Tasmania voted as best unheralded destination

News  just in is that Phil Monahan, former editor of American Angler magazine and current contributor to Midcurrent.com, just voted Tasmania as ‘the coolest destination that most anglers don’t know about’.

You can read the full excerpt here:

  http://www.midcurrent.com/flyfishing/cool_destinations.aspx 

Thanks for the vote Phil!

Macquarie River

Autumn is mayfly time on the northern Tasmanian rivers. Moody thunderheads often sit in the distance, as plagues of iron-blue beatids hatch, drifting down the river on foam lines and eddies. It is in these currents that trout hunt their prey, and within these currents that our simple dry flies fool the wild trout.

Wild Tasmanian hopper feeder

Gone Fishing…

 It’s been three months since our last fishing report, but with good reason: we’ve spent more than 50 days on the rivers since our last note, guiding through pre-Christmas red and black spinner falls, summer hopper hatches and the beginning of the autumn mayflies, and spent another 30 days out in the World Heritage Listed Western Lakes region, experiencing not only the sightfishing, but nature itself. We’ve found remnants of late 19^th century grazing operations, old forgotten horse and cart tracks, not to mention a world of detailed minutiae: cushion plants and orchids, blue and red mountain hoppers, and ancient remnant pencil pine stands. 

 There have been many surprises this season, some owed in part to the end of the drought, some to new river venues, and some to our expanding Western Lakes Campouts. One common theme throughout them all has been constant: wild Tasmanian trout. Whether it’s been the super-conditioned trout of the Meander or lower Macquarie River, the flats cruising trout of the Western Lakes, or the hidden monsters of the fast-water river gorges, the aim of our days has revolved around core values of inspiring places, visual fishing opportunities and wild trout. If we can find these three goals, we know that the enjoyment of the day will take care of itself.  

 Current fishing report

 Autumn fishing has started in northern Tasmania, with large baetid mayfly falls on the lower Macquarie and Esk rivers, and ants appearing on humid days. This has created some classic match the hatch fishing, both from the raft and wading. Grasshoppers are still around and on the menu, and are proving effective at times–again, this has particularly been the case on the lower Macquarie River and a few of our other favourite haunts. The strong baetid hatches are expected to continue through March and April, to the close of the brown trout season at the start of May. 

 Summer highlights

 Summer highlights at RiverFly have been many and varied: young Rory sightfishing and landing a 4lb trout on the Meander, Frank and his six days of sight-fishing nirvana, high flows and great rafting on the post-drought Macquarie river, and the sight-fishing experience of the Western Lakes campouts with the three amigo’s Jappy, Mark and Curtis, the team of four Septuagenarians’, and many others. January was probably the best month of the season to date, with loads of blue-sky days, and early season hopper fishing. March could be a close contender to take the title though, especially if the ants and baetids keep on coming! 

Fishing Tips

1. When casting, always plan to present the fly ahead of the trout, rather than directly at it.

2. When practicing casting, focus on efficiency: learn to (1) cast line out quickly, (2) re-adjust casting length effectively, and (3) change casting directions smoothly.

 That’s all for now. If you have any questions about fishing in Tassie, don’t hesitate to Email us. Thanks from the RiverFly team–Daniel, Simone and Patrick. 

 Stay tuned to the RiverFly Blog for weekly updates and fishing reports.

Western Lakes Fly Fishing

       

Meander river mayfly feeder

The autumn mayfly have started on the Meander, South and North Esk, and Macquarie rivers. Highlights have been the morning beatids on the Macquarie, and daytime spinners on the Esk and Meander rivers.  Grasshoppers are still on the menu during warmer periods, and our WMD Hopper is doing the trick, whilst daytime ant falls are providing exciting ‘match the hatch’ fishing to studious sippers. Our go-to pattern for these situations has been our CDC F Fly, and proved the undoing of the pictured 2 1/2lb wild brown trout. Send us an Email now if you would like to experience some match the hatch fishing during March or April.

Flats style fishing for trout - Western Lakes Tasmania

The Western Lakes trout are on fire, with flats-cruising brown trout averaging between one and two pounds heavier than normal, due to the great winter and spring flooding. Main food items are early morning caddis, late evening midges, and daytime galaxia, with the average trout size ranging from 2 1/2 pounds to 6 pounds.

