Despite recent rain enough for rivers to break banks, I managed to open my account on the rivers to kick off the Tasmanian 2013/14 trout season.

I set off for the St Patricks River, expecting it to be still out over the banks but was surprised to arrive at a very full but clear river. Instead of my back-up option in the smaller headwaters I decided to set up and try a bit of indicator nymphing. Using the Strike Indicator tool that I found handy in New Zealand I tied on a nymph bomb with an earthworm dropper, hoping that something would see the banquet. Preferably a trout.

Wading was hectic. Nearly lost my footing on several occasions and not that there would be any passers-by where I was located, but if there were, I’m sure that they would think I was having a fit or on special medication. I quickly moved to a section that was a touch wider and shallower and this is where I met my first brown trout for the season, it happily scoffed a tungsten-bead nymph. It makes me wonder if I would have missed the take had it not been for the bright orange indicator yarn? In any case, the fish was fit and feisty in the heavy flow, and swam away eagerly on release. That first fish of the season is really something else.

Thinking I lucked onto one, I bashed my way through the flow casting as I went and quickly stripping back the slack, which seemed to approach me quicker than the water! I worked a seam next to the main flow, but a little softened by trees in the water. The yarn dipped and I lifted into a spirited little trout and when grassed I noticed that it took a liking to the Earthworm fly, which was pretty rad.

I thought I would quit while I was a touch in front, well that and I feared for my camera gear should I take a dunking.  I soon arrived at a headwater creek and although it had been up, the level was perfect and clear. It didn’t even look nymphy at all so I tied on a single dry – the trusty Royal Wulff. Well sort of, it was a parachute version as I find them easier to tie that way! There wasn’t loads of action but that’s exactly what I was after. Peace, serenity (aside from plantation eyesore) and time to think about, well… nothing at all. That’s when something rolled on the ‘wulff and I’m on. Perfect! I love trout season.