fishing

In Nature's Realm
ISSUE ONE SPRING 2015
THE MAYFLY OF OUR INLAND LAKES THE RUBICON RIVER
TYING THE MASSON BAG FLY
THE THYLACINE IS IT REALLY EXTINCT
THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN FLY-FISHING


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CONTENTS ISSUE ONE
Editorial
In this first edition Bruce Smith provides the reasons to starting this e-magazine and introduces the articles to issue one.
Technical Information
Mayfly of our inland lakes
The mayfly season is looked forward to by many fly- fisherman, but many tactics have to be learnt and in this article learning the secrets of nature, lifecycle's and the right imitations will prove invaluable.
Location information
The Rubicon The Jewel of the Northeast
In this article we'll learn about the beautiful Rubicon River a stream full of majestic trout that make this stream as good as any in the world.
Fly Tying information
Tying the Masson Bag Fly
This fly is a great baitfish imitation and is a variation of the original and designed by the late Ron masson.
A Fly-Fishing Story
Thylacine's are they Extinct?
Here's a story of a fly-fishing situation that begs the question to the existence of the Tasmanian Tiger.


Editorial
Welcome to this first edition of In Nature’s Realm-The journal of fly-fishing. I think this is the first of it’s kind because its a journal produced by me, and written by me.
Its just me passing on my 40 years of knowledge, experience and in the field adventures. I suppose many out there would scoff at this, and I must admit to liking a bit of writer variety in my fishing magazines. However there are many long term anglers that leave this earth with so much knowledge it really is a travesty of the learning ideal. I just want to pass on my knowledge and promote fly-fishing to the utmost.
So I’ve set out to give the beginner a helping hand, to push that angler thats finding it hard and just about to give up, or hopefully show the experienced fly-fishermen another insight or tiny bit of information that may be the last piece to the puzzle.
I love to teach- not only the technical and location aspects of fly- fishing, but as the title of this magazine suggests it’s the great place of nature where fly-fishermen abound, trying to deceive the overlord of the rivers and lakes leaving only there foot prints as they go.
The make up of the magazine may change in the future but from the outset it will contain a technical fly-fishing article, a location article, fly tying article and a fly-fishing story.
It’s my hope that you the fly-fishing angler will learn a great deal from my writing and being Bimonthly and free of charge, you can’t get better, Enjoy.
In Natures Realm
Bruce Smith
Phone
0432806684
e-mail [email protected]


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MAYFLY OF OUR I


INLAND LAKES
CANON D5 MARK II - 250-F-16 RING FLASH


Observation is your first critical tactic
There can be no better time than springtime; mornings are milder, with that first breath of air -smelling of earthy rain. The insects are stirring, and amongst them the fly fishermen conjures up memories of last seasons hatches and catches.
By mid morning the sun warms the day and the angler will sit and observe the fishing area. Homework from coinciding days, and the knowledge that a high-pressure system with wide isobars surrounds the area producing light wind shall secure the makings for a successful day.
With his rod at the ready he will slowly walk the bank observing every inch of water available to him. Looking for any sign from nature, for he knows that at any time an insect will appear turning most strong willed zealot fly- fishermen into shaking, babbling, novices.
Most readers already know what insect I’m talking about, but for others the insect in question is the Mayfly. That beautiful creature that turns trout into feeding machines and fishermen into raving fanatics.
The word mayfly means; to live for a day, but it should mean: “take it easy, be patient and observe” because to be successful requires these elements.
From the moment you start there is no need to hurry; undoubtedly most would have heard the term, the gentlemen hours. Well the hatches don’t start till around 10:00 or 11:00 am, so that gives you time to enjoy the lush land, and picturesque scenery that surrounds your fishing location. Yes! Nothing can be better than fly-fishing.


