Rio Fly Lines in Aussie Territory
http://www.riverandreef.com/articlelive/articles/32/1/Rio-Fly-Lines-in-Aussie-Territory/Page1.html
Paul Dolan
By Paul Dolan
Published on 03/23/2004
I recently had the pleasure of fishing a major threesome - Rod Harrison [Harro], Don McPherson [Platypus Lines] and American Jim Vincent[Rio Fly Lines]. Our first day dawned bright blue and I was excited to get out on the water. I had some great plans for the guys electing to start off casting around some heavy structure that historically holds good numbers of Giant Trevally. This hot spot attracts great fly rod size fish, around 2 to 5 kilo, but the real challenge is dealing with a hookup - fish runs around structure, fisherman freaks, 50-50 % to the boat! With no fish landed out of 4 hookups and some classic GT wipeouts, the fish got smart and didn't want to play any more. We opted to move on.
I recently had the pleasure of fishing a major threesome - Rod Harrison [Harro], Don McPherson [Platypus Lines] and American Jim Vincent[Rio Fly Lines]. Our first day dawned bright blue and I was excited to get out on the water. I had some great plans for the guys electing to start off casting around some heavy structure that historically holds good numbers of Giant Trevally. This hot spot attracts great fly rod size fish, around 2 to 5 kilo, but the real challenge is dealing with a hookup - fish runs around structure, fisherman freaks, 50-50 % to the boat! With no fish landed out of 4 hookups and some classic GT wipeouts, the fish got smart and didn't want to play any more. We opted to move on.
I took my gang to an area of dropoffs where I work deep fly and plastics for Trevally and Queenfish and other species while waiting for the tide to get high. High tide means the Goldens move in over the flats to feed. Around midday, the time was ripe for chasing tailing Golden Trevally and they didn't let us down.
All three anglers getting a Golden off the flats was great satisfaction for me and a thrill for them. Harro was the first to hookup on tailing fish using a Felty's crab Pattern. This was a very lively fish streaking across the flats and taking quite a bit out of the backing before settling to a back and forth battle of strength. Eventually landed and then released to fight another day, this Golden was a treat for all.
We moved locations to allow the other fish to settle. It wasn't long before Jim was hooked up. After watching his target take the fly ( an orange and white clouser I tied to resemble the local Yabbie population these magnificent fish feed on by pumping them out of the sandy bottom) he set the hook and watched his reel spin.With a couple of quick pics taken the fish was sent on it's way to join it's mates on the flats.
Later the cloud cover made it difficult to spot fish and the tide was near high making it too deep to see the fish tailing. We ventured out into the channel between Little Woody Island and Big Woody Island and happened on a few longtail Tuna feeding.
Anyone who has ever fished for tuna on the fly can appreciate the thrill! After spotting the school feeding frenzy you maneuver your boat in front of where you believe the school is moving, allowing your fisherman to cast into the chaos. Jim finally got a hookup after quite a few approaches to the fish. They can be spooked easily on occasion and this school seemed quite sensitive to the motor. They would sound on approach and we would wait for them to resurface, following as closely as possible. Jim’s fish was in the ten kilo bracket and fought hard. Jim decided early on that this fish was going to be sashimi and dinner too, the rest cooked back at the Kingfisher Bay resort. For tuna connoisseurs, there is nothing greater!
The next morning we experienced similar results. As we explored our favorite structure sweet spot, Don managed to extract one of the smaller Giant Trevally from the structure, it was in the 1-2 kilo range. More pics and he was on his way back to his barnacle-encrusted home to steal lures or flies on another occasion. We then moved out to the deep water again searching for Longtails. They were there but weren't interested in feeding.With enough water rising onto the flats by this time we moved in for another crack at the Goldens.
The fish were a little more wary and it took a while following the tailing fish around the flats before Don got a hookup on a soft plastic.This fish,like Harro's, really took off making an awesome rooster tail behind the line as it streaked across the flat. We moved locations to give the fish time to settle, alternating between chasing longtails in the deeper water and moving back onto the flats. Harro hooked-up and another nice Longtail which was landed, photographed and released.
With Harro and Don relaxing in the boat and watching, Jim and I walked the flats. Jim had many casts to tailing fish with many frustrating refusals.We spoke about different fly patterns, Jim tried quite a few. These fish were focused on pumping food out of the sands and nothing else. They can be so frustrating when they get like this! By this time the tide was moving against us - dropping fast. It was time for me to drop the guys back at the resort and head for home. Us guides need to take showers too as well as fuel up and prepare for the next day.
