The day after the Christmas party I set off to meet Grahame in
Hobart. Yes, he is still willing to take me fishing and it always goes
well now.
The weather report was not good and after the weather in September we
were a little hesitant about setting out. As showers were predicted for
the afternoon in the north east where we were heading we decided to go
and hopefully set up before the rain started. And that is what
happened.
Our destination was the Fingal valley and the beautiful South Esk River
running through it. As soon as you leave the Midlands Highway and start
driving along the river feelings of peace and tranquility decent.
Immediately, your sole aim is fishing, your total thoughts are
fishing for the next twelve days - the weather did occupy some thinking
time but only because it effected what we wanted to do.
The property of Rostrevor really is delightful with sheep, cattle,
opium poppies, crops, birds and the river. Here we have never failed to
see several platypus and lots of fish. This time we did not have it to
ourselves as there was a film crew in residence. They were called Roar
Films and were producing a short film written by a local girl and
called 'Albert's Chook Factory'- to be shown on SBS in the new
year.
The first week the weather was not good - snow in parts of the state
translated into
2 degrees where we were. There was the associated wind, mostly from the
south west, and rain. This meant the river was up and it never feels as
inviting when you can't see the fish. However, it did improve, the
river went down and we could again see fish.
We both caught and lost fish and my most satisfying one was caught in a
nearly landlocked, small, clear pool. Grahame was spotting and guided
me from behind a tee tree bush to land the fly in the field of vision
of this beautiful fish. I didn't see it until it was three feet from me
and six inches out from the tee tree. It was real eyeball to eyeball
stuff. There was my #16 Royal Wulff and then it was in its mouth. This
is the one photo I would really have liked as this fly in this fish
really looked good. But you guessed it, camera back at the
camp.
The trip was varied even though we did very little fishing anywhere but
Rostrevor. We were in many caddis hatches in the evening, some brown
spinner hatches, some caenid hatches and nymphing. The caenid hatches
were not as prolific as we have experienced - no carpets of spent,
white wings covering large areas but still some gentle sipping. This
time I tried a #16 Iron Blue Dun and caught a fish so thought
this would go on working but of course it didn't. My other success was
on #18 Parachute Adams. It always feels an achievement to catch a fish
when feeding like this.
One different thing about this trip for me was the flies I used.
Previously, I had great success with Klinkhammers and Red Tags and this
time caught no fish on either. The Royal Wulff had fallen out of favour
but is now well and truly in again as more fish were hooked on it than
any other fly.
It really was a case of revisiting old favourites as I hadn't
used an Iron Blue Dun for ages either and that was the fly I caught my
first fish on all those years ago on the Swampy Plains. This time it
accounted for several fish. Probably my all time favourite, #16
Sawyer's Pheasant Tail nymph again proved itself along with the #16
Bead Head Pheasant Tail. I also tried the #14 Bob Wyatt Emerger as
drawn by Peter Leuver in the recent Fly Life.
The biggest down side of the trip was the wind. There was practically
always one of some sort often changing direction as you watched. But
that seems to be the way in many fishing situations and cope you
must.
One interesting happening- I was having a practice with a shooting head
and generally messing about. When I pulled in there was quite a
reasonable sized redfin on a #14 Sawyer's Pheasant Tail.
When you are in one spot for a while it seems to become less urgent to
catch fish 'to-day'. There is always to-morrow.
Ann Lee