Tasmanian trout experience
We caught up with Vere Michiels, who recently joined the OzFish team as our Senior Project and Communications Officer for Tassie. Vere’s just back from learning a new fishing technique ahead of Gone Fishing Day.
I have always been a salty girl. Fishing, diving, and surfing in saltwater are all right up my alley.
When I started my role with OzFish in Tasmania recently, I wanted to make sure I was experiencing even more of what fishing and the island have to offer. So, I reached out to Roger Butler at Trout Guides and Lodges Tasmania (TGALT) and sheepishly admitted that I had never been freshwater (fly) fishing before.
Roger enthusiastically invited me to come along to one of his introductory fly fishing workshops and start to learn the art while trout fishing. And it is an art.
The workshops are run at the fantastic Herne Lodge, a private fishery in the Central Highlands that has at least four generations of wild brown trout in its waters.
From the few chats I’d had with some of the TGALT crew, it was clear it would be a fun-filled day, regardless of whether or not the trout were on the bite. Could they convert me to fly fishing?
The day started with a not-so-balmy -2 degrees and thick frost, but it quickly warmed up and turned into a beautifully clear day. After learning some of the theory behind fly fishing, it was time to get into some waders and try our luck.
Roger, Nick and Ray (our guides for the day) were all seasoned fly fishers and made it look so easy. I very quickly discovered that wasn’t the case, and it didn’t take long before I turned my line into a bird’s nest.
That’s not to say I didn’t hook anything.
I hooked plenty, including myself, rocks, and various weeds.
Unfortunately, a fish was not among what I snagged.
Despite this, it was a great day with an even better company. The guides were incredible, and by the end of the day my casting had improved.
Luckily, lunch was provided and did not rely on me catching a fish.
The guides have been fishing Tassie’s waters for decades, and it was amazing to see and hear how much they know and care about our waterways. It was an incredible experience to go fishing with them for the day, and I’m certainly looking forward to practising my fly fishing and getting back out there soon.
Maybe next time I’ll even catch some trout!