 Back down on the lowlands, and juvenile hoppers are starting to interest river trout on the South Esk, St Patricks and Meander rivers, and most of the creeks in between – the tiny granite-spring creeks of the north-east are fishing exceptionally.

If you would like to join Patrick and I for a Western Lakes wilderness campout, Email us now. We have a couple of spaces left on trips booked for January and April. RiverFly Tasmania is Tasmania’s only guiding operation licenced to work in the Western Lakes World Heritage Area.

Tasmanian trout, polaroided and landed by RiverFly guests August 2009

 Earlier in the month I wrote a blog (online diary) entry titled ‘fishing like its 1959’. Back when Australian fly fishing author David Scholes’ was fishing the Tasmanian streams, early-season flood fishing was the first event of the year, followed by the classic mayfly hatches of spring Show Day. Well, for the first time in my 8 year guiding career, we’ve started the season with classic Scholes-esque flood water feeders, gorging on drowned worms and grubs, and it looks like the best mayfly season in decades is about to hatch.

 About 6 years ago, myself and my friend Aarron fished our first major hatch on the upper Macquarie River. This river, and its mayfly hatches, were made famous by the writings of David Scholes earlier in the 50’s and 60’s. The day of our first hatch was magical–morning ceanid mayflies greeted us, large red spinner duns hatched at lunch, and giant red spinners fell on evening. We landed 22 fish, 8 over two pounds, and lost the biggest few fish of the day, perhaps up to 5lbs in weight. All of this took place on a section of river less than a cast wide, with lovely grassy undercuts sheltering the wild browns as they sipped mayfly from the current seams, and weedy runnels. These hatches continued through until late November, when water levels dropped, and we moved on to the larger rivers and their later pre-Christmas hatches.

 The following year I again fished the upper Macquarie, found some good hatches over two weeks or so, but didn’t achieve any once-in-a-lifetime red-letter days. A further season on and I managed to fish one solitary hatch during the making of In Season Tasmania, but by that November water levels were too low, the paddocks were parched, and the only thing cruising were starving tiger snakes and the odd redfin perch. The frogs were quiet, the mayflies in remission, and the water had turned an algal brown. Five years of drought had taken its toll, and the fishery was on life-support.

 But now there is great news. For the first time in many, many years, I’ll be fishing the spring mayfly hatches on rivers such as the upper Macquarie. The drought has been broken by the third biggest wet in a century, with the east coast of Tasmania receiving more than 700mm of rain over winter. The rivers have been flushed, the headwater soaks and springs replenished, and the mayfly are ready to go. As harsh as the past seasons have been on some of the midland’s rivers, these insects will go into reproductive overdrive, shortening their breeding-cycles to booster populations. The trout that have spent the past few seasons on a maintenance diets have added fat to their lengthy frames, with worms, cockchafer beetles and grubs providing the early season fodder. It’s a time to re-visit the fisheries of old, and fish like its 1959. See you on the river.

 If you’d like to book some time fly fishing the spring mayfly hatches with RiverFly Tasmania, send us an enquiry now. We have spaces available in October for the start of the hatches, and very limited spaces in November and December.

• Fishing report for August and early September

Trout fishing a Tasmanian rainforest creek

For a rundown of the fishing to mid-August, read our blog (online diary) here.

 The rains continued into September, with flood-feeders still the primary target until late last week. RiverFly guide Patrick Horan’s earthworm fly was the outstanding fly pattern of the period, with lake and river fish finding it irresistible. The headwater creeks offered the most consistent fishing, much of it polaroiding, though well timed trips to the South Esk, Macquarie, and St Patricks rivers resulted in great flood fishing for lucky anglers.

 An interesting by-product of the big-wet has been prolific midge hatches on the lakes. Nearly every lake in Tasmania is now full (with the exception of Lake Gordon, Great Lake and Lake Echo). This has meant that kilometres of previously dry shorelines are again underwater. As the flooded vegetation (grasses etc) rot, they provide food for invertebrate populations, and the midges have been the first to explode in numbers. This has led to dry fly fishing opportunities on Lake Huntsman in particular. Other lakes that have fished well in the past couple of weeks have been Lake Echo (with access now available to the marshes at the top end), Great Lake and the Bronte Chain.

