"Have fly rod- willtravel"
Believe it or not, it was only ashort time ago when you could go for a fish with the fly rod andreceive some amusing looks and comments.
Fly fishing offers a certainmagic and mystique that is very calming and hypnotizing to simplywatch. I can remember seeing it on the telly and being mesmerizedby the line sailing through the air. This guy was chasing troutin the fresh water so I thought nothing more of it. Truth beknow, Adam was the first to cast a fly line and this was thereason for his demise. He spent far too much time with the flyrod and not enough time with Eve that he was given the ultimatum.The rest is history. So if you're sick of the same old holidayagenda or if you are new to the sport why not give saltwaterflyfishing a go.
Imagine the pleasure that youget from spending a day on the water casting a fly line,constantly moving and stalking fish, and then the excitement youget when you catch that fish, and it’s easy to understandwhy it is becoming so popular. Then there’s the pleasure offishing in some of the most pristine waters and beautiful naturalscenery. A work-out for the body, mind and soul all in one.
Still not convinced? The mythsand stigma that are incorrectly attached to fly-fishingunfortunately turn many people away. Things like dressing indaggy clothes and hanging out in dimly lit rooms talking aboutflies and drinking port are no longer present, all except for theport, that is. Lets’ have a look at three of the most commonmyths that surround fly-fishing in the salt water.
1. Fly-fishing is tooexpensive and is only for the elite. For starters, have onelook at me and you’ll realize that this is complete bull.You only need to spend as little as $200.00. That’s for therod, reel, and line! All that’s left for you to do is tocatch the fish.
2. You can only catchbaitfish on a fly. You’ve got to laugh at this one.Just have a look in some of the latest fishing magazines, or thetelly, and you will see that you can catch anything from whitingto marlin. Put simply, if you can catch it on bait or lure, thenyou sure as hell can catch it on a fly. Can you see yourselfhooking into a marlin on fly?
3. Fly-fishing is only forsurface fish. We’ve got the fresh water trout boys tothank for this one. Unlike conventional fishing techniques, whichrely on the weight of the sinker, bait, or lure, it is the flyline and the fly that will govern the depth of delivery. You wantto target bottom fish? No problem, in fact flathead would have tobe one of the easiest fish to catch on fly.
Why not take the challenge (ifyou haven’t already) and give it a go. If you are new to thesport, it doesn’t take long to get a handle on it and byinitiating the services of a qualified fishing guide on yourholidays, you can be catching fish in no time at all. The bestpart is that you’ll be amongst some of the most beautifulscenic backdrops that our country has to offer-that’s right,you can do it all while still staying in Australia. Who knows,you still may be able to fit in a visit to the in-laws on the waythere.
For those looking at travellingaway to really appreciate the whole experience, there are a fewdefinite hot spots to visit that are excellent for fishing andthe scenery, and my advice is to head north and fish with aguide. The advantages are that you will be guaranteed anadventure not to forget and all fishing equipment can be suppliedalong with tuition for all levels of experience.
Weipa wouldhave to arguably be one of the hottest spots for sport fishing,and has the enviable reputation of being one of Australia’spremier fly fishing destinations. By seeking the assistance andskills of local guide Dave (Barra) Donald you are guaranteed of agreat time.
Details: Dave DonaldSportfishing, (07) 40699064, 5 Allowgu Walk Weipa, QLD, 4874E-mail:
The Sunshine Coasthas a lot to offer both in the way of scenery, fishing and itsclose proximity to all services. By looking up Gavin Platz (
Details: Gavin Platz(Tie’N’Fly Outfitters), (07) 54440611.
When thinking barramundi and thewet season, the Northern Territory automaticallysprings to mind. The Northern Territory covers a huge area andoffers a variety of fishing from land locked freshwaterbillabongs to estuaries and the open ocean. It also has thereputation of being the untamed part of Australia where beer isthe staple diet of the local residents. There are many dangerswhen fishing here and the most prevalent would be the crocodile(which is a protected species). If travelling there, be sure tolook up Hot Spot Fishing Tours as they will put you on the actionin amongst scenery you would swear has never seen another set ofeyes before.
Details: Hot Spot Fishing Tours,1800 809035.
Townsville is agreat destination for accessing all aspects of fishing fromestuaries to blue-water and is right next door to the famousHinchinbrook Channel, which is a must for anyone keen to cast afly line in surroundings that are carefully monitored by marineand national park authorities. Townsville is especially populararound the months of August to September when the black marlinand sailfish can be caught from close proximity to the shore. Italso has a large estuary system with species like barramundi,mangrove jack, and fingermark readily available. When looking atthis area, give Steve Jeston from Hyperspace Sportfishing Tours acall.
Details: Hyperspace FishingTours, (07) 4774 8200/ 0418 779668. Steve also has packages tofish Cape York during March to December and this area isabsolutely awesome for both the adventure and the fishing.
To make your trip worthwhilemake sure you take the camera with plenty of film, sunblock, ahat, sunglasses and appropriate clothing for fishing and theoutdoors.
ArticleCopyright©SaltWater FlyFishing in Australia, 2001.