The Eternal Optimist Memory Number Two.

The second space in the fly box with the Elk Hair Caddis missing brings on that glazed look you see with fly fishers when they think of trips past.  The Eternal Optimist is back in the past again.

The day on the Tumut river in New South Wales drift boat fishing with Dave one of the owners of Goulburn Valley Fly Fishing.  It's shaping up to be a great day,  no wind and sunny, both friends to a fly fisher. The Tumut was new to me.  Picture post card water where ever you looked.  The initial pool seemed to go on forever.

The first fish spotted rising close to the bank, under a low hanging willow tree branch.  A sight to behold as we had see a few Caddis fluttering round near the rising fish.  Dave had pointed out Caddis on the water when we launched the boat.

Yes, you guested it, I had a Caddis pattern on and it came from the second space in the fly box.  I was ready to go.  Long story short, first rush of blood, cast smack into the tree.  With getting untangled from the tree, a bust off, and then too much movement there was now a non rising fish.

The eternal optimist in me said, I will get the next fish.  I did.  He fancied a Blue Wing Olive Para HI-Vis big name for a tiny size #20 fly.  As the day went on I caught a few more rising fish but rises were becoming few and far between.  Decision made, I went to the stand by Nymph Indicator rig and had success with this.

Nymphs do catch other things as well.  Logs on the bottom, submerged tree branches thus creating more space in the fly box and more memories.

Oh! I did catch this on one of the nymphs.  Dave said it was a first in twenty years of drift boat fishing.  Now that's something.

Now what the hell was I doing? Oh yes the spaces in my fly boxes, better get a fly order to Dave and Nella for next season.