 My last trip to the Western Lakes was opening day, with all the lakes from Augusta right out to the back lakes full and overflowing. Since then, persistent highland rain and snow has kept the road access closed while Lake Augusta spills. I’m anticipating a visit to the Western Lakes later in the month, so stay tuned to our blog for a report.

•   New Project from the ‘In Season Tasmania’ Team

For fans of the book In Season Tasmania – A Year of Fly Fishing Highlights, you’ll be interested to read that I have just embarked on my next ‘artistic’ endeavour. I’m keeping cagey on the details for now, but all will come to light on the RiverFly blog over the next month, as a winter of planning turns into a season of action. Super-photographer, FlyLife Magazine staffer, and In Season co-author Brad Harris will be one of a cast who’ll be joining me on parts of the next project, providing inspiring images along the way.

• Product Reviews

·        Whiting Eurohackle

Whiting Rooster

Relatively new to Australia are Whiting Eurohackles, available from the Essential Fly Fisher in Launceston. These are dry-fly saddles in the traditional sense, but this breed of rooster caters for a range of larger than normal sizes. For a long time now, size 8-10 dry fly hackles, or over-sized hackles for parachute flies have been hard to come by. The Eurohackle fills this void, with saddles catering for 8’s, 10’s or 12’s, depending on the individual saddle selected. I’ve been using them on size 10 and 12 parachute duns, and give them two thumbs up!

 ·        New Sage 99 fly rod

Sage have just released a new model rod called the 99. These are 9’ 9’’ inch rods, specifically designed for European style nymphing. My first impressions from casting this rod are that it will be awesome for its specific job. The length is ideal, the sensitive and slow tapered tip will be well suited for casting and ‘feeling’ the nymphs as they fish, and the low-down power will offer plenty of oomph for pulling rainbows out of white-water pockets. If you’re trying to picture what the rod feels like in action and balance, think of a rod built with a graphite bottom half, and fibreglass tip. This rod will be a hit among the competition fishing scene, and those wanting to fish this effective style of fishing.

•  Quamby Estate – RiverFly lodge accommodation

Quamby Estate, RiverFly’s lodge accommodation partner, has been receiving some great reviews of late. To read more about the charms of the estate, follow these links to recent reviews: Luxury Travel Magazine , the Sydney Morning Herald, or pick up a copy of the latest FlyLife Magazine, Spring 2009.

Quamby Estate Homestead

 Guests booking our 3 Rivers Package with lodge accommodation receive free airport transfers from Launceston to Quamby Estate.

 That’s all for now. Thank you for your loyal business which has led to record pre-season bookings for season 09/10. We look forward to showing you some of our new river venues this season, or perhaps leading you on a Western Lakes wilderness campout. For more information visit our website at www.riverfly.com.au

 Thank you from the RiverFly team: Daniel, Simone and Patrick.

Stewarton on the middle Macquarie River, in flood.

The 09/10 Tasmanian trout fishing season is well and truly underway, with huge rainfalls and flood-fishing in the northern midlands being a major highlight. Winter rainfalls in Northern Tasmania have broken various records, with a record wet in July, and above average falls already landing during August. The result has been flood fishing opportunities never experienced by many; the type of fly fishing that David Scholes made famous, but the type of fly fishing that’s only been a rarity over the past five or more years of drought. Hitting the flooded margins at the right time can be a hit and miss affair, but worth the effort.

As I type, there are flood warnings current for the Macquarie, South Esk, North Esk and Meander Rivers. As these rivers again breach their banks, trout will scoot over the edge and on to the paddocks, where they’ll forage for worms and beetles. Hitting the rivers just as they break their banks and cover fresh ground is the key.  The ideal backwaters and flooded margins will have little or no flow. Water that is too high, or high for too long (three or more days) are very much less than ideal. Tonight, the Lower Macquarie and the South Esk around Longford should be peaking – this will be a good time to have a look. The Meander is an example of a river that’s too high (too much water between the fish), while the North Esk is an example of a river that’s dropping – again less than ideal.

Fat flood-feeder on the earthworm fly

The results of the floods over the past three weeks have been trout, grown fat on a fresh diet of drowned terrestrials. RiverFly guide Patrick Horan has had evenings of a dozen fish or more on the margins of the South Esk, while RiverFly’s first guest of the season, Mischa, beat uber-flood conditions yesterday to land three fat creek fish among  flooded headwaters—all were polaroided, with two taking an earthworm imitation I pinched borrowed from Pat Horan’s fly box a few days before.

