Fishing stories, Fly & Tenkara, Freshwater, Stuff we've learnt, Trout

Fishing on Little Pine Lagoon, and observations on observation

I was reading some Gierarch the other day and he was describing his approach to writing. After getting home from a fishing trip, he’ll often wait a few weeks before reflecting on the experience. The story—if there is one at all—should naturally bubble to the surface. It might be a story about the fishing, but it might be something else…

Continue Reading

Freshwater, Native, Trout

The best fishing spots in and around Canberra

Canberra anglers are blessed with access to a variety of environments, target species and fishing opportunities. When assessing the best fishing spots around Canberra, the most important consideration is the species you want to target and the technique you want to employ. There are some spots in which you can target multiple species, but generally, the species you want to…

Continue Reading

Fishing stories, Freshwater, Trout

Secret creek

It’s great when a hunch, some anecdotal evidence and a bit of research pay off: I recently found a ‘secret creek’. I’m not really sure what makes it secret; perhaps the reason that no one has heard of it, there is no evidence anyone fishes it, and that there is very little evidence that it would contain trout. It’s situated…

Continue Reading

Fishing stories, Fly & Tenkara, Trout

Trout fishing on the Monaro

Fishing can sometimes bestow insights beyond that which you might expect and experience in day-to-day life. Whether it’s squatting on a pier in South Australia, talking to an 80 year old Chinese man fishing for squid, trading secrets with the local 15 year-old bream-gun or asking a bunch of buffed-up, coke-fuelled criminals ‘whatdyagetemon?’, it truly is a diverse and universal…

Continue Reading

Fly & Tenkara

Roosters are really annoying

So, I’ve been thinking about ‘helping’ some people with their rooster problem. If you’ve ever had chickens, or received some young ones from unscrupulous sources, you may be familiar with the realisation – at around 4.30am – that what you have bought or been given are not chickens at all, but in fact roosters. It’s a difficult decision: do you…

Continue Reading

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

Admissions, frustrations and revelations of a fly-fishing noob

It is a stunningly glorious day in north-east Victoria. There’s no wind, it’s 20 degrees and sunny, but crisp in the shadows. The autumn leaves are turning and it’s the weekend. What could be better? Hamish and I have decided to fish a small stream near Harrietville, in north-east Victoria. Bursting out of the car with excitement, I am setting…

Continue Reading