Paul Arden | Monday, 26 February 2018
I've just arrived back in Malaysia following a mad final two weeks of fishing in Tasmania, trying to fit everything in, and taking every opportunity to fish that arose. I had some interesting fishing on one of the 19 lagoons. The first time we went there we found fish roaming the flats with speed. Then - of course - the cloud rolled in and visibility switched to zero. However later in the day I noticed what I was looking for, a big bug crawling along the silty bottom towards the bank, and at the bank large black spinner shucks. Back at the shack I tied some weighted nymphs to pull along the lake bottom. Next time I hooked 7 but only landed two (possibly too much weight in the flies). And finally I went back again with a friend a couple of days before my flight out - landed 2 out of 3, but they were spooky.
I also had some good fishing elsewhere, perhaps the most notable day way the day that started badly, with my iPhone dropping out my pocket and into the lake while I was dramatically saving my sunglasses. It had a new life-proof case, never removed from the day of fitting, so I was falsely confident that the phone would be dry and not completely soaked. End of phone, but since we were visiting Woods Lake (the lake where Ronan and I filmed "Three wheels on my wagon") more was bound to happen... and not to disappoint us, it did.
On the way in we had a flat tyre and on the way out a broken trailer spring. However while we were there we had some fabulous fishing, I landed 15 fish (I think) all on duns and emergers. And if it wasn't for a leader clusterfuck that technically wasn't even my fault I would have nailed a lot more! Anyway it was a fantastic day!
Another great moment was when I took our wedding celebrant fishing, who had never fly fished before. I borrowed the rod to demonstrate where to cast and how to retrieve the fly. I made one cast and noticed a fish swimming away from the bank (I must have spooked it). The fish swam 15m over to the fly, turned and ate it! A cracking fish of about 3.5lbs the photo of which is in my drowned phone.
I'm back in Malaysia now. Great to be back, and very exciting too since there are Cicada chirping in the trees. A short boat drive has revealed Snakehead with Babies too. It sounds like prime-time to me!! Piffen is joining me on Saturday for two weeks and I'm thoroughly looking forward to that.
Coming this week as well as our usual FP crew, we are launching TONIC sunglasses in the shop, there will be more flycasting videos and I'll be chasing fish that pull very hard.
Finally, I was astounded to discover that most Tasmanians still fish barbed hooks. Some 80% of them I am told!! Christ, I haven't fished barbed hooks for twenty years. Hopefully I've converted a few of the guys over to barbless because I was shocked!!!
Cheers, Paul