Les from Scotland unfortunately drew the weather god’s short straw for dry fly fishing Tasmania the day after the new record.

Clear sky, 30°C+ by mid-afternoon and the hot northerlies we get with it.

No fun for us or the trout this day.

However Les still managed a lively good sized wild brown on the dry fly emerger and had other takes to brighten up an otherwise very tough day.

Hopefully he can make it back for a better day before he has to go back home.

Darby came down to Tasmania with two key goals – to get a better understanding of lake margin fishing (importance of structures, tailing fish, patrolling trout etc) fly fishing and, to tune up presentation skills on the rivers and moving waters.

I think he has got ‘onto’ the hang of things, above, quite well and soon had this good quality brown, below, shown being returned.

Then the river skills passed muster with this lively stream brownie to the net.

Early March saw Trevor, an attendee at our Geelong Pro Angler Tasmania night try his hand at our Tasmanian stream fly fishing.

I think he was pleasantly surprised, certainly got a good number of wild browns to the fly and some nice fish to hand.

He has already locked in a return trip early next season.

Last June, Red Tag Trout Tours got together with Tourism Tasmania to put on a series of ‘Fly Fishing Tasmania’ nights at Gavin’s Pro Angler outlets in Melbourne, Geelong and Sydney.

Not only were they a great night from a presenters point of view with enthusiastic audiences, excellent Tasmanian input from Frank Hussey from Tourism Tasmania and all stops out support from all the Pro Angler guys, they have provided us with an increase in business this year well beyond what we expected.

We are looking to do it again this year so watch this space for dates and details!!

Lorraine, husband John and Tasmanian based son Andrew had originally booked their Tasmanian fly fishing trip almost two years ago before her serious illness meant short term cancellation by Lorraine.

However, not to be denied, they made it down late Feb and look at the result.

Not only was it the biggest fish of the trip, Lorraine took it on her first cast, a dark brown emerger.

The boys hadn’t even wet their lines — good one Lorraine.

Recent Red Tagger, Darby, has sent us a delightful contribution to the Red Tag library.

After his trip he gave us his copy of Muriel Foster’s Fishing Diary which recounts, in full colour, the outings of a passionate fly fishing lady from 1913 to 1949.

This is an excellent example, in both written detail and beautiful illustrations of the accumulation of knowledge, the first step in our introductory KOCPIT theory for fly fishing beginners.

Not only was she an avid fly fisher, most unusual for her time, but a very talented and learned artist as well.

Your gift is much appreciated, has attracted a lot of interest already and I am sure will entertain and inform many more visiting Red Taggers over the years to come.

After the hiding the combination of weather and fish gave us on the last outing it was a very relieved guide that reports on a most successful UK duo’s day at Currawong for the last January trip.

John had done a little and Di no fly fishing to date, had a great shore-based lakes fishing introduction to Tasmania’s fly fishing options.

John with his first brown is delighted with his efforts, while Di gets aquainted with her first ever wild brown trout on the dry fly.

This season is turning out to have a real international flavour. Over the December–January period we have had South African, Americans, Danes, Singaporeans, Scots and German fly fishing clients plus all Australian states and territories except WA or the NT, but the season is far from over yet!

Although only in its infancy, Tasmania’s international status as a world quality, wild trout fly fishing experience is definitely alive and well.