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A respectable brown trout from a central highland lake Canon D5 Mark II 1/800 f-4 17mm


On a higher elevation more can be observed
Canon D5 Mark II 4/ F-5 18mm
There are many different species of mayfly in Victoria but the main one within the spring that hatches out in big numbers is the Atalophlebia Australis. Or more commonly know as the March Brown, (a term given due to the mayfly of the Northern hemisphere hatching in march), but here in Victoria, September, October, and November
THE HUNT
The term, “think like a fish” is a good one, but I like to add, imagine the water in front of you as if you were swimming around on the bottom. What you’d see in regards to the first mayfly movement would be nymphs brown in colour, scurrying about in readiness to ascend to the surface. The lake’s marauding trout will follow and devour them with ease as they sight their slow snake like movement. The sighting by the fly fisherman won’t happen until the nymphs have ascended to the surface and the searching trout engulfs the nymph creating a surface boil, which is what we can term the first rise form.


THE EMERGING NYMPH
This is when you take out of your fly box an emerging nymph pattern. There are many patterns to choose from, but as long as it’s the right size, shape and colour, with the ability to sit right in the surface film, you’ll be in business. My favourite imitation is dark brown, in a size 12 hook constructed from seals fur with the inclusion of a few turns of hackle around the thorax. (See fly fact box).
Trout when feeding on mayfly are constantly moving about taking an emerger here and there, so try if you can to work out it’s direction after taking an emerger.
Once achieved cast your pattern to the area and just let it sit, if you’re casting into the wind make sure you retrieve slack line that is floating back towards you, so that if the trout takes your fly you will have a solid connection on the strike.
Emerging nymph patterns like dry flies require you to wait until the trout is in the downward position before you strike. On windy days or where the surface has a fair amount of wave action you will also need to have your fly line and leader floating high to combat any drag. Even when this is achieved you won’t have a 100% drag less drift, the only time this is achieved is when loch style fly fishing out of boats, due to the boat drifting at the same rate as the water surface.


THE DUN
The dun stage is where it breaks free from its nymphal shuck, looking like a nymph with wings. The species' of mayfly at most lakes as stated before is Leptophlebiidae, where the dun is termed the Lamba dun, it has a distinct upside down y shape pattern in its wing which is a clear identification mark.
The first hatches of the dun usually dry their wings untouched to then escape to the nearest lakeside bushes as the trout are more keyed onto the emerging nymph. But it doesn’t take long for the trout to notice the greater numbers of duns inducing the trout to change their minds.
There can be no better time than springtime; mornings are milder, with that first breath of air - smelling of earthy rain. The insects are stirring, and amongst them the fly fishermen conjures up memories of last seasons hatches and catches.
By mid morning the sun warms the day and the angler will sit and observe the fishing area. Homework from coinciding days, and the knowledge that a high-pressure system with wide isobars surrounds the area producing light wind shall secure the makings for a successful day.
With his rod at the ready he will slowly walk the bank observing every inch of water available to him. Looking for any sign from nature, for he knows that at any time an insect will appear turning most strong willed zealot fly- fishermen into shaking, babbling, novices.
Most readers already know what insect I’m talking about, but for others the insect in question is the Mayfly. That beautiful creature that turns trout into feeding machines and fishermen into raving fanatics.
The word mayfly means; to live for a day, but it should mean: “take it easy, be patient and observe” because to be successful requires these elements.
From the moment you start there is no need to hurry; undoubtedly most would have heard the term, the gentlemen hours. Well the hatches don’t start till around 10:00 or 11:00 am, so that gives you time to enjoy the lush land, and picturesque scenery that surrounds your fishing location. Yes! Nothing can be better than fly-fishing.
There are many different species of mayfly in Victoria but the main one within the spring that hatches out in big numbers is the Atalophlebia Australis. Or more commonly know as the March Brown, (a term given due to the mayfly of the Northern hemisphere hatching in march), but here in Victoria, September, October, and November


Andrew Scott with a Brown trout taken on a Possum emerger




Jason Litchfield waits for the evening mayfly hatch surrounded by a magnificent setting sun
Canon 300 D Auto