South Esk River, Cataract Gorge below the basin.

The fly fishing season in Northern Tasmania has got off to an excellent start, with some of the largest floods in 35 years in the South Esk catchment. These floods provide great feeding opportunities for trout who forage for drowned worms and other terrestrials.

 The South Esk Catchment drains almost 25% of Tasmania’s catchment area, and includes the South Esk, Meander, Macquarie, Lake, St Pauls and Elizabeth Rivers, as well as Brumbys Creek. At the end of the river system, the South Esk flows into Launceston through Cataract Gorge Reserve, where these photos were taken over the weekend.  Huge rains  during the past week have seen the South Esk and Elizabeth rivers flood extensively, with the South Esk measuring almost 6 metres higher than the summer levels that fly fishers would be used to! Imagine wading up the river, with your rod pointed to the sky: the water would still be above your rod tip…

These flood-flows translated to a flow of more than 1000 cumecs through Cataract Gorge on Saturday night, equivalent to 1000 tonnes of water a second! The Gorge Basin was covered in foaming eddies and mountainous riffles, as the river lapped just below the cafe that many of you would know.

A bus-sized hole among the South Esk River white water

More on the actual flood-fishing later in the week, so stay tuned.

Western Lakes Tasmania, early season

The Tasmanian trout fishing season opens this Saturday (the 1st of August), and Tasmanian fly fishers haven’t had it this good in five or more years. Heavy and consistent winter rainfall has seen all the rivers flood at least once, including the previously drought-affected Upper Macquarie River. The flood fishing opportunities in river backwaters and flooded gutters should be a certainty; the only question will be where to head to when the next flood happens. My bet will be the upper Macquarie or lower Meander rivers, while the South Esk and Lake rivers will also offer excellent flood fishing. From past experiences the best flood fishing occurs from the third winter flood of the season onwards–most of the northern rivers will now be looking towards their third floods of winter, so the fisheries are primed and ready to go.

 Up at the lakes, Arthurs and Great Lake have been rising noticeably during the last month, covering tens-of-acres of freshly flooded ground. My bet is that any trout caught in the shallows will be stuffed full of chunky earthworms, drowned by the rising water levels. Little Pine Lagoon will be popular but too high for the best fishing (it will begin to peak later in September), while Woods Lake will be very productive, but very busy going on the trends of the last few years. The great unknown will be the new Lake Huntsman, and whether this new fishery will start cranking in what will be its second year of existence.

 Out in the Western Lakes a fortnight ago, a downpour of 25mm+ saw the area turn into one great sheet of water. Another first for the past five years, this type of flood results in the trout foraging more confidently, but more importantly, the headwater lakes that only link to the main-system waters every few years or so will again be linked and naturally re-stocked with a few fish. These brownies will turn into trophy trout as minimal competition and food allow them to feast 24-7. Now that sounds bloody good!

Early season mayfly, Macquarie River

Moving into September and the floodplain tailing will only improve in the Western Lakes, while on the rivers cockchafer beetles will begin to make an appearance bringing fish to the top. Brumbys Creek will be a hotspot for this action, along with the Meander, Macquarie and South Esk rivers. By the first week in October the first serious mayfly hatches will be underway, and with a continuation of the wet winter, famed destinations such as the Macquarie River should fish the best they have for five years. Shaving Brush style dry flies and sight-fishing will be the go, and I can’t wait!

Western Lakes Tasmania, winter sunrise

• Fly Fishing Tasmania—lots of rain, and the season to come

Great news for Tasmanian fisher’s has been the big-wet of late. Just a few days ago, Mole Creek (on the Mersey River) saw 150mm’s of rain (that’s half-a-foot!) in a day, and all the rivers, including the drought ravaged Macquarie River, are in flood. And by flood I mean that they are well over their banks! The drought-depleted and algae-bloom affected Leake, Craigbourne and Tooms lakes are now full, or close too, which is awesome news—Tooms’ in particular features excellent fishing to baitfish feeders, while the Macquarie downstream offers the best small red spinner mayfly falls in Tasmania. This will be the best season in four years or more, both in terms of water flows and lake levels, and associated mayfly populations and fish sizes.

