VOLUME 32, ISSUE 6. December 2025

Wayne Laughton gets into the action at the recent saltwater day at Narrabeen Lake
 

Dates for the Diary

Casting Clinic - Brian Henderson
7 December 2025: 11:00 AM: Deep Creek Reserve, Narrabeen

Christmas Party
8 December 2025: 6:00 PM: The Ranch Hotel, Cnr Epping & Herrings Roads, North Ryde

Casting Practice
14 December 2025: 9:00 AM: Timbrell Park, Henley Marine Drive, Five Dock

President's Report

Dear {Contact_First_Name},

It’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of another year and this is the last edition of The Flyrodder for 2025.

I want to take this opportunity to thank committee and activity coordinators for all their efforts during the year.

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to enable us to provide activities for our members, whether it be our regular monthly meeting, casting practice and fly tying or our organised trips.

At the last club meeting, one of the items that we discussed was accommodation at activities. What we will trial this coming year for some of the activities is that rather than the club booking bulk accommodation as part of the activity we will provide attendees with a list of accommodation alternatives and then leave it to members to book their own. This will allow for members to choose accommodation that is within their budget and to their liking.

The end of year raffle prize is an absolute cracker – tickets are available for purchase on the website and will also be available for purchase at the Christmas Party – where I hope to see a lot of you.

I am looking forward to next year and all the activities that we have planned (most of which are already on the calendar on the website) and to see some new faces.

For those of you who won’t be at the Christmas Party I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe a prosperous 2026.

Tight line and all the best.

David

President

From the Editor

Jason with a Mowamba rainbow

Fellow Flyrodders,

In this final edition for the year, Michael Leung reports on the recent saltwater fishing session at Narrabeen Lake and Rick Allen-Jordan gives an account of the club trip to Geehi. Thank you both for taking the time to write your reports for the benefit of members.

Thank you also to all the regular contributors to the Flyrodder (you know who you are) who make this publication possible. After two years in this gig I truly appreciate the value of your contributions.

Have a wonderful festive season everyone. 

Cheers

Jason Hemens - Editor


Sunday Saltwater Session - Narrabeen Lake

Greggory Burrow, Mark Burns, Cary Asper and Annie Skarratt the photo bomber

By Michael Leung

On Sunday 16th of November, I joined 26 other intrepid individuals for the third Sunday Saltwater Session for 2025, at Narrabeen Lake. These sessions have been extremely well attended this year, and are well worth putting aside a Sunday morning, if you can manage it, even if it is only for the famous boerewors rolls, cooked by none other than club stalwart (and saltwater coordinator) Gavin van der Wagen.

For myself and fishing buddy, Henry Han, the morning started a little earlier at 7.30am. Henry’s partner was away and I had risked my sanity and my marriage to get this leave pass, so we both decided we wanted to max out the morning.

Meeting at Deep Creek reserve, we rigged up and headed out on the scrubby track to the flats. I’d previously been taken here by none other than our newsletter editor Jason, and thankfully I remembered the way. Still, I suspect poor Henry was wondering where the heck I was leading him!

Being relatively early, we had the flats to ourselves and started casting for bream and flathead. Henry started out fishing topwater lures with a SPIN rod (but he redeemed himself later) while I started casting shrimp patterns in hope of a flathead. We were soon joined by fellow early-bird David Webster who, like us, planned to fish for bream and flathead first and unlike us, remembered to bring some bread berley!

It was very quiet and we did not see much action for this first period. At 9am, we started to be joined by more flyrodders, many of whom were familiar faces after the wonderful tuition weekend at Wallerawang a couple of weeks back. After a few hellos, I noticed that David was starting to get into a few fish, so I sidled over, re-rigged and started to shamelessly fish in his berley trail.

Right in front of my eyes, David caught a series of good mullet, some little bream and a few garfish on his bread flies. I got hopeful that I might’ve been able to get my first gar on fly (a real bucket list fly species for me and one of my overall favourite fish).

David Webster hooked up with Michael and Henry looking on

David with a typical Narrabeen mullet 

And David with a garfish, just to rub it in...