THE SPINNER
If ever there was an insect, or stage of insect that needs the right weather conditions then the mayfly spinner is it. Days that are mild to warm with a light wind will always produce spinner activity.
On most lakes the greatest numbers will be found around the shallow edges.
A fly fisherman that sits back and intently watches will witness hovering flame orange insects mating and laying their eggs onto smooth glass like water. The trout will cruise along the bottom searching and at any moment will either gently sip an egg layer, or with a few flicks of its tail, leap through the water with mouth agape, intercepting the aerial flyer.
It’s at this time that the fly fisherman need only take one fly from his box; the Macquarie red, I know I’ve always mention the Macquarie red in numerous other articles I’ve written, but no other fly comes near it.
Its size is perfect, its colour true to life, and its added body hackle floats it so high it sometimes fools trout into believing that it is just hovering above the surface.
All that is required by the fly fishermen is to accurately and gently land the Macquarie onto the smooth glass like water, then wait for the disappearance
There are occasions on mayfly lakes when spinners can be found on windy days. Some lakes by way of nature have trees around their shoreline. This creates windbreaks to small areas, forming calm flat-water conditions that are dependent on wind direction and strength.
SPENT SPINNERS
This is the stage where the male and female spinners die and lay with their wings and legs outstretched in the spent position. Even though you will find spent spinners at all periods of the day. I find first light to be the most productive especially when you know the night before had great numbers of the mating and egg laying spinners. The edges of the lake on the windward side should be your destination, keep low, watch, and wait, and don’t enter the water. Fly selection can be a number of patterns, but I favour the Rumpf Spinner due to its perfect imitation of the natural.
When you sight a big trout cruising in water barely covering its back, with every spot on its side showing. You’re bound to wittiness the trout attack and in the blink of an eye your imitation is gone, only then will you realise the excitement of spent spinner fly-fishing.
MORE THAN JUST ONE SPECIES
On many of our mayfly lakes there are different species other than Leptophlebiidae.
One noted mayfly is from the family of Caenis, which hatches out at the same time as the bigger mayfly on some, but not all lakes. Thankfully when they hatch together the lakes trout target the bigger mayfly in all its stages. The reason why trout do this in my mind is due to the size of the mayfly, providing a bigger mouthful.


There are many species of mayfly, here a black spinner of Tasmania stays still for the camera. Canon 300 D 250/ F-16 Ring Flash
Then you have those days where Caenis are the only mayfly hatching and things become decidedly more difficult.
Identification of the small Caenis mayfly is easy with its few different colours but mainly due to its small size; a hook in the 16/18 class is needed.
CONCLUSION
Mayfly fly-fishing in our lakes is only one dimension; there are the rivers and streams that can’t be covered here, but let me tell you this
Every time I fly fish our Victorian mayfly lakes, and like when I fish the rivers, I totally enjoy it like nothing else, from the moment I set out on my fishing day, till the moment I return.
It’s a day that’s full of a joy within the bigger picture, that’s impossible to describe, only my fellow fly fisher will understand these feelings- When the Mayfly hatch!


Mayfly Imitations Fact Box
Size- 16/14/12-
Deep Sinking Nymph Patterns
Pheasant tail nymph Copper and John Weighted seals fur nymph
Gold bead head nymph
Size- 16/14/12-
Emerging Nymphs
Seals fur emerger Smith emerger Possum emerger
Poly winged emerger
Size- 16/14/12-
Mayfly Dun Patterns
Highland dun Klinkhammer Cripple dun March brown
Para dun
Size- 16/14/12-
Spinner patterns
Macquarie red Orange Quill Compara spinner Hackle tip spinner
Cocky spinner
Size- 16/14/12-
Spent Spinner Patterns
Rumpf spinner Poly wing spinner
Quill body spinner


