Patrick Horan, preparing for an R&D day

Some great news for RiverFly guests is the recruitment of Patrick Horan to the RiverFly Tasmania team.  Patrick was head-hunted by RiverFly in 2008, and since then has been serving a guiding apprenticeship of sorts with RiverFly founder Daniel Hackett; as expected, Pat has taken to guiding like a duck to water. This is no surprise-Patrick has been teaching fly fishing Adult Education classes for more than four years with the Fly Fishers Club of Tasmania, and was a junior Tasmanian fly casting champion when Daniel met him almost a decade ago. Patrick is an excellent photographer, and an even better fly tier; you’ll find Daniel pilfering his innovative parachute hackles and hopper patterns most days their guiding together.

One thing to point out is Patricks local knowledge: it wasn’t too many seasons ago that Daniel was talking to Pat about a new, favourite secret spot; Pat replied with ‘yeah, I know the spot, I’ve been fishing it for a few seasons now’.  You can find more about Patrick on the RiverFly Guides page.

A brace of Black and Peacock spiders

Our fun and modern fly tying courses are beginning to take shape for Launceston, Hobart and the North-West. Launceston classes start on the 21 May, and there are still a couple of spaces left. The venue is at The Essential Fly Fisher, at 105 York Street. Email me to reserve a place www.riverfly.com.au/contact

Dates for the Hobart and the North-West classes will be set soon, as class numbers are beginning to fill. Please email me if you are interested in attending courses in either of these areas www.riverfly.com.au/contact

Course content

The courses have been structured to enable all skill levels to participate, and to teach take-away skills for tying better flies, and tying them easier. Some of the topics covered will include:

- Technique for tying durable bodies with peacock herl

- Tricks for tying deer-hair and Possum Shaving Brush ‘wings’ for better flotation and fish-catching

- Technique for tying in durable, non-slip parachute hackles

- Techniques for tying easy ‘porcupine’ hackles – the easy high-viz alternative to parachute hackles.

- Tying with deer-hair – bullet-heads and the WMD

- Correct techniques for tying with foam – glue, legs and the Chernobyl Ant

- The rules for using colour and UV reflective materials in flies

The course will cover many more topics along the way, and the day-to-day techniques that may be troubling you (such as dubbing!) will be covered through the course of tying the featured flies.

There’s no better thrill than catching a fish on a fly of your own design. Come and join us to learn more about how to do it.

A Tasmanian trout on a hand tied fly

As promised, here are the dates for our first round of winter fly tying courses. The dates are subject to minimum numbers (3 pers) and course numbers are limited to 6 participants. The course is structured with some simple ties first off, and the complex flies last – so the course is suited for all abilites from beginners to experienced. Your flies will benefit from the tricks and tips taught in these classes, from a simple and durable technique for tying with peacock herl, down to the best ways to tie deer-hair. 

Learn to tie all the flies you’ll need for the new season.  From simple and deadly Stick Caddis or  F-Fly patterns, right up to the chunky WMD and Chernobyl Ant.  All in all, a minimum of 12 patterns will be covered.

Cost: $190 per person, with tying notes, fishing notes and required tying material on the night supplied by RiverFly.

Dates : 5 nights, 2 hours/night, every Thursday starting 7pm 21 May at the Essential Fly Fisher, 105 York Street Launceston.

Devonport / Hobart Classes: If you and 5 mates would like to form a class and have a suitable venue, please contact us: for your efforts we’ll give you your place free of charge!

Contact Daniel to book your place or for further enquiries www.riverfly.com.au/contact

(A small number of vices are available for beginners to use on the night, or you can purchase your own, with scissors, deer-hair stacker, bodkin and bobbin holder for ~$150 through the Essential Fly Fisher.)