FLY FISHING MUSEUM HOPES TO HOOK TOURISTS

A colonial property in Tasmania's north is set to be home to the first fly fishing museum in the Southern Hemisphere.

It is hoped the Australian Fly Fishing Museum will become a major tourism drawcard.

The museum has been developed in a historic house at Evandale, near Launceston, and covers the history of fly fishing in across three states.

The National Trusts Chris Tassell says Tasmania's reputation was cemented when trout were first introduced in the 1860s.

"It was from these trout that all the trout in the Southern Hemisphere, whether it's New Zealand, mainland Australia, even Argentina, came from," he said.

Curator Rhonda Hamilton the museum has a specific focus.

"We're telling a more precise story here about fly fishing and we're covering New South Wales and Victoria," she said.

"So it's a chance for people to really understand the role of angling in Tasmania, fly fishing here, and to see that through the objects and the books and through the stories our volunteer guides will tell as well because they're all anglers so they'll have some great stories to tell."

The museum has an official opening on Saturday and will take visitors from Monday.

ABCUpdated May 3, 2013, 9:56 am

April fishing report from Brokenflagens

Hey Guys,

Sorry this is a bit late, been flat out busy unfortunately. We did however, both book Friday 26th off, so we went fishing both Thursday & Friday.

We headed out to Hardy's on Anzac day. Up at 4am, we arrived at Hardy's just as first light was breaking. With only 2 other boat trailers in the car park, we were excited. The mozzies weren't bad and the fish were feeding all around the boat ramp. Oh the signs, the anticipation …..the joy…….. the total tease……. the total lack of any d#@*$ decent fish feeding. 

            Turns out only tarpon inhabit Hardlies Lagoon.

 I did get a beautiful strike on my fabulous Gold Bomber (made at the recent Fly tying morning - thanks to Wayne) but after a spectacular Triple Salchow followed by a double forward roll, the (extremely) large Tarpon spat my fly. and that was pretty much it for me for the day, I got a couple of little bites but there was very little happening. Marty got a few bites but couldn't land anything either.

We eventually decided to give trolling on the dark side a go. I put my favourite purple B52 on and lost it to a Croc within 10 minutes! We watched her (yes it was a her, lovely black and yellow markings on her tail & about 3m long) swam brazenly at us, coming in at right angles to our track and diving under as she got close. Took my lure straight down to the bottom and refused to budge. She toyed with me for a few minutes, then a quick shake of her head and she severed the line. 

At the end of the day, there were about 6 or 8 boats in Hardlies that day, and no-one seemed to catch anything (not that they admitted/boasted to us). So we left there empty handed.

  

Not disheartened, we got up at 4am again on Friday and headed out to Corroborree,  arrived just as the light was breaking. The sunrise was breath taking, especially as the full moon was setting at the same time. Just off the boat ramp looking east was the deep reds and purples of the sunrise and looking west was the dark of the retreating night with the full moon receding through faint mist. (see photos1 & 2). 

We turned left off the boat ramp and were very disappointed to see a large fuel slick all the way round the bend. We stopped around by the lilies aiming to target the Saratoga. But after only a few tasks we started to notice a pretty foul odour. It was faint and it took a little while to realise it was actually the water - and the faint whiffs we had had been having trouble placing was actually coming from our hands - off the water that had transferred from stripping in the line. As the light improved we realised that there was also the fuel slick around here too.

 The lilies were all just dead sticks poking out of the water. With the smell and the dead lilies it was totally unappetising. We sat and looked around and realised that there was hardly even Tarpon stirring. We decided to head to Rock Hole.

There were Tarpon on the feed everywhere all the way there but we wanted more, so we ignored them and continued on to Rock Hole. Again, dead lily  stalks everywhere but the water seemed fresher as we moved towards Rock hole. We fly fished along Rock Hole all morning. Normally, along there you just about get run down by all the guide boats trolling up and down but there were only a couple of other boats fly fishing. We got a couple of good bites, Marty lost a big barra but we really couldn't raise anything.  We did see numbers of cat fish swimming up to the surface in small groups. They appear to be gulping air or feeding….? They were moving very lethargically and often in close groups of 4 - 5 fish.

However, the Tarpon were bouncing around everywhere, so we gave up on the bigger fish. I reluctantly took my Gold Bomber off and put on little white flashy things and played with the tarpon for the next few hours. We caught loads - got lazy and tried to lose them when we got them close to the boat so that we didn't have to bring them into the boat.  Turned out to be a fun day, although very disappointing on a number of other levels.

Was very disappointed to see the fuel slick and the stinky water. Again, no-one at the boat ramp or any of the boats we talked to seem to be getting anything.

PS.Hey, we just got a new baby - her name is Minn Kota and we need to give her a test this weekend. (Marty has done an amazing job mounting her to the boat.) Do you have any suggestions as to where might be good fishing for the Brokenflagens to break their drought. The Billabongs seem to be out…………unless it was just the moons last week affecting the fish…?

Jus and Marty

Bynoe harbour

Spent the week at Crab Claw,lots of Barra and some big Threadfin, I'm a bit concerned that some of my fish have flash burns from a camera.

At the last gathering Wayne Williams gave me a" barra a cast fly" he tied that afternoon,well I don't know about the Barra a Cast bit but it worked pretty good and also accounted for a few good Threadfin.

Wayne and I have discussed some changes for different scenarios, I predict its legendary status from here.

Went out the last two days, late afternoon lows pretty dirty water, I did notice a lot more bigger barra returning to the estuary, unfortunately the two people with me were nowhere near up to the task at hand, still,  I will be back.

I'm off to oversee the Arnhamland Barramundi Nature lodge for a week, Dotty is flying in to fish with me the last few days. Last time I was there I got 40 good fish the first day, will post an outcome when I get back

 Everyone should hit Bynoe Flats this weekend, 8am and 9am, 3.0m lows are excellent for cruising a lot of shallows, and slow enough to give plenty of shots as it rises, especially getting in under the trees and a bit of  good roll casting.

Good spots to fish.. Drift of Dreams, Observation City, the West gutters of Hope,The Neverfail
and that doesn't work Save your Arse Rockbar. Although Jenifer Hawkins flat did pretty well the further I went up it on Weds.

Cheers Graeme.

UPDATE

Yeah, thanks!  Very helpful, but none of those places show up in the fishfinder?, and google brings up a heap of disturbing images.