Beach, Estuary, Sustainability, Think like a fish- fishing techniques

The best estuary fishing spots in south-east New South Wales

As keen anglers we are frequently asked for advice on where to go to find a decent coastal fishing spot within 2-3 hours drive from Canberra. As many of you will know, it’s both an easy and a difficult question to answer, because pretty much any beach, rock formation, estuary or coastal river will produce good (or terrible) fishing at…

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Fishing stories, Fly & Tenkara, Freshwater, Stuff we've learnt, Sustainability, Think like a fish- fishing techniques

Catch and release: a little perspective goes a long way

The catch and release movement has grown considerably over the last few decades. Initiative like #keepemwet and others have done incredibly well at building strong support for catch and release in some parts of the fishing community. Social media has helped spread the message, driving a strong commitment to catch and release amongst many angling communities. Which is great! The fishing…

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Fly & Tenkara, Stuff we've learnt, Think like a fish- fishing techniques, Trout

Some tips for fishing streamers in small streams

Its that time of year again. The leaves are turning brown, orange, yellow and every colour in-between, the water is cooling down, the fish are not looking up as regularly and I’m dusting off my streamer box. Autumn isn’t just pretty, it is a great time to throw some meat around. While people generally associate streamer fishing with larger waterways…

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Stuff we've learnt, Think like a fish- fishing techniques

Different lures catch fish with different “personalities”

A study has just been published in PLOS one looking at whether certain angling techniques catch fish with different behavioural traits, or more colloquially, “personalities”. The study angled 100 rock and largemouth bass using two separate techniques, actively fished flashy lipless crankbaits or passively fished artificial worm lures and then tested in the lab whether the fish caught using each…

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Fly & Tenkara, Freshwater, Stuff we've learnt, Think like a fish- fishing techniques, Trout

Will there be an evening rise? Listen to the birds.

I was talking to Brett recently and he made an interesting observation. If you want to know if there is going to be a good evening rise, listen to the birds. Brett lives out in Creswick, meaning he is lucky enough to live close to some of Victorias best trout lakes. Hepburn, Newlynns, Deans. Great Victorian trout fisheries. It also…

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Fishing stories, Fly & Tenkara, Stuff we've learnt, Think like a fish- fishing techniques

How to become a better fisherman: learn to fail.

The biggest factor in me becoming a better angler over the last three years has been learning to fail. When I started fly fishing three years ago I sucked. I could barely casts 30ft, I spent most of my time with my flies tangled in trees and stream-side vegetation. Generally it was a disaster for the first few months. If…

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