Mayfly Imitation Water Depth Chart


THE RUBICON
The Jewel of the Nort
h


heast
Canon 300D 250/ F18


The Rubicon begins its life as rainfall within the lush green Royston Ranges. The excess turns into flowing veins of water that form small stream-lets to enter the Royston River. The Royston travels steeply through heavy vegetation of fern and native bush flowing crystal clear over gravel and small boulder bottom.
Small brown trout beautifully marked with blood red spots can be found. Some people like to call them mountain trout, a title that suits them well. Great sport can be attained with the use of small wet flies, but drifting a dry fly imitation wins hands down with the rivers trout always rising to beetles and other terrestrial insects.
The river travels for a distance to enter a power station dam created for Hydro-electricity. Below the dam is the point we can now class as the birth of the Rubicon.
THE UPPER RUBICON
From the Dam to Tumbling Waters
With the steepness still held, the water here flows faster then at any other point flowing over large boulders and at the start of spring with the high rainfall this section can be almost impossible to fish. Eventually the fast river flow subsides making way for the use of wet fly patterns and attractor flies like size 10/8 smelt patterns, woolly buggers, matukas, hamills killers, while nymph patterns can also produce success with pheasant tail, gold bead head, and weighted seals fur nymph’s excellent starters.
In the early season dry fly fishing can produce good numbers of trout especially to beetle hatches that within the upper section are prolific and are best imitated with size 16/12 red tags and cocy-bondus. Mayfly and caddis hatches occur in different sections, and over the summer months grasshoppers can account for the odd small trout.
This upper section of the Rubicon holds my fondness memory of my first trout taken on a fly. I remember it clearly, around mid morning it was, and I had my first glimpse of the stream after walking through dense vegetation and sighting the babbling water cascade over pebbles and rocks. I contemplated my next move, as a cast here was very tight, and without hesitation selected one of my best-tied black nymphs.
Throwing out a roll cast upstream avoided the dense bush behind me and placed the fly mid stream quickly drifting down with no result. This was repeated, and when the fly finished its drift and moved up to the surface, I felt that unmistakable pull on the fly line. I struck with the result of a brown trout golden flanked with black and red spots, and to make things better, taken on a fly I tied myself.
MR FINLAY’S WATER RACE
This section of the river has a slice of fishing history by the way of David Scholes and his writing in the book the Way of an Angler which outlines the wonderful story of Mr. Findlay’s water race.


DAVID PICKERING NYMPH FISHING THE CANON 300D 1000/S F-16 UPPER SECTION OF THE RUBICON




Casting a grasshopper pattern to a sighted trout . Note the high grass along the river edge. Photo by (Isntomu Miyashits)


today it’s more of people reminiscing the story.
TUMBLING WATERS
Tumbling Waters can be classified as the middle section of the Rubicon and its here that a picnic and park exists for the public and there can be nothing better then to have a picnic lunch under a shady tree watching and listening to the river flow by. It’s also a great starting point to begin your fishing. From here downstream the river slows down to be badly soil eroded in parts with other sections in nice condition.
Bait fishermen now can take advantage of the river conditions and by either selecting the slower edges or backwaters to fish earthworms, scrubbies, mudeye’s, maggots and other natural baits. The trout here are bigger then the upper river mates and range from 3⁄4 of a pound to 2 pound in weight. Fly fishermen will find wet flies and nymphs to be very affective when selecting the shallower sections. Insect hatches are much more prolific with mayfly and caddis high on the trout’s menu. Species of mayfly consist of Caenis, Baetis, Leptophlebiidae, Coloburiscidae and Trichoptera (Asmicridea Edwardsi) for the caddis.
Dry fly fishing continues to be exceptional with beetle’s hatches and the summer time grasshopper fishing really shines with bountiful numbers along the edge of the river. Bait drifting with the natural hoppers caught in the early morning then gently cast upstream is a good method as to is drifting a dry fly imitation in the same manner.
The further the angler walks from Tumbling waters the better the fishing becomes due to the single factor of less fishing pressure. Most people don’t like to walk long distances, but for those that do bigger trout are the rewards. In some parts of the river trout can weigh up to 4 and 5 pounds.
THE NEXT PUBLIC ACCESS
The next access point is a public road that leads into the Rubicon from the Goulburn Valley Highway about 2 kilometers down from the Thornton Township. At this point one can only fish downstream as old title prevents access through the upstream property. The river is a lot slower in flow and more sections of soil-eroded banks will be found.
Wood structures are high in number through fallen black wattle trees that can produce excellent trout habitat but difficult dry fly fishing through your fly line becoming tangled on wooden debris when drifting your fly pattern.
The only way to avoid this is to watch both your fly and the base of your line continually throughout the drift then mend your line out the way of these water surface projections.
The trout in this section range from a pound to 4 pound in weight but this also receives a lot of fishing traffic and great deal of stealth is needed to fool these trout.
Bait fishermen will find many slower backwaters to fish and the usually natural baits will produce trout.
Lure casters and fly fishermen will do better searching the shallower sections with the use of Polaroid sunglasses that remove the surface glare, revealing sub surface feeding trout.
In the deeper pools this will be more difficult and may call for blind searching with an


