Quamby Fly Fishers Club invites beginners and experts alike

Among winding streams and rugged mountains, a community of passionate anglers is keeping the tradition of fly fishing alive, one cast at a time.

Mitch Crowden, a lifelong resident of the region, is a dedicated member of the Quamby Fly Fishers Club, a group that meets monthly at the old Meander School. With around 30 to 40 members on the books, the club places a strong emphasis on education and inclusion.

“It’s a club that’s really dedicated to teaching new anglers. People that have never fly fished or have very limited experience, we’re very welcoming,” Crowden says. “It’s a very friendly group of people and there’s a big emphasis on teaching the basics and then helping people through their fly fishing journey.”

The club meets on the first Wednesday of each month, gathering at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Annual membership costs just $25 and newcomers are encouraged to attend without prior registration. But it is not just monthly meetings that bring the group together. The club also hosts fly tying tuition evenings on the third week of every month at the British Hotel in Deloraine, as well as regular open days and club trips that are open to all.

Crowden’s own journey into fly fishing began nearly three decades ago, sparked by childhood curiosity. “My dad used to own a sports store actually, and I used to walk around the store looking at all the fly fishing gear and was quite intrigued by it. I used to make my own flies out of old peacock feathers and fishing hooks by hand,” he says.

That early fascination leads to a fly tying course at Low Head, taught by a local legend, and Crowden has been “basically flat out for 30 years” ever since.

His passion for the sport has taken him across the world, from the remote rivers of Patagonia to the warm flats of Christmas Island, and closer to home, New Zealand, Broome and Darwin. But Tasmania remains his favourite place to fish. “There’s so many little sneaky creeks and lakes that you can go to. You don’t have to drive very far… you don’t need to walk very far to feel like you’re right in the middle of the wilderness,” he says.

The local fishery is primarily known for its wild brown trout, with the occasional rainbow trout and saltwater species pursued by more adventurous members. But the draw of fly fishing, Crowden says, is not just about what is at the end of the line.

“We just seem to make the hardest way to catch a fish, and that’s basically fly fishing in a nutshell! Give yourself a challenge and make it as difficult as possible. But when you do catch fish on the fly rod, the rewards definitely outweigh any other type of fishing, I feel.”

For beginners, the club offers practical guidance and a reminder that fly fishing does not need to break the bank. “It doesn’t need to be as expensive. It doesn’t need to be as complicated as a lot of people make out,” he says. “A very simple, cheap rod and a lot of casting practice, you’ll have as much enjoyment as someone who’s got all the Gucci gear.”

Looking ahead, the club hopes to attract new members, particularly younger anglers who may find the sport intimidating. “They think it’s a little bit complicated or a bit difficult. But the aim of the club is to get as many members on board and basically introduce them to the magic of fly fishing,” he says.