian trout waters have closed, our attention turns to gear maintenance, tying and promotional opportunities.

Reels

Backing normally doesn’t need much attention, but I run off to the spool, check the anchoring knot and then rewind evenly making sure all is OK as I go.

Fly Lines

Check for wear and damage, cracks in the outer coating, etc, and if there is any damage (cracks) this will detract from performance and in the case of floating lines allow sections to sink.

In cases where cracks are deep and or regular, replace with a new line if a Weight Forward. If Double Taper check whole line and if backing half is still fine it can be reversed.

Leader

Check join to fly line. Depending on join style or knot, ensure no cracks or casing breaks in the fly line at this point — if so rejoin.

Check for wind knots (you should be doing this regularly when fishing) and if any there, replace with new section or whole tapered leader.

Rods

Check runners, bindings and reel seat for damage. Carefully inspect each section for wear and tear, ie, minor fractures if weighted nymphs have hit rod, or had any knocks on the gear. Tip sections are especially susceptible to this sort of injury.

Waders/boots

Off season is a good time to thoroughly inspect, dry, clean and repair waders and wading boots. Check out the new Aquaz wading boots if you want to upgrade.

If you would like any help, prices on new equipment, etc, we can look after you with the range of quality and value Pro Angler gear.

For some time now I have been asking Gavin (the Pro Angler man) for a LARGE pair of quality wading boots that actually fit 12EEE UK plates of meat — my feet!

Since late 2011 he has said “hang in there Roger, our new Stalker Aquaz boot will be great and I promise we will have a size to fit you”.

Well the US#14′s arrived a month or so ago and they are just fantastic!

Couldn’t be more impressed with them. So much so that I haven’t even put the ‘studs’ in the soles and (in my experience) they are the best gripping and most comfortable wading boots I have ever used.

I now feel so secure moving about I have not used a wading staff since I got them!

To give those of you that don’t know me an idea of the work my wading boot have to do, I am 1.97metres (6’5″+) and weigh in at around 125kgs or 275lbs and probably walk/wade rivers/creeks/grassy and straw banks/rocks/gravel and anything else that makes up a trout terrain around 350-400km a season. A fair workout for any wading boot.

The secret is in the new Vibram soles format. It is a rubber compound with formed/ribbed soles that maximise grip on all surfaces, designed to replace the (in a number of places now banned) felt soles to minimise the risk of river-borne disease transfer and simplify cleaning of the boots.

To know more about these boots, click here. Also Gavin gave an excellent review of them in the last Pro Angler Magazine pg 78 (issue 6).

The complete range of Pro Angler fly gear is great value for money and they have just opened their new Sydney shop at 111 Victoria Road, Parramatta.

Look out for the new Pro Angler & Red Tag Trout Tours Huge value all-inclusive Tassie fly fishing tour & gear giveaway being launched in the next edition of the Pro Angler Magazine coming out mid Spring … not to be missed! 

Over the last couple of seasons, Trevor has become a Red Tag regular, twice a season, on-e in mid spring and again in Autumn, single day each time.

This time Trevor opted for some shallow margin lakeshore stalking, hopefully on the dry, and Currawong Lakes didn’t disappoint.

We kitted him out with a Pro Angler Stalker Master series #5wt, which is a 9′ long 4 pc and rated medium-fast so it has a little forgiveness built in.

Here Trevor demonstrates the smooth bend on the #5wt which resulted in this lovely conditioned rainbow trout to hand.

But, I think his most enjoyable fish of the day was stalking, successfully presenting the emerger to and then releasing this lovely brown.

Earlier in the year Gavin — Mr. Pro Angler — to the uninitiated, sent me one of the new Aire series 6’6″ #2wt 4-piece ultrafast rods to try and it is a beauty.

A number of clients, and myself, have successfully tried it out and it loads fast, handles the light line as it should, shoots line effortlessly and delivers a dry with precision.

That is just the presentation stage, and it has landed up to 1kg+ wild browns in tight conditions and it does it as well as any lightweight rod I have tried.

The short length is very handy down here on Tasmania’s small, clear and delicate streams and rivers where overhead trees form dappled canopies and those fat wild brown trout love to lurk!

Down under, down under, our next trout season is getting closer. Yes Tasmania’s opening is Saturday August 2 for the traditional ‘wild brown trout’ season.

FLY LINES
If you haven’t done so already, clean and straighten the fly lines by pulling off the reel and gently cleaning with mild detergent or preferably the manufacturers recommended cleaning agent.

This helps get rid of any line ‘memory’ that may have built up in the line by being wound on the reel for a long period (ie, since last season).

It also helps the line run through the eyes or ‘shoot’ better when first casting thus laying out straight and true.

REELS
Clean and re-grease, check backing is OK and the knots are still good and strong.

Backing to reel, backing to fly line, then fly line to leader and any tippet or leader joins (eliminate any old wind knots left over from that last rushed trip).

RODS
Check joins are smooth and tighten OK, no loose bindings at eyes/rings, the tip eye is not worn/grooved to wear fly line or damage leaders, etc, and finally grip is OK — not cracked or split.

FLIES
Make sure the hooks are in good nick, sharp and clean, no rust in older ones or damaged hook bends.

Tight lines and best of luck for a good season.

Garry (father of Matthew) had a day out on his own with Red Tag and had a ball. There must be something, as well as the trout, in our water that brings out the best in these Queenslanders.

Not only did Matthew star on a later trip (see Matthew’s Monster below) but here Garry gets a first class wild brown (around the 3lb mark) on the trial Stalker series #2wt Red Tag is testing for Pro Angler!

With some skillful rod work, good tackle and quick thinking Garry finally got this lovely fish to hand — another one on the pink bum ‘hopper.

Very taken with this prototype from Pro Angler and the boys tell me they will have a 6’ 6” or 6’ 9” model in the next season’s range — keep your eys open for them, they are little gems!

Having seen Iain putting his 00 through its paces and assisting by netting it, John soon got into a decent stream fish of his own.

Seen here with the Pro Angler #3wt and some weight on another good wild brown trout.

Iain is patiently waiting to return the net favour as soon as John has his fish under control.