Andy scott releases a Rubicon brown trout after it was deceived by hopper imitation. Canon 5D Mark II 2.0 / F-4 14mm


Stream trout take of beautiful colours and marking as a fly-fishermen its a privilege to be a part of nature
Canon D5 Mark II 2.0 / F-4 14mm




THE LOWER RUBICON RIVER
The lower Rubicon involves a lot of fishing kilometers and is even more laden with wooden structures and this I personally feel holds many of the rivers trout. To fish this section of the river properly the angler needs to cast and present his bait, lure or fly to every nook and cranny were a trout maybe waiting. A hundred foot section of river should take the angler a long time to fish, if this is to be completed with success.
Even though all sections of the river produce good evening rise fishing for the fly-fisherman. I’ve personally found that this lower section of the river produces the best insect hatches and there’s no doubt that mayfly, caddis, and midge stand out above all the rest. The fly- fisherman needs to arrive a few hours before dark and without casting a fly patrol the river walking upstream until a trout is found by way of its physical presence, or by a surface rise. In most cases trout won’t begin feeding until the start of twilight and by then insect identification will be known through insect behaviour and rise form. All that’s required then is the right presentation of the fly and the catching of some great river trout.
Sometimes it’s over as quickly as it begins but other times the rising trout can continue well into dark.


Sometimes anglers like to park their car at Gilmore’s Bridge on the Goulburn River and walk downstream a few kilometres to where the Rubicon enters the Goulburn then fish and search their way upstream which is a very productive method.
CATCH AND RELEASE
Because of the great fishing pressure on the Rubicon many people have concerns in regard to trout numbers within the river. Fisheries in late 2004 conducted a survey on the river and the results showed the river is indeed low in trout numbers and this has created great concern and now many anglers are calling for new regulations to introduce either smaller bag limits or even total catch and release. It’s my personal opinion that the river needs total catch and release to protect these trout within this magnificent river.
In this conclusion I would like to express to anglers to limit their catch or like myself release all trout that they catch until an official decision is made.
CONCLUSION
The Rubicon River is a destination steeped in angling history and provides at certain times of the year world-class fishing. Also insect hatches are excellent due to abundant stream-side nature that is pleasing to the eye and mind that has to be experienced.


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TISMENT


TYING THE MA


ASSON BAG FLY
This Bag Fly is a variant of the original pattern


Anthony Bratt working the Bag fly with medium long draws of the line
My eyes scanned the lakes water surface for some sort of movement or sign that would indicate the presence of a feeding trout. As I waited at the water's edge, the clouds above me were dark, the wind was blowing hard stinging my face with its icy cold temperature. The wait was a long one, so long in fact that I didn't realise I had so much patience. Then suddenly, out to the right, there was a crash with water spray flying through the air. I quickly began to flick out a small amount of line in readiness for the next crash. Again this time to the left, the water exploded, as if someone had thrown a big rock into the lake. This time with the least amount of false casts, my size 8 Bag fly landed into the intended area. I retrieved my fly with sharp one foot long strips, pausing between each one, the Bag fly I was using was sure to look like a smelt, for its red throat hackles fibres would give the impression of a wounded or injured smelt as it darted through the water.
There is always an eerie silence as you retrieve your fly in anticipation of the take and take this trout did, with an all mighty pull on the fly line. Immediately I lifted the rod to feel the thrashing weight on the end of the line, and to see the fly line sail through the runners and the spectacular leap of the big brown trout with its golden red spotted side glistening at me. This brown was a good sized trout and I had to muster all the playing skills I had. Eventually this trout came to the net, a handsome fish of around four pounds, that was given its freedom after cradling it in my hands. This is just one experience of many that I look forward to each and every year. Fly fishing for smelt feeding trout with the Bag fly, one of the best smelting fly pattern there is.


