"Looking at a Lizard" by Barry Spacks

Aboriginal rock art, Northern Tablelands, Australia

Photo: Don Hitchcock

My only purpose this moment

is looking at a lizard.

Does he know he’s not alone?

He breathes with tiny push-ups,

his skin all hairline caverns

soaking up the sun.

I doubt, alive, I’m liable to get

closer to timelessness than this,

looking at a little lizard breathing.

"Looking at a Lizard" by Barry Spacks from Shaping Water. © Gunpowder Press, 2015.

High Country/Long Wands

They've got some trout Down Under.

High Country | Long Wands from Tom Clancy on Vimeo.
Spending the Australian 2016 Easter long weekend in Armidale, NSW and surrounds in search of trout and natives on fly. Three separate and distinct river systems were explored with over 60km of hiking over the four days. This is just a snapshot of the awesome fishing we experienced - we hope you enjoy!

Fly Tying: Rocky Ford Flies

I'm tying up some more flies for my next trip to Rocky Ford. The temps there are predicted to hit 50 degrees by the end of the week, so I hope to go at least once, maybe twice this week.

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Hook: curved scud/pupa, 1X short, #10

Thread: black

Tail, Abdomen, Shellback, Legs: pheasant tail fibers

Rib: copper wire

Thorax: brown/copper dubbing

I tried to buy some new natural pheasant tail recently. (It's sad, but the feathers from the pheasants I bagged 30 years ago when I lived in Iowa are all gone.) A shop that should have done better had no natural, only dyed. So I got some brown, which I used on these flies. I'm not happy with it. It's thin and limp, so I had to use more fibers than I would like. Normally, 4 or 5 fibers of natural would do the trick. To be fair, the guy helping me felt so bad that he went into his own stash of fly tying materials to see if he had any natural to give me. I'll go back and see if he was able to order any more

by now.

Red Tag (Wet)

Hook: dry fly, 1X long, #14

Thread: black

Tail: red wool

Body: peacock herl

Collar: partridge

Red Tag (Dry)

Hook: dry fly, #14

Thread: black

Tail: red wool

Body: peacock herl

Hackle: brown 

This is an old fly originated in England around 1850 as a grayling fly. It migrated to Tasmania, and by 1920 was a popular trout fly throughout Australia. It was considered by then to be an effective beetle imitation. It's still migrating: I first saw it on a Finnish fly tying site, and I saw that Davie McPhail has a Red Tag tying video out. I used partridge on the wet version because I had some out, but hen saddle hackle is also used. For more on this venerable fly go HERE.

Another Creek Cracker

Throw another creek cracker on the barbie.

Another Creek Cracker from Jock Tolland on Vimeo.

Hooking into a nice Brown Trout on the dry fly in a small creek. The trout was cruising and feeding. When I placed the cast he moved from the left under bank and came back. I lift the flyline leaving the leader on the water. You can see the dry floating toward him. Once it was out of my sight I'm listening for the take, then I set the hook and it's on!...you can see him take the fly on camera!

Fly Fishing in the Snowy Mountains

Some sweetness from Down Under.

Fly-Fishing in the Snowy Mountains from Aussie Fly Fisher on Vimeo.
Australia’s Snowy Mountains – with it’s high country plains, wild brumbies and kangaroos, and streams full of wild brown trout – is home to some of the country’s most beautiful alpine scenery.
Join fly-fishing guide, Josh Hutchins from Aussie Fly Fisher, as he convinces his novice wife to join him on a fishing trip on the Eucumbene River in May 2015.