From: Wrinklybob

Just a little story for those people who have been deterred from flyfishing because they think there is blackmagic involved.

I'm an old guy, past his useby date, but have always been interested in going fishing. As a youngster we used to fish in the Edgars Creek in North Coburg and the Merri Creek behind the old Pentridge wall for redfin. The Deep Creek in the Wildwood area used to produce some good tench. This was all worm on a hook stuff.

A bit later along in life we used to holiday on the Wild Dog Creek in Apollo Bay. Throwing a worm upstream used to produced small brown trout with the hook deeply embedded in their stomach. Not good for releasing.

One day sitting on the bank near a little rivulet running past the roots of a willow tree I noticed a small white moth doing yo yo parachute drops above the water. Suddenly there was a splash and the moth was gone. A light flashed in my head as I realized what flyfishing was all about. My next trip to Sydney had my company expense account buying me a fly rod, reel, line, flies and a book entitled "Teach yourself flyfishing". (The book was later loaned to an ex friend never to be seen again).

Back home in Melbourne I was soon flogging the back lawn with my fly rod and line until a rough technique was developed. Next trip to Apollo Bay saw my emergence as a novice flyfisher. The stream is small and you can wade it in gumboots and casts only need to be 10-15 metres. What a difference to using worms. Fish were only hooked in the lip and a lively little battle ensued before you had them.

With the help of books such as "Trout on a fly" and "Fly Tying" by Lance Wedlick I was soon tying rough old flies (all with some white so I could see them. The fish had to cope as best they could) and making tapered leaders. My 7 year old daughter tied her first brown seal fur nymph and a Wild Dog Creek brown took it first cast. It would be nice to tie perfect imitations but rough often works.

Other places I fished were near Melbourne such as the Deep Creek, Jackson and Emu Creek around Oakland Junction, Darraweit Guim, Wildwood and Bulla (creek crossing on the Bulla-Diggers Rest Road.) I caught roach on dry fly in the Yarra at Eltham. Whether these fishing spots still exist I don't know. My more recent experiences have been centred around the Mount Beauty and Falls Creek areas.

Places that would suit a learner would be Watchbed Creek at one end of Rocky Valley dam and the creek that feeds in to the lake at the other end below the ski runs. (Long walk if you can't get the car through. Mountain bike if you are keen.)

Watchbed gave me some fun one day when I tied some rosella feathers to form a strange looking grasshopper pattern. It fished well as a dry until the fish mangled it and then it performed well as a wet fly. Rough and ready worked again.

The creek below the wall at Pretty Valley holds many small trout. I park the car near the wall and walk down the road alongside the creek until I reach a small dam. I fish back to the car and this usually produces plenty of action with put-back size fish. (Have seen snakes here.)

I have had some action on Mountain Creek just outside Mount Beauty and the town pondage has benefited from stocking. Flies trolled behind ford fenders in Rocky Valley dam have also worked for me. A muddler minnow type fly has often outfished live mudeyes.

I have never bought expensive fly gear as I am a bit knock-about with my gear. It's good to have an experienced friend to get you started but you can have a go on your own. Don't let the mumbo jumbo and fancy talk get in your way. Just do it.

Wrinklybob.

(16 April 2003)