After missing my fifth or sixth take, we heard Henry yell out that he was on. I explained to the others that this might be Henry’s hard-earned first fish on fly and we headed over for a look. He landed a little bream that engulfed his bread fly and after a few happy snaps, the little bream was sent back to grow a little more. Our little group was high fives and cheers all around and we all decided that a few Young Henrys lagers must be consumed in honour of Henry’s momentous occasion.

Congrats Henry! A well deserved fish

Not satisfied with just one fish on fly, Henry hooked up again three casts later. This was clearly a much more powerful fish, judging by the bend in this rod. Unfortunately, it broke his tippet while he was trying to strip the line in. Ah well, we all live and learn, and that’s fishing. All the same, it was impossible to wipe the grin off Henry’s face - we could see it through his buff!

I spent a bit of time trying to get my first garfish on fly. I worked out that they quite enjoyed chasing my little bread fly and one time, mid retrieve, my line tightened up, and up came a little bream.

On the board!

We soon ran out of berley and Gavin and David headed back to the reserve to start on lunch. I cast shrimp flies around for a bit and Henry reverted to his spin rod ways.

After a bit more casting with no action, I decided to pay Craig Symonds and David Caddies a visit. They were playing with a double handed rod. I was quite pleased with my casting today and wondered out loud to David that maybe the wind was giving me a bit of a helping hand. David confirmed my hunch was right; the wind helped me keep tension in my airborne line, which in turn helped me maintain nicer shaped loops and shoot more line. But even with that in mind, I’ll still claim a win for my casting this session!

Noticing there were fewer people on the flats, we decided to head back to the reserve to get changed and have the bbq. A wonderful lunch was prepared by Gavin, lubricated by Craig Symonds’ highly rated home brew. Conversation was free flowing and entertaining, with conspiracies to visit Christmas Island and Weipa being conjured and plans to travel down to Geehi being made to join the rest of the Flyrodders crew in the coming week. The fishing was reported to be quiet, with small bream, mullet, garfish and one undersized flathead rounding out the catch. However, it was reported that two good bream were caught by John Baricevic, one of which was apparently a stonker. Regardless, a good time was had by all.

Gav with a South African staple - boerewors

Allen Dinham was great on the bbq

John Baricevic, Craig Symonds and Ross Barker

Thanks to Gavin, the Davids and the rest of the flyrodder crew for organising this session. I was glad I got the leave pass.

Trip Report - Geehi

By Rick Allen-Jordan

It was good to be on the road heading south to the Snowy Mountains region, a favourite place for so many of us. This time it's for the club’s annual event at Geehi Flats on the Swampy Plain River.

It's a decent drive from Sydney so even though I had my brother-in-law Steve with me and the great conversation that ensued there was still time to listen to a few podcasts. Tom Rosenbauer accompanied us for a while as did the women behind a popular TV series. But the one that stood out for me was about an Aussie school teacher who woke up one day and decided he needed a change. Many of us have been in that place but I’m betting not many of us have become polar explorers!

Fast forward a few years and he has successfully led expeditions to both the north and south poles and polar exploration is now his business. Where on earth does one go from here? Well, no where on earth it would seem because it was at this point that someone suggested that he might like to go on another trip - to space. Yep, the ‘final frontier’ and all that.

OK, so you’re probably wondering by now what all this has to do with a fly fishing report. Well, bear with me because it's all about the ‘variables’. Imagine the thousands of variables that need to be taken into account to get four ‘civilians’ strapped on top of a 55 meter high firecracker full of 150 tons of rocket fuel to blast off, leave the earth’s atmosphere, do a couple of circuits around the globe in a polar orbit that’s never been done before with a human crew and recover both the rocket and it's four passengers safely back to earth. And you thought fly fishing could be tricky!

As I thought about that podcast I couldn’t help thinking, that while it's not rocket science or space travel, our sport of fly fishing has its own set of variables that must be considered if we are going to be successful in actually catching fish, rather than just standing in a river enjoying the view.

We stop listening to podcasts and just enjoy the drive as we wind our way down the Alpine Way from the north through Khancoban and arrive at Geehi Flats on the Friday afternoon. It's a beautiful NP&WS campground with great campsites, multi-use steel fireplaces, new picnic tables and new long-drop toilets.

Steve Peach and Glen Short were already there to greet us and had ‘staked out’ a great spot for the Fly Rodders. They reported that conditions might be challenging, or something to that effect. When a couple of really capable fishers like those two say things like that you know it's going to be, well, challenging! I can’t stop thinking about the ‘variables’.