On the last morning Jim managed to land 2 GT's on fly and another two were lost on lures cast right in tight to the structure.We could not resist another venture out to find some longtails and although they were not much interested in us Harro and Don managed to land two small Bonito, one on fly and the other on lure. We thought we would explore the flats before once more before the guys had to pack for the flight home but the tide was not in our favor. Oh well, that’s fishing!
It was a great couple of days on the water with some lively company, the weather could have been a little kinder to the guys but they managed some nice fish for the conditions they had.
Paul Dolan
EDITORS NOTE: Paul Dolan has a guiding business and fishes the waters of Fraser Island and can be reached at Fraser Coast Sportfishing or USA residents can book Paul by emailing info@gofishaustralia.com
 |
I took my gang to an area of dropoffs where I work deep fly and plastics for Trevally and Queenfish and other species while waiting for the tide to get high. High tide means the Goldens move in over the flats to feed. Around midday, the time was ripe for chasing tailing Golden Trevally and they didn't let us down.
All three anglers getting a Golden off the flats was great satisfaction for me and a thrill for them. Harro was the first to hookup on tailing fish using a Felty's crab Pattern. This was a very lively fish streaking across the flats and taking quite a bit out of the backing before settling to a back and forth battle of strength. Eventually landed and then released to fight another day, this Golden was a treat for all.
We moved locations to allow the other fish to settle. It wasn't long before Jim was hooked up. After watching his target take the fly ( an orange and white clouser I tied to resemble the local Yabbie population these magnificent fish feed on by pumping them out of the sandy bottom) he set the hook and watched his reel spin.With a couple of quick pics taken the fish was sent on it's way to join it's mates on the flats.
 |
Later the cloud cover made it difficult to spot fish and the tide was near high making it too deep to see the fish tailing. We ventured out into the channel between Little Woody Island and Big Woody Island and happened on a few longtail Tuna feeding.
Anyone who has ever fished for tuna on the fly can appreciate the thrill! After spotting the school feeding frenzy you maneuver your boat in front of where you believe the school is moving, allowing your fisherman to cast into the chaos. Jim finally got a hookup after quite a few approaches to the fish. They can be spooked easily on occasion and this school seemed quite sensitive to the motor. They would sound on approach and we would wait for them to resurface, following as closely as possible. Jim’s fish was in the ten kilo bracket and fought hard. Jim decided early on that this fish was going to be sashimi and dinner too, the rest cooked back at the Kingfisher Bay resort. For tuna connoisseurs, there is nothing greater!
 |
The next morning we experienced similar results. As we explored our favorite structure sweet spot, Don managed to extract one of the smaller Giant Trevally from the structure, it was in the 1-2 kilo range. More pics and he was on his way back to his barnacle-encrusted home to steal lures or flies on another occasion. We then moved out to the deep water again searching for Longtails. They were there but weren't interested in feeding.With enough water rising onto the flats by this time we moved in for another crack at the Goldens.
 |
The fish were a little more wary and it took a while following the tailing fish around the flats before Don got a hookup on a soft plastic.This fish,like Harro's, really took off making an awesome rooster tail behind the line as it streaked across the flat. We moved locations to give the fish time to settle, alternating between chasing longtails in the deeper water and moving back onto the flats. Harro hooked-up and another nice Longtail which was landed, photographed and released.
 |
With Harro and Don relaxing in the boat and watching, Jim and I walked the flats. Jim had many casts to tailing fish with many frustrating refusals.We spoke about different fly patterns, Jim tried quite a few. These fish were focused on pumping food out of the sands and nothing else. They can be so frustrating when they get like this! By this time the tide was moving against us - dropping fast. It was time for me to drop the guys back at the resort and head for home. Us guides need to take showers too as well as fuel up and prepare for the next day.
 |
On the last morning Jim managed to land 2 GT's on fly and another two were lost on lures cast right in tight to the structure.We could not resist another venture out to find some longtails and although they were not much interested in us Harro and Don managed to land two small Bonito, one on fly and the other on lure. We thought we would explore the flats before once more before the guys had to pack for the flight home but the tide was not in our favor. Oh well, that’s fishing!
It was a great couple of days on the water with some lively company, the weather could have been a little kinder to the guys but they managed some nice fish for the conditions they had.
Paul Dolan
EDITORS NOTE: Paul Dolan has a guiding business and fishes the waters of Fraser Island and can be reached at Fraser Coast Sportfishing or USA residents can book Paul by emailing info@gofishaustralia.com