Trout that feed on smelt can attain big weights
My first introduction to the Bag fly came not long after I initially joined the Sunshine fly casting club. It was shown to me by the man who started the club, Ron Masson. One fly tying night at the club, Ron was showing a beginner how to tie a fly and whist looking in that direction the fly's sparkling gold body caught my eye. I then began to inspect the tying of the fly with the same intensity as the beginner.
Ron soon completed the fly and placed it in my hand. Upon closer inspection I marvelled at the fly's construction and use of hessian bag fibres for the wing of the fly. Over the following months I fished the Bag fly in many lakes and found many trout were fooled by its smelt imitating qualities. I will never forget the above mentioned day or the day at Newlyns reservoir when I hooked and landed a brown trout of seven pounds on the Bag fly, (let's not forget that presentation also plays a part) and you will also discover that most of the trout you capture will invariably be big ones. The history and designer of the Bag fly is unknown, but whoever it was sure knew his or her fly fishing.
I find the best fishing method is to work the Bag fly through the water with fairly fast one foot long strips of the fly line, pausing between strips.
Because the Bag fly is constructed of few and sparse materials, it's relatively light in weight and with a fast retrieve the fly will work just under the water surface, which sometimes is exactly the right depth.


Hook: # 12/10/8/6
Thread: Black 6/0
Rib: Fine Gold Wire
Tail: Black cock hackle fibres Body: Gold Tinsels
Wing: Hessian Bag Fibres
1/ Start at the 2/3 point of the hook, and attach the black thread wrapping back to the bend stopping at the point in line with the barb.
2/ At this point take a small bunch of Black cock hackle fibres and tie in with the least amount of turns. Then cut away excess.
3/ Next, at the same position tie in a length of gold tinsel and gold wire. Then cut away excess just behind the eye of the hook so the body stays flat.
4/ Then wind on the gold tinsel to the point just behind the hook eye in nice even turns. Next wind the gold wire around the body with five or six turns, then cut away excess.
The materials you'll need


5/ Turn the fly upside down and then take a small bunch of red cock hackle fibres and tie in just behind the eye of the hook, cutting away any excess
6/ Now prepare Hessian wing by cutting a small square.
7/ Select two stands from the patch.
8/ Now take your bobbin needle or scissors and splay the stands of excess rubbish fibres.
9/ With the rubbish fibres gone you should be left with fibres like this. Finally tie in hession wing, build up head, whip finish and cement.
10/ There you have the Bag Fly, Ron Masson style.


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Waiting for the ring of the rise on the Break-o-Day Canon 300D 1/60S F22