Here's trouble...

Rick at our campsite

Steve Bradford cooking up a storm

The Swampy Plain River is stunning. It's cold gin clear water meanders through the valley at this point and it looks incredibly ‘fishy’, if you know what I mean. It's sure to be home to a lot of fish but it doesn’t give up it's inhabitants easily to us, well not this section of river anyway. A few fish are caught but it's hard work. I manage a small brown to the net but that’s it! There are obviously more variables to consider.

Crystal clear water

Our finned friends proved illusive

Roy arrives and tries his hand along the campsite reach of the river. I’m not sure how he does but I suspect he finds it challenging too.

Jared Klein arrives and he and Peachy and Glen head up to the Geehi River which in their opinion fished poorly. Peachy commented that some joy was had on Bogong Creek where they managed a few smaller fish on dries in the tail outs and pocket water.

At the end of each day there is time for cheese and bickies and one’s choice of beverage down by the river. It's not long before the ‘variables’ are discussed in an attempt to understand what’s happening, or not happening with this fishery. Everyone seems to agree that the fish are just not there, not in any appreciable number anyway. After dinner there’s the campfire (thanks for the firewood Jared) and there’s nothing quite like the ‘bush TV’ with a bunch of fishing mates.

The Bush TV only has one channel - but it's a good one

Come Monday and Peachy, Glen and Jared head down to the Swampy below Khancoban dam and Khancoban Creek. Fish down there run for cover but it's too late. The three amigo’s get the better of them and they manage to catch a few.

Nick Careless turned up and joined the challenge. He’s been fishing the Murray at Tom Groggin’s and reckons it's fishing way better than the Swampy. We couldn’t agree more Nick. Flies that helped him get on to some fish included elk hair caddis and Parachute Adams as well as weighted nymphs. He wonders about the variables too though.

Weather wise at Geehi this year could be described as ‘interesting’, or should I say that it too was somewhat variable. The first few days were sunny and warm but that all changed on Sunday afternoon and evening. ‘Mountain weather’ can be unpredictable to say the least serving up first a couple of thunderstorms, then a short squall that took away our awning and put a hole in Glen’s tent, then hail and finally rain all night and into Monday morning. Steve and I decide to break camp and head into Jindabyne to activate Plan B for our two remaining days in the area.

Yes, fishing can be tough at times. Though the Swampy disappointed a little this time other rivers in the area fished well and made it all worthwhile for those involved in this event. And what else would we rather be doing? Not space travel that’s for sure. Besides, if you can believe it, it's an even more ridiculously expensive pursuit, with way more variables to contend with than fly fishing!
 

Last Month's Club Meeting

By Greg Wordsworth

Three new members who recently joined the club were welcomed by the president.

Unfortunately, the guest speaker had to withdraw from the evening’s presentation due to a personal matter. Fortunately, several club members stepped in and the discussion flowed.

Chris gave some feedback on the recent weekend at Wallerawang. He gave a very favourable review of the weekend from the time offered by members through to the accommodation and meals.

Craig gave feedback on the status of the fishing up at Gloucester. The area is in desperate need of rain and the waters are difficult to fish at the moment.

Russell and Burt shared tales of their recent trip to Cocos (Keeling) Island. The fishing was decent, but the accommodation and services were oversold. His opinion is that Weipa is a better option.

Greg gave a recount of his recent trip to Spain and Andora. From a cultural perspective there was so much to learn. The fishing was good for small wild brown trout. The accommodation was excellent and the food amazing. Greg will be happy to share information on the trip with anyone who is keen on a trip in that location.

Due to some comments on the recent WhatsApp group on the possibility of a trip to the Bright area. John took the opportunity canvas members on whether they would be interested in a trip to the area. A topic of discussion was whether members would be comfortable with the idea of the club organising an event and then allowing members to source the own accommodation. Members were generally in favour of trialling this approach.

