Bill and Gillian practicing on some of the sheltered lawn areas we have to get started with the basics.

The workshop soon progressed through the still water fishery and onto the river/stream work for a more extended and successful second day.

After a short time learning to read the currents and drift patterns, Bill soon brings a small wild brown trout to hand.

Then it was Gillian’s turn to hook up.

Bill ended up with five to hand and Gillian three (but who’s counting), plus a number of other chances and misses, etc. A good introduction to stream fly fishing all round.

One of a number of tour options we have at Red Tag Trout Tours is a short day teaching workshop close to Hobart for those tight on time (less than 30mins drive) that allows us to give beginners a go at a variety of fly techniques on still water.

Here Steve, self confessed heavy metal salty for many years, quickly gets to grip with a decent delivery, despite the ‘breeze’ in the background, and is soon laying out some nice casts on the water.

Although getting a couple to the fly, none came to hand, this time the fish had the last laugh!

However, Steve definitely has caught the ‘fly bug’ and is heading back with Dad another day to get on the streams.

Jon was our next introductory 3-day workshop ‘Tagger’ and besides getting some great fish at Currawong on day 1, he also took the first wild brown river fish of the season in the backwaters on the lowlands rivers.

This lovely brown is less than three years old and is one of the wild spawned browns in the creeks at Currawong Lakes.

Here Jon breaks the wild river fish duck for the season, a very fit brownie approx 2lbs, full of vim which took a slightly weighted Tasmania fur fly (red tag version) fished just below the surface.

Another top conditioned early season brown, lurking alongside the bank to Jon’s right.

This one picked up on a brass beadhead nymph. This section will dry up in the next few weeks, just shows that fishing the flooded backwaters can be quite productive.
This was still August, late Tassie winter!

In addition on day 3 we saw the first mayfly hatch out in a quite, sheltered back water. Trout didn’t take it, but further inspection revealed many well advanced nymphs so close to go.

Andrew first tried his hand at flyfishing with us back in 2003. The bug, however, never left him so he decided it was time to get a thorough grounding this time round with a 3-day/2-night extended introductory workshop to open the new season which started on August 6.

Day 1 at Currawong Lakes broke the duck with some refresher casting then wet fly work resulting in this first up action seen above.

Along with a break off or two plus a couple of others to hand, a good start.

Even had a shot at a sipping midger with a dry, just before the breeze came up.

Day 2 was a tougher one on the river (see moving lake).

On the right hand side of the fence is another paddock! The actual river course is the very far side bank and is three metres wide in summer!

Lots of casting/fishing practice, weighted nymph under indicator, wets and unweighted nymphs in shallows … but no fish. Highest water levels for decades.

Day 3 Armed with all the practise and casting skills it was back to Currawong Lakes and more success.

Result: six more to hand, five rainbows and one wild brown trout. Best was a rainbow hen approximately 6lbs.

Finishing off with a winter evening final cast as the shadows lengthen, below.

Click here for a larger version

Regular top rod Red Tagger Hugh brought wife Debbie and son Bradley down to learn to joys of river and stream fly fishing and all had a great time.
Debbie, above, brings her first ever (on the dry) wild rainbow to hand while Hugh and Bradley admire her success.

Here, Dad is giving Bradley the benefit of his knowledge, which obviously worked next morning as Bradley got three with this lovely stream fish, below, his first ever.

Not to be outdone, Hugh proceeded to set the new one-day fish to hand mark with 20 (all caught and released).

Late September introductory workshop was not the best weather day, for these starters into fly fishing. But the day was successful for Lee with his first ever wild brown trout on the fly.

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.

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.

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.

Paul, foreground, has some early success while John is working on another fish in the distance.

The action results in a nice rainbow for Paul.

John was not to be denied his moment in the sun when his first ever trout on the fly was this excellent conditioned rainbow. (IMGP1515)