With two or so weeks to go until the new trout season opens, I’ve spent the last month tying flies for our webshop, and exploring remote waters in the Western Lakes. The trip report from our last weekend of explorations among the wilderness Western Lakes is here, but in a nutshell, early rains brought about early spawning, which will result in bigger and healthier early-season trout. As I type, Lake Augusta on the rim of the Western Lakes is overflowing, and has been for four days. 

We’ve also been concentrating on lots of behind-the-scenes activities in the last month, which have included gaining access to new guiding locations on the Meander River. This river adds to our guiding venues on the Mersey, Macquarie, Brumbys, North Esk, South Esk, St Patricks and north-eastern creeks. I’m sure that repeat clients (as well as new guests) will enjoy this season’s new venue.

• Opening day tactics

As alluded to, our trout season opens in just over two weeks on the 1^st of August. Many will be heading up to the hydro lakes for opening day (such as Arthurs Lake), but I’ll be hunting around in the flooded backwaters of our northern rivers. The author David Scholes made these flood-fishing events famous, but the recent years of drought have seen opportunities for flood fishing all but disappear. I’m not going to miss out on this winter’s offerings, so the Upper Macquarie, lower Meander, and perhaps even the South Esk or Lake River will be on my flood fishing to-do list. Patterns such as the Fur Fly, Woolly Caddis and Black and Peacock Spider will feature among the fly patterns to try.

As August moves in to September, hatches and falls of cockchafer beetles, stonefly, and by late September, mayfly will be underway and the trout will be looking for dries. By October the mayflies will become consistent (outside of any flood events) leading to some of the best close-quarter dry fly fishing of the season.

•  ‘Meet the author’s day’ at the Tasmanian Trout Expo – Greg French, Phil Weigall and Daniel Hackett

 The annual Tasmanian Trout Expo (at Cressy) is on over the weekend of the 29-30^th of August this year, where I’ll be found manning the Petrarchs Bookstore stand. The Sunday will see Greg French and Philip Weigall also at the stand, happy to talk to fellow fishers and sign books. Phil will be launching his new book ‘Fishing Season’, so it will be a great opportunity to get your copy on the day. More info on the Trout Expo here.  

•  Fly Fishing offerings from RiverFly for season 09-10  

October 2009 -May 2010 Try a Three Rivers Package and lodge accommodation with RiverFly Tasmania and Quamby Estate Homestead  

November 2009 – May 2010 Book in for a Wilderness Campout. We have a remote river venue for 1-2 night trips, and Western Lakes campouts for those wanting to experience Tasmania’s wilderness fishing mecca.  

Fly tying classes – shortcuts, improving techniques, and trouble-shooting - Keep an eye out on our Blog for the dates of our second round of fly tying classes. The first round finished successfully in early July.

• Fishing and fly tying tips

Tip1: If you get caught wading in water that is too powerful and need to turn back, try and avoid wading downstream back to shore: the water will start to ‘float’ you away as your centre of gravity is pushed downstream by the force of the current. Instead, it is safer to slowly work your way back to shore in a diagonally upstream direction, where you can keep your centre of gravity forwards, and your feet on the ground.

Tip 2: When tying parachute flies, always use a hackle that is one to two sizes larger than usual. This will give the fly a larger ‘footprint’ on the water (which will make it a better attractor), and ensure that it stays upright on each presentation.

•  The Source-Tasmania DVD now available

The Source-Tasmania DVD by Gin-Clear Media is now in stock and can be ordered through our WebShop. As the feature film of last month’s international Fly Fishing Festival, The Source has already been shown to more than 2000 people, to generally great reviews. The film-fest is now headed for Europe for showings next month.

The film is beautifully shot across four locations: Sea-run trout destinations on the North-West Coast, the rainforest creeks of the Western Tiers, the mayfly waters of the Lowland rivers, as well as a longer section featuring the wilderness Western Lakes. The Source features Greg French and Daniel Hackett, as well as a cast of visiting anglers. Purchase The Source here.

That’s all for this months newsletter. Look out for the August edition which will contain a report on the opening month of fishing, with a focus on the feature-flood fishing we’re looking forward to. Have a great opening Day from the RiverFly team-Daniel, Simone and Patrick