Women’s fly fishing gear – Patagonia, Orvis, Sage and Scott specials
Female anglers have always been an important part of our business, so as a thanks, we are running some specials for spring. Specials are limited to in-store products thank you, and have a great start to the season! Sage Grace fly rod, was $720, now $475.00 Scott Radian 890-4 ladies spec, rrp$1249, special price $1099. Patagonia Spring River Waders $549 down to $449.00. L Reg available Our favourite jacket, the women's Patagonia River Salt Jacket $399.95 down to $294.95 Patagonia Women's Sunshade...
RiverFly 1864 Hatch Chart – 27 August 2016
Here's the latest Tasmanian fly fishing Hatch Chart, from RiverFly 1864. The frogs have started on Lake Leake, and despite heavy on-and-off snow they are close to the waterline on some of the 19 Lagoons. Sea-runners and bait are starting to aggregate in the Derwent and Mersey estuaries, and the small streams are still fishing well on the Bruisers Bug and other terrestrial dries. Have a great fortnight of fishing, the best of the springtime tailers, sea-runners and frog feeders...
Fly fishing Tasmania – worm feeders and backwaters
Late wintertime in Tasmania is the time to fish The Earthworm fly. With each small rain event, the rivers lap over edges and into backwaters, where trout forage for drowned earthworms and beetles. Flooded backwaters are ideal, the best having inflowing creeks, soaks, or river currents flowing through them. The Earthworm Fly is best fished inert, to sighted fish. Video by RiverFly 1864 guide Peter Broomhall. https://vimeo.com/179835692
Fly Fishing Tasmania – Hatch Chart Aug 13
Welcome to our first fly fishing Tasmania Hatch Chart for 2016, marking our sixth year of keeping Tassie anglers up to date. The season is off to a great start on the lowlands, with fat well conditioned fish. Fishing in the highlands has been equally good, but only once the morning ice has melted! Click on the image to enlarge.
Top five tips and locations for trout opening day 2016
It’s official; Tasmania has just had the wettest three months on record. There’s no doubt that sections of the Mersey, Leven and Meander will be subject to patchy and un-predictable fishing conditions, and we need to be mindful of farmers and landowners who are busily repairing damage along rivers. But don’t let the localised damage and the wild weather of late winter dampen your enthusiasm, as these events have brought many fisheries to life with brilliant opportunities for keen fishers....
Mersey River recovery – tailers
After the biggest Mersey River flood on record, it was with great excitement that in excess of twenty tailing trout were found during a weekend recon mission along the banks. Finning and tailing for earthworms, the wild browns were in excellent condition, and at times there were enough working the margins that they were swimming into each other. Bring on August opening day - we'll be taking a box full of our Earthworm Flies for sure! (Hint: Best to click 720p resolution)...
Loon UV Fly Finish and Water Based Head Cement – Used and Abused review
Whether you tie thousands of flies a year, or struggle along with one fly each session, anything that makes fly tying easier and more enjoyable is a good thing. Loon UV Fly Finish and Loon Water Based Head Cement are two products that do just this: easier, quicker tying, and none of the harmful fumes that you get from many other head cements and epoxies. Loon Water Based Head Cement System We've always used water-based head cement for our production...
Scott Radian – Used and Abused review, 12 months on
I’m the first to admit that we were slow off the mark to get hold of a Scott Radian. Living in Tasmania, under-down-under, it can be like a game of Chinese whispers sorting out the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the latest and greatest from the USA. But after some prompting from Rene Vaz at Manic Tackle, we decided to buy one for our guiding business, and see how general anglers performed with the Radian. To cut...
RIO Perception flyline – Used and Abused review, two years on.
Ever wondered how to have five fly rods, but pay for one? Simple – own five different fly line tapers. Each rod acts differently according to the weight of the flyline, and the taper, so it’s a great trick to manipulate your flyline selection to ‘customise’ your fly rod. For instance, a flyline with a short and aggressive front taper (for example the RIO Grand) can turn a fly rod into a high line speed, pick up and shoot demon....
Patagonia Stormfront Backpack – Used and Abused review, four years on
A couple of years ago, we ran a review of the Patagonia Stormfront Pack by well-known Australian fly fishing author, Greg French. It was one of our ‘Used and Abused’ reviews, on a pack that had travelled the wildernesses of the world for two years. You can check out the full review here, but here is the gist: All up, this Patagonia product is the most practical daypack I have ever used, and these days I can’t imagine being without...
Tasmania’s big wet – the current rundown!
Big news for Tasmanian fly fishers, and for Tasmania’s waterways: a big wet has just tracked down eastern Australia, arriving in Tasmania with some massive rainfall totals. Rainfall totals include more than 220mm in the headwaters of the Mersey, Meander and South Esk rivers, generating major flood levels. The North Esk is already at an all-time record height, and rising, and there is some belief that Launceston will be subjected to a one in a hundred year flood. The Mersey River...
Just one more cast – fly fishing Tasmania
We've all said it: 'just one more cast'. And there's probably no other time that you mean it less, than the last day of the season. With a couple months of quiet time ahead, and the odd monster shadow cruising through the high-flows of autumn, that last cast can often go-on for hours. So imagine the thrill if your last cast was this huge Tasmanian brown trout, landed by RiverFly 1864 customer 'Scottish' John. What fly, you ask? Our 1864 Shrek...
Fires, drought, and great trout. The Tasmanian fly fishing season wrap-up!
Fires, drought, and great trout. The Tasmanian fly fishing season wrap-up! What a strange season of weather. It’s been labelled ‘the green drought’ in Tassie, after a record dry spring and autumn, and an ok summer of rainfall. The El Nino weather cycle also resulted in some mixed fishing for the wider angling community, but here are some highlights and lowlights which should lead you some great destination tips for next season. Highlights The highlights without doubt were river fishing...
Scott Meridian – Lots of feel, versatile line speed and easy action
Scott Meridian saltwater fly rods – Lots of feel, versatile line speed and a user-friendly action Writing gear reviews can be like drawing teeth sometimes, and it can be tempting to just go with what you want to say: ‘The Scott Meridian is really, really good, a definite favourite. Make it your next saltwater rod’…But hey, this doesn’t really give other anglers much info about the rod, or qualify the statement at all. So here's some nitty gritty for keen saltwater fly fishers...
April Vokey talks Tasmanian fly fishing
Simone and I were lucky to catch up with April Vokey recently, and talk Tasmanian fly fishing. Thanks to FlyLife Magazine for the great vid! [pexvimeo pex_attr_src="https://vimeo.com/159570934"][/pexvimeo]