David Caddies presented a short discussion of his trip to Chile with Pedro last year. He shared how much time and effort Pedro put in to trying to get the local school students up to speed with fly fishing with the

Steve Peach gave a short presentation on how to adjust your casting techniques to ensure you are exploiting the angles of your presentation. If you are not casting the correct way you will end up with heaps of drag

Denis shared some valuable information for members planning trips to NZ. Fish and Game is a great resource to find locations, but door knocking and asking permission from farmers always is highly recommended, because many on of the landholders are welcoming. If you are unfamiliar with the area booking a guide can be invaluable to introduce you to new waters and techniques for the area.

For those members unable to attend our meetings, we take videos of presentations and uploading them to our Club Members Private Video Library on YouTube. Below is a graphic showing where you can access them from the members section of our website:
 

Sydney Fly Rodders Christmas Party

Bookings for this event have now closed and attendee numbers have been submitted to the venue.

For those who have registered, here's a reminder of the event details:

When: 8 Dec 2025 - 6:00 PM

Where: The Ranch Hotel, Cnr Epping & Herrings Roads, North Ryde

Guest Speaker: Brian Henderson. 

As always the event includes a three course sit down dinner. Dinner options for the evening will be an even split of a Rump Steak dinner and Market Fish dinner. 

A raffle will also be drawn on the night. The raffle will be for a guided full day drift boat fishing experience on the Tumut River with Haul Fly Fishing.  This raffle is a available online to all club members for those who can't attend.

Last Month's Casting Practice Report

By David Caddies 

Just when I thought the breeze was going to pick up and let us get in some good practice in the wind, it calmed down. A bit. Thankfully, there was just enough to be slightly off-putting.  

So, instead of just going straight on with a few thoughts about how to control what the line hand does during casting, I started off suggesting that when it’s windy, slowing down and concentrating on making a well-shaped loop, cast slowly and deliberately, sends the loop a long way further and ‘nicer’ than you would expect. Yes, the top part of the line (‘fly leg”) may veer off a bit due to wind pressure, but it’s remarkable how far it will travel whilst holding the basic shape if you put it there to start with.

At the end of the morning, one of the members (a current Silver candidate) did remark on how the slow down actually gives observable good results, provided the loop is ok. If you try it for yourself and don’t agree, please mention it to me sometime. If your loops are not that tidy, there are other ways to beat the wind. One of these can be found in the Silver level casting skills program: it’s called the Belgian cast.

Ultimately, we did get on to specific tips and drills to get the line hand doing what it should in an ordinary false cast: really, all it must do is not work against your cast. So, unless you have a reason to be moving the line hand around randomly as you cast, or in the opposite direction to where the rod hand is going (such as pulling on the line in single or double-hauling), just move it in sync with the reel and you’ll do less damage to your proper rhythm. What should not happen is an unconscious waving about quite out of sync with the casting stroke being made with the rod hand.

Which brings me to mention double hauling. As stated above, there is a part of a double haul action where the line hand moves in a direction opposite to the rod hand. Most of the back and forward casting stroke, actually, is taken up by that sort of movement to create a hauling move. If you don’t know what your line hand is doing when you cast, what does your double haul look like? Ie does the line hand travel the same length up (back cast) and down (forward cast)? Does the part of the line between the reel and the first stripper guide go all slack and silly on the back cast for some reason? Do you start and finish the haul at the same time on forward cast and back cast? Do you haul at the very beginning of the casting stroke, near the end, or some other point? Are your hauls of equal force backward and forward? Do your loops curl over backwards, or look banana shaped every time you haul?

I pose these questions because every caster I have ever seen who is not a beginner, moves the line hand in a hauling move. If asked, most would say they do haul, but only after thinking about it. Many would say “hang on, let me see”. Then they have a quick cast to concentrate on whether they do or don’t. Then they say, “yes, I do haul”. In other words, it’s almost unconsciously part of casting for most of us. Are you conscious or unconscious about how it’s all going?

When you can false cast with your line hand always properly in sync with the rod hand, you can certainly learn to haul and get the most out of it.  If you already haul, perhaps ask yourself the ‘checklist’ questions above. Correct hauling is a joy. Poor hauling can hinder more than help.  

Anyway, back to the casting practice. Quite a lot of diligent practice at correct timing for shooting line ensued and get this: NOT ONE PERSON MENTIONED THE WIND. Granted, they had plenty to concentrate on, trying to shoot specific amounts of line to lay out without collapsing early or falling away due to lack of go-forward (yes, a technical term for powerlessness).

