Lures and flies for August and September

by Michael Stevens

Recently I surveyed a number of well known, and some not so well known anglers to establish a guide to lures and flies for the start of the trout fishing season. Firstly lures, and then flies that the following anglers would like to have in their box for the opening two months. Each angler was asked "If you could only have three lures/three flies in your box for the start of the season, what would they be? "

These are in no particular order.

LURES

John Fox's Guide; Green/gold spinner, Rapala countdown RT, Lofty cobra #20.

Greg and Lofty Hynes's lure maker; Lofty's lures #13, #20, #48 at Athurs Lake or Bronte Lagoon.

Garth Wigston's lure maker; Tassie Devil #51 (Christmas tree), #71 (new-green/gold with black/red dots, #6 (green/gold).

Ian Wigston's Tackle shop owner and former lure maker; Tassie Devil #30 (mauve/green's also known as the Herby special) an excellent lure for the Derwent River as well as Bronte Lagoon, #26, #51.

Paul Ellis's Manufacturers agent; Rapala countdown 5 RT, Rapala floater 3 TR, McGarth's tallow attractor, deep diver.

Steven Bax's Tackle retailer; Bax pack-selection of specially designed Tassie Devils, Wonder wobbler, Rapala's various.

Steve Suitor's Tackle retailer; Ashley spinner #1 (red/gold), Tassie Devil #50 or 48, Tassie Handcrafted trout.

Ian Davey's General manager TGIO; Celta (red/silver), Wonder Wobbler.

Marshall Johnson's lure maker; new Johnson Stinger Kobra #8, 9, 13.

Rodney Howard's Tackle retailer; Lakes's Nilsmaster 7 cm #67 (good West Coast Lakes), Cobra (frog colour), Ashley Spinner #29 (black/gold). Rivers's Wonder Wobbler (redfin or greenfin), Smiths Wobbler (black with red spots) Johnson #14 spinner.

Stuart Wigston's Lure maker; Tassie Devil #6, 47, 50.

FLIES

Rob Sloane's Publisher/Editor of Fly Life; Black fur fly, Rabbit fur fly, Fiery brown beetle.

Trevor Hawkins's Artist; Black matuka, Black beetle, Yeti.

Wayne Fulton's Inland Fisheries Commissioner; Brown matuka, Fur fly Green nymph.

Steve Suitor's Tackle Retailer; Red/black Matuka, Cat fly, brown nymph.

Ken Orr's Guide; Woolly Bugger (black/green), Montana nymph, Watson's Fancy. Explore different depths by counting the flies down as you fish and always use a dropper to entice the lethargic fish.

Paul Ellis's Tackle agent; Woolly Bugger, Brown nymph, Yellow Peril.

Steven Bax's Tackle retailer, Woolly Bugger, Yeti, Bead head nymph (all in olive, brown or black).

Ian Davey's General Manager TGIO; Yeti, Woolly worm (both red/black), Black Beetle (sinking).

Jim Allen's Managing Director Compleat Angler; Sunset Fly (Rob Sloane fly), Woolly worm (black), Tom Jones;

Rodney Howard's Tackle retailer; Mrs Simpson, Black beetle (wet), Yeti.

John Fox's Guide; Mrs Simpson, Yeti (short fur in various colours with seals fur body and a pink tail), Black beetle (fished so it splashes when landing). Great for lake edges and rivers.