The classic fishing story is, of course, the one where the angler stretches out both arms and says “it was THIS big!” In 2014, it is typically followed by a digital photo presented on a phone. Tales about the ‘one that got away’ can be equally dramatic, although they rarely have photos to accompany them. While disappointing, losing a big…
Month: August 2014
Don’t forget your streamers
After leaving the trout to breed in peace for the last few months, in a couple of weeks we finally get to harass them again (us Victorians do anyway, Tasmanians started a little while ago and the New South Welshmen will have to wait a month or so longer). In anticipation, I’m sure many of us have been stocking up…
DIY – Kayak wall mounted racks
Fishing kayaks are great. They are light, relatively easy to throw on the roof of the car and open up vast areas of Australia that are impossible to get a trailer boat into. Finding somewhere to store them however, can be a great big pain in the backside. Ranging from 3 to 5 metres long, it is surprising just how…
“Emergency” dry flies- three of my favourites
As you slowly wade up the river a trout rises. You take a guess at what the trout is eating, tie on a fly you think might work and make the cast. You get a decent drift but the trout ignores your offering. It rises again. The process is repeated and you change patterns. You cast again. Once again the…
A use for a once loved beard. The beard fly.
This isn’t a fashion blog and I am definitely not a fashion blogger, so bare with me I discuss a fashion trend. The beard. Beards are cool. They are so cool in fact they have even started springing up on the faces of the decidedly uncool like myself. So revel in the beard revolution while you can, but remember it…
Who or what is Iki jime? A quick and humane way to dispatch fish
Have you been into a Japanese restaurant and noticed the incredible attention to detail that goes into each dish? Perfect bite-sized sushi rolls filled with vegetables and salmon. Small rectangles of rice with a piece of raw tuna delicately draped on top. This level of attention and care extends well beyond the presentation however. It includes how the fish is…
Its time to start keeping a fishing diary
Last season I started playing around with adding rubber tails and legs onto a bunch of my favourite nymphs and dry fly patterns. The rationale was it would add a bit of extra movement and “life” to the flies and that, at times that may make a difference. Testing went well, I caught lots of fish on those flies. The…
Fishing in Vietnam – a study in efficiency (photo essay)
I’ve been lucky enough to spend a few months living in Vietnam this year, visiting my partner who has a 12 month contract in Hanoi. In my spare time, which is most of the time she is at work, I’ve taken to trying to work out how the locals catch fish. Vietnam has a strong fishing culture and there are…