Next steps? Go out and have a practice false casting session to see how your line hand moves. Then see how you like your own double hauling: maybe you are just hauling in one direction (single haul)? Then see whether your loop is better with no hauling at all. Good hauling is a caster’s joy.

See you in the park.

David

Members on the parade ground ready for inspection

Club Monthly Casting Practice - Details and Event Schedule.


SFRC MONTHLY CASTING PRACTICE  9am Sunday 14 December 2025 

Reminder: Leave your 9 – 10’ trout leader with the 5X tippet at home. Bring one which is 8’ – 8’6” and terminating in 8 or 10 lb tippet. This session will suit DT or WF floating lines, for the single-handers. Two-handers, bring what you got. 

Start time is 9am:

HOWEVER: If you wish to have a go at being evaluated for any one or more of the casts in the Bronze Skills Development Program and you would like to come earlier than 9, send me a text message to that effect on 0434 671 085 and I’ll be there to set it up, from 8am. Coaching and demonstrations will be going on after 9, but with not much opportunity for individual evaluations. Early notice would be appreciated, but don’t let that stop you from a late practice on Saturday to see if you’re ready! 

All members are welcome to join in the club’s usual monthly practice session. If you want to know everything about the club’s casting practice sessions, read the whole blurb in the Flyrodder magazine.

WHERE: Timbrell Park, Henley Marine Drive, Five Dock. Go to the western end of Henley Marine Drive, past the cricket pitches, baseball nets and just past LIvvi’s coffee kiosk and kids’ playground area. There is an open area opposite where Ingham Avenue intersects with Henley Marine Drive which we usually use. It is not part of the sports fields. If conditions there are not suitable on the day, we will be just opposite, across the canal, or anywhere within sight that I can find. 

So come and give it a try, as there is so much to be gained by attending these sessions. And they are Free!!!

If you can’t make it this time and want some good practical instruction to guide you, check out this site: https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Learn/Learning-Center-Resources/Fly-Casting/Casting-Instruction

I don’t know if that link works for you. Google FFI flyfishing and delve around. Most stuff is open to non-members. 

2025 dates for fly casting practice

14 December

Casting Clinic - Brian Henderson

Brian Henderson has alsokindly offered to do a casting clinic/demonstration for any interested members with a focus on both fresh and saltwater fishing. He will also be demonstrating two handed rod (spey) casting and the use of heavier lines for saltwater.

As many in the club know, Brian is extremely generous with his time and knowledge and has a skill few do in how he shares that with participants. He also just happens to be one of the best and most qualified fly casters in the world.

We will meet on 7 December at 11am at the car park at Deep Creek Reserve (after the dog training has ceased) and gather for some tuition and demonstration before going out onto the water to practice.

The club will put on a sausage sizzle, snacks, tea/coffee and a few cold beers from 1pm. Please register through our website so we can cater accordingly.

Our very own casting instructor, David Caddies will also be attending and there to share.

Any questions feel free to reach out to me via email - treasurer@sydneyflyrodders.com.au

Thanks

James Webber
 

Last Fly Tying Night

WULFF WULFF (Not Wolf Wolf as in Woof Woof!)

By Dave Wilson

Fly- tying consists of a few fundamental skills and methods. When the skills are applied, then any fly can be competently tied. Throughout the year our approach has been to focus on skills and methods rather than distracting ourselves with random pattern tying where skills are haphazardly picked up. There are literally thousands of patterns yet there are just a handful of core skills needed to tie anything. Patterns for fly tying nights are chosen for the skills they contain.

Our nights are not demonstrations. Each participant is supplied with material and ties along in step with the instructor who gives help along the way with other members where needed.

Our last pattern for the year is one hardest to tie! The Royal Wulff is difficult as it contains a soft hair tail – which can flair out of control if loose gathering wraps are not applied well. It has slippery hard hair wings of calf tail or calf body hair split and posted (easier said than done) not to mention tying and turning in a hackle to form a small head ...and applying peacock herl without it splitting apart. The usual skills of reserving head space to manage material creep / head crowding and applying pinch wraps were also applied. A fly packed with skills.

Even though the fly was challenging the group still had a great time. The Club invested in some great hackle, moose mane hair and calf hair from BWC Flies which made a tough fly easier to tie.

