Greenwells Fly Fishing Club

Well, another season is looming with the opening of the 2015/16 trout season in Victoria on Saturday 5th September. We all hope that the rivers and streams are not flowing too high and make for excellent fishing.

We had our Club’s Annual Dinner on Saturday 22nd August at the Siesta Resort in Lavington with over thirty attending. It was a splendid night with excellent food, a great atmosphere, an impressive and entertaining guest speaker and plenty of raffle prizes to share around. I would like to thank Stafford for his efforts in arranging the venue, Russell Hook for being the MC, John Hawkins for supplying the smoked trout, the remainder of the Committee for helping set up the room and Chris, Ray and Gary from the Wangaratta Fly Fishing Club who attended and supported this event. Thanks also to our guest speaker David Anderson for his enlightening presentation on photography and how he endeavours to make every photograph tell a story. David’s portfolio is very impressive with his photos of many national and international celebrities from his involvement with WHO and other magazine. I would also like to congratulate Steve and his staff at the Siesta Resort for their help in making our Annual Dinner a successful night.

Club Award winners on the night were as follows:-

• Des Walters won the President’s Trophy for advanced fly tiers;
• Russell Hook won the Arthur Smith Fly-Tying Trophy for novice fly tiers;
• Des Walters also won the Les Chick Memorial Trophy for excellence in presentation of fly fishing equipment or accessories with his excellent presentation of self tied salmon flies;
• Kay Bennetts won the Alan Semmler Memorial Photography Award;
• Russell Hook was awarded the Tony Butler Award for his continuing help and support to the Club throughout the year.
• The Norm Crago Memorial Trophy was not awarded this year.

The guest speaker for our September General Meeting is Cameron McGregor. Cameron has a B. Environmental Management and Ecology (La Trobe University), is a PFIGA Fishing Guide and an Ex-Club member. He provides a variety of nature-based tours and education opportunities which showcase the natural beauty of the Victorian High Country and surrounding areas. Cameron will be delivering a presentation on fly fishing for cod and other freshwater native fish in our area.

The suggested up and coming events for September are:- a day trip to the Nariel River on Saturday 12th; and another day trip to the Kiewa Rivers on Saturday 26th. These events are tentative and the actual location, date and time will need to be confirmed at the September GM.

The suggested events for October are:- an overnight trip to Talbingo on the Weekend 10th & 11th; this coincides with an overnight trip to Lake Fyans (Western Vic) for the Fyans Fly-In hosted by the Sunshine Fly Casting Club from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th; an overnight trip to Creswick (central Vic) for the Wastrel Trophy hosted by the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club on the Weekend 17th & 18th; and, a day trip to the Mitta River and/or the Snowy Creek on Saturday 24th. These events are also tentative and open to members input before being confirmed at the September GM.

I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday night.

Firm Strikes, Jeff Baldock