The night before a big session on the water I can’t sleep. I toss and turn until finally the alarm goes off and it’s time to get up and prepare myself for the day ahead. I don’t think its nerves but the anticipation and excitement of what I will be faced with on the boat. Being on the water is more than just the fishing for me. It’s the excitement I get from seeing the vast array of wildlife the ocean has to offer. From sea turtles to dolphins I have mastered the universal finger point and have the excitement of a three year old every single time something appears in front of the boat. It’s an excitement I pray will never change. This year we travelled to Hinchinbrook to fish with fly guide and all round top bloke, Clinton Isaac, from the Australian Fly Fishing Lodge. We decided on doing a road trip rather than flying. This allowed us to keep tying fly orders as they came in and also, I love a good road trip. The Australian Fly Fishing Lodge is situated in the port of Hinchinbrook. The lodge can hold up to six guests quite comfortably and it’s the perfect place to chill out after a day on the water. Like most people I prepare my fly gear the night before. There’s nothing worse than running around the house at six AM looking for bits and pieces. With my fly gear I like to keep things pretty simple. Some people tend to make things seem too complicated, tapered leaders, special knots and 1 8 In TheSaltwater
many more elements would make my head spin. It has taken some time, and I’m certainly no expert, but I have enough knowledge now to figure out what I need for different situations. For Hinchinbrook Barramundi and Mangrove Jack, I use an #8WT rod with a tropical floating line rigged with a 40 pound fluorocarbon straight through leader. I also take an #8WT weight intermediate line for dredging and general creek use and a 20 pound leader is adequate in these situations. The reel I use has a spare spool which allows for the spool to be swapped over quickly when changing target species. For the flats fishing I use a #10WT rod with a full intermediate line. A suitable leader is chosen depending on the target species. I can also use this outfit chasing pelagics, or again, a quick change to a tropical #10WT floating line will have me popping up some monster Queenfish. Most importantly I make sure I’m covered from the sun. A good buff, hat, Polaroid sunnies, sun gloves and long sleeve shirt are essential.
“I HAVE THE EXCITEMENT OF A THREE YEAR OLD EVERY SINGLE TIME!” As far as what fish we will be targeting each day, we really leave it up to Clint to make a plan. When booking a trip, it’s vital to discuss what species you want to target so that your guide can put you onto the right tides for your stay. www.inthesaltflymag.com.au