Paul Arden | Monday, 5 February 2018
For the Hot Torpedo Competition we have four finalists; Ashly Chan from Malaysia, Konstanse Larsen from Norway, Carl Martin Vennefjord from Sweden and An Ren Tan from the USA/Singapore. Thank you to everyone who took the time to select their favourite entries.
All four finalists will receive a Sexyloops Flyline of their choice. And I can thoroughly recommend our new Sexyloops DT Intermediate 6WT lumi-lines.
And so in order to have judging that is independent and so that we will have one definite winner we have five judges! Our judges are Bruce Richards, Simon Gawesworth, Jason Borger, Mac Brown and Charles Jardine. (Sort of a dream team of flycasters and anglers!)
Next week we will have a winner...
Thank you very much to everyone who participated in this competition. Every entrant will receive a Sexyloops shirt with their name on it. The shirts are being finalised at the moment and I will post them once I'm back in Malaysia.
And of course for 2018 we will be running a similar competition and full details will be announced along with the lucky winner's name who has won a brand new custom HT fly rod of his or her choice.
You can read the entries here and make up your own mind:
http://www.sexyloops.com/htoc/2017/05/05/entry-no8-miss-ashly-chan/
http://www.sexyloops.com/htoc/2017/08/01/how-a-hot-torpedo-could-enrich-my-life/
http://www.sexyloops.com/htoc/2017/12/30/round-3-entry-28-carl-martin-vennefjord/
http://www.sexyloops.com/htoc/2017/10/28/round-3-entry-19-an-ren-tan/
Well that's been exciting!!
Here in Tassie I've been fishing every day. I've had to step up my game compared to last time when I was here eight years ago. I've dropped both tippet size and fly size for the same waters just to try to stay on top of the fish. I think this is because there is considerable more pressure. I'm seeing maybe four times as many people everywhere. Good and bad. Good because it makes the fishing more technical. Bad because there are less times of feeling like a God.
Anyway I'm thoroughly enjoying my time here. I have two more weeks left. I'll definitely make a trip or two out to the Western Lakes. I've been doing a lot of boat fishing recently with my friends here; Tim, Zuie and Bruce. Then I have a weekend in Hobart and a day in Sydney before it's back to the jungle fishing in Malaysia (straight into Snakehead with babies season). Piffen from the Board will be joining me for a couple of weeks which looks like being great fun!
So what have I found out in Tassie? Well firstly for Midging and Dun feeders I've been using the HT4 weight with .14 tippet. CDC flies in size 14 and 16 has been working well for me. I only fish CDC flies for difficult fish so that should tell you something. For Sharking I've dropped to .16 tippet because, once again, lots of refusals on thicker tippet. Actually I don't think they are refusals only more cautious takes - the fly doesn't eat like the natural because it's held back with the thicker tippet and consequently the fish is missed.
Personally I've found it to be very interesting. They might not the most technical fish on the planet but they are a hell of a lot more technical than they were 8 years ago. It's interesting: trout fishing is getting harder everywhere. It always has and it always will.
So the "fishing" has been really good. Next time I definitely need a 4x4 camper and a boat so winning the lottery would be useful. Alternatively of course if every Tasmanian fly fisher buys an HT rod I can build an enormous shack up here and leave the keys under the mat. And that's a promise. The keys might not fit the locks but they will be there.
And I have to say it's just great to spend time in Tasmania because as mad as they all are I do really like them. Again I've made some really good friends.
I havent't worked for four days because I've been fishing. Tomorrow will have to be only a half day of fishing because I have to answer emails and upload some more "daily" photos. Of course I may go fishing all day again - in which case this won't happen.
Have a fantastic week and good luck to all the finalists!!!
Cheers,
Paul