The Royal Wulff was invented by the late Lee Wulff (and probably his casting wife Joan Wulff had something to with it). It is a hair wing and tail variant of the Royal Coachman that used “old fashioned” wing slips from primary duck feathers and a golden pheasant tippet tail. The Wulff series are buoyant flies best suited to rougher water and riffles.  They don’t represent anything in particular, but are easily seen, and they make good strike indicators to hold up nymphs on two fly rigs.  

New Members

We extend a warm welcome to new members Richard Ganski and Robert Scott.

We encourage new members to join in on the many activities that we run as this is a good way to meet other club members and also to improve your fly fishing skills and most importantly to have a great time.

Looking forward to meeting you at our Monthly Members Meetings and at events throughout the coming year.
 

Sydney Fly Rodders Facebook Pages

We run two SFRC pages, one is our public page and it posts events and activities of the club. It also shares posts from other pages like CAS, DPI on things relevant to the places and areas that we fish.


I post some fly tying every now and then and share links to events I find that might be of interest to followers. This page is a little like our Web page, it showcases the club to attract members and provides details of club events. At last count it has more than one thousand followers.


We added another page. This is reserved for members only and cannot be seen by anyone outside of the group. You will need to send a request to join. Any member can post on this page and it is a great opportunity for members to put up a post or two about anything fly fishing. I would like to encourage members to use this page to post fishing reports or photos of flies that you tied. Being connected to other members you can ask for some casting or gear advice, or organise a short trip when you suddenly have some spare time.


There are also hundreds of other groups; bream on fly, carp on fly, bass, trout....areas like alpine trout, Sydney Kayak Fishing....fly tying groups, buy sell swap fly gear pages and individuals like Aussie Flyfisher, Sydney Flyfishing to check out. 


Phil Burton
philipburton@bigpond.com

Sydney Flyrodders Instagram Page


The Sydney Fly Rodders are now on Instagram. Many thanks to our Member Maddie Chew Lee, who offered to set us up and apply her significant experience with marketing and communications in particular within the social media space. 

Please follow the site and add your comments, and lets grow this platform for the club. It will also attract new members to the club.

Below is a snapshot of the site. We aim to sync (in particular look and feel) the Instagram account with our Facebook account and also our new Website, which I talk more about in the preceding section.

Sydney Fly Rodders WhatsApp Group

We have an Exclusive Group on WhatsApp for our Members, which is a great way to communicate informally and to share ideas, seek advice and also to plan and seek interest for impromptu/planned fishing trips.


I can highly recommend this to members. We have arranged a number of trips now from a weekends bass fishing through to a casual and social Sunday morning or afternoons fishing at Narrabeen Lake or Hen & Chickens Bay etc. And there could even be a BBQ thrown in for a social get together afterwards. This will happen on most if not all occasions.


Should you wish to be included in this group, then please email me to request your inclusion, quoting your mobile number which is required to link you into the Group. You will need to download the WhatsApp first if you haven't already done so.


Please contact me for inclusion.


Jason Hemens

Editor, Flyrodder

jasondh1972@gmail.com

Piste Haus Ski Lodge - Jindabyne

The Fly Rodders have access to the Piste Haus Ski lodge in Jindabyne during the off season at an affordable rate:

  • Positioned in Jindabyne village walking distance to Banjo Patterson Pub and short drive to shops/restaurants/etc.
  • 8 bedrooms, mix of doubles, twins, triples and bunks
  • Sleeps 14 all up and 10 comfortably
  • $75/room/night 
  • SFRC get access from October to end May (off-season for skiing)
  • Large open plan and well-appointed shared kitchen, dining and relaxation area with log stove
  • Bring your own linen, towels, pillow, sleeping bag, blanket   
  • Parking for up to 4 or 5 cars on site and others on the street

The syndicate that owns Piste Haus has been very generous in allowing the Sydney Flyrodders access to this excellent facility at such a low price. Therefore, we encourage members to feel free to make use of this offer (either in groups or as individuals – it does not have to be an official club trip), as long as we always remember to follow the house rules and leave the place clean and tidy.

If you are interested in booking please reach out to James Webber (treasurer@sydneyflyrodders.com.au

 https://pistehaus.com.au