I love that poem its a great description of Tasmania, seen through the eyes of a fisherman. I’ve fished Tasmania many times and seen its beauty and it’s remoteness. I continue to fish the highland lakes in summer and the lowland rivers in spring. Mainly chasing the mayfly duns, spinners and the wild trout rising to them. Nevertheless the mayfly are only a small portion of what is on offer. Many other insects both aquatic and terrestrial induce the trout to rise and like all of my fishing it’s the sport thats takes me into nature that I love and desire so much. Catching a trout is just cream on top.
I’d now like to digress a little to tell of a other fascinating subject that has been with me for as long as fly-fishing, that being the Thylacine or more commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger.
I’m not about to claim that I’ve seen a Tasmanian Tiger even though I’d love to say that I had, because this marsupial is as beautiful as nature itself. About the size of a big dog, tear drop shaped eyes and a tawny tan coloured body with black stripes that crossed the body from its rump down its stiff tail.
This animal had some intriguing capabilities like being able to open its jaw to 90 degrees, being able to stand like a kangaroo and making a weird yipping sound.
It roamed the mainland of Australia and Tasmania for thousands of years and then in the 1800’s the white man landed and discovered Australia and in the process discovered many wild animals unseen in other parts of the world.
To most new settlers, the Tasmanian Tiger was just another animal with the farmers more concerned with their introduced produce of sheep. The Tasmanian Tiger didn’t mind the odd feed of lamb but like most animals in the wild it prefers to chase its prey. The amount of sheep they took was minuscule, but the farmers would find the odd sheep missing and this must have infuriated them. Eventually their complained to the the government, and to help the farmers the government put in place a bounty, paying a shilling for the pelt of a Tasmanian Tiger. The result of this decision was devastating, thousands of thylacines were killed by people that were poor and struggling to put food on the table and when the value of a shilling was worth a weeks working wages, who could blame them.
So the killing continued with the population of thylacines becoming smaller. In the 1920’s and 30’s thylacine were still sighted, shipped overseas and exhibited in the Beaumaris zoo. Then in 1936 the last captive Tiger died and in 1986 the government declared the thylacine extinct.
Throughout those years and until this day many people have claimed to have seen a Tasmanian Tiger, to many to dismiss to quickly. In my many years of fascination I’ve followed the reports in the media and on the internet and found one web site


Fly-fisherman Bruce Smith display a Break-o-day brown trout after it took a Rumph spent spinner. Canon 300D 250S F-16




that provided newspaper reports going back to the 1800’s. Tasmanian newspapers like the Mercury and others, regular reported sighting and articles about the Tasmanian tiger and the real thought provoking ones were the interviews with the Tasmanian bushmen that worked in the wilds of Tasmania for weeks and months on end. One interview that I read involved a bushman that knew the habits of the Tasmanian Tiger to the point where he told of the main whereabouts and how they feed on wallabies and the odd sheep. He told how the Thylacine would break through the chest and eat the heart only, and how they hunted their prey with ambush tactics and having great stamina, wearing them down to the point of exhaustion.
Today the experts have pin pointed the locations of where people have sighted Tasmanian tigers and noted areas include the northwest of the state and the southeastern district, but the most have been recorded in the Ben Lomond mountain range and this brings me to a certain fly-fishing trip in Tasmania that occurred in the springtime for its lowland river mayfly hatch.
Having completed many trips each year I had good knowledge of when and where to go. One the major factors to good mayfly hatches is light winds or no wind at all. This induces fantastic spinner hatches that can have the rivers alive with rising trout. On this trip I clearly remember that I had to wait for two days before visiting one of the rivers. During these times I will head to the lowland lakes like Lake Leake, or up to the central Highland lakes until the winds settle down. On the third day I woke up to predicted light winds and made the decision to fish the Break-o-day.
This river was first introduced to me through the writing’s of David Scholes. His beautiful descriptive words of the river conjured up mental images that had me enthralled. So for many years I’d always fish the Break-o-day and this day was no exception. Being only a short distance from my accommodation I arrived at a property that always gave me permission to traverse their land to fish the mid to upper section of the river.
Stepping out of the car adjacent to the river always gave beautiful views of the Ben Lomond mountain range and its magnificent sights of riverside vegetation like hawthorn bushes, lush green willow trees, and open farmland property with a silver river running through it, I never tier of such sights.
After a short walk I immediately saw orange mayfly spinners dancing in the air and knew straight away I’d find rising trout. In a favourite section I sighted not one rising trout but easily six or seven feasting on these egg laying spinners. Every-time the spinners alighted to the surface the materialising of a trout’s snout would break though the meniscus devouring the orange flamed morsel.
I know what I’m about to say maybe hard to believe, but at these times I sometimes just become enthralled with the action and put my rod down and watch the trout at play. Eventually though you have to pick up your rod and continue the hunt and search for a imitating fly that will represent the insect in question. For me the best fly was a size 14 Macquarie Red, it has the right colour, shape and floats high. Now all I had to do was cast to the nearest riser with no drag, and wait for the water to erupt and see the fly disappear.