Frequently Asked Questions & Prices
1. Do I need to pay a deposit for my guided trip, and what is your cancellation policy should I be unable to attend?
For most bookings, we require a credit card or EFT payment of 50% to secure your reservation. Specialty trips i.e. NZ, Montana, Patagonia, have their own specific deposit requirements, which you can read on our booking / cancellation policy page. Beginner workshops require payment in full at the time of booking.
Please read our Cancellation Policy before making a booking.
2. Will I be in a group or will I have a guide to myself?
If you make a booking on your own, it will just be you and the guide 1:1. We will not be pairing you up with anyone. If you book with a friend the ratio will be 1:2. If your group is bigger than two, we will put on another guide or allow you to bring the third person at a reduced fee. If you have a larger group and are happy to have more people per guide, we can work out a specific rate to suit your needs and budget.
Drift boat trips are for a maximum of 2 anglers per boat. If your party is bigger, we have more boats.
Group workshops are different with a ratio of up to 1:5 so that we can keep the price down. Other trips to New Zealand/Montana and the Snowy Mountains require two people per guide to be viable and keep the costs down. As such we can take bookings of two/four/six (even numbers), but can only take single person bookings on the proviso that we can find you a fishing partner before the trip begins.
3. Do I need to make advance reservations for our guided fly fishing trip?
In most instances you can simply phone up on the day and book a guide. However, we would advise you to book ahead of time wherever possible, to ensure that you don’t miss out. During peak holiday periods and on long weekends, we will often be booked out up to a month in advance, and sometimes even longer. As such we recommend booking your fly fishing trip as far ahead as possible. But don’t hesitate to phone and ask about a last-minute booking as we have eight guides on staff and we will always do our very best to accommodate you.
4. Can I bring a non-fishing partner with me on the drift boat?
Yes. Non fishing partners are more than welcome and they will also enjoy a drift boat trip. Platypus are plentiful and the scenery is beautiful. Non-fishing partners are also advised to bring appropriate clothing for the weather, a camera/binoculars, and/or a book.
5. Who will my guide be?
Unless you specifically request a guide, guide allocation will not occur until the day of your trip. We do our best to match clients with the guide best suited to the experience being sought. If you ask for a certain guide, we will schedule you with them, unless they have already been requested by someone else prior to you booking. At times, allocated guides may not be available (due to illness or personal reasons), and in those instances another equally experienced guide will be provided.
6. Will I have the same fishing guide every day?
Not necessarily. Bookings prior to yours may mean that a specific guide is not available on the dates or on some of the dates you have requested. On top of this, the day to day schedules are always changing as guides that are here one day, can be working interstate or overseas the next.
Many of our clients like to fish with different guides each day because they learn different things from each one. If you would like to fish with the same guide each day, please let us know that when you book your trip and we will endeavor to set this up for you.
7. Where and when do we meet?
Our guided trips start/end at our base in Alexandra, unless prior arrangements are made. We will contact you to discuss the specific meeting point approximately 24 – 48 hours out from your trip.
We suggest meeting up around 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. Please confirm this with us via phone on the night before your trip. Full days and late afternoon sessions can see us ending well after dark. This can make for a very late departure when fishing in high-summer, and an after midnight arrival home if you are traveling the two hours back to Melbourne.
Please let us know when you book your trip if you need a shorter day or earlier start time. Please remind your guide of any time limitations on the day of the trip, so that he can choose an appropriate stretch of river/activity, that will align with your schedule.
For trips to the Swampy, Mitta Mitta and other destinations, your guide will discuss the meeting arrangements with you well in advance. For the Swampy we mostly meet at Khancoban Lakes Resort (caravan park) or below the dam wall at Khancoban Pondage/Swampy Plains river. For the Mitta Mitta the main meeting point is Eskdale Hotel.
Your guide will confirm this with you in advance of your trip.
8. What if it rains or the weather is less than ideal on the day of my trip?
Rain has never been a big issue for us due to our location and the number of blue sky/fine days we get each year. Nevertheless, fly fishing is an outdoor activity and some of the best fishing occurs when the weather is less than ideal.
Having said that, if we determine that the conditions will prevent a good day on the water; your trip can be deferred or a full-refund given. If we decide that it is worth heading out, we expect that you will trust our assessment and do the booked session as planned. It is nobodies interest to run a trip that will be miserable and unproductive; but we know the local conditions and will make the call based on our experience.
It has become necessary to stipulate this, as some people are making a judgment call based on the weather in Melbourne, when the conditions on this side of the Great Divide are often a world away. It is not uncommon for Melbourne to be cold, wet and windy, while at the same time we have good fishing conditions.
In the past, cancellations due to incorrect reading of the weather have been especially frustrating when we could have filled the spot 10x over, and a last minute change of heart by a client means a cancellation, and no booking at all. Because of this, we have had to devise a cancellation policy that protects both our business and our guide’s livelihoods. Our Cancellation Policy is strictly enforced and we ask that you simply phone us for a chat, if you have any concerns about the weather.
We want to ensure that we have both happy guides and happy clients, so please trust our judgment.
It’s what we do and we do it well.
9. What is included in the price of a guide trip?
The guided fishing trip fee includes the guide’s time, use of fly gear if needed on a replace if broken basis ($90 to replace a rod tip as of July 2022), transportation to/from the shop from local accommodation (if required), all flies/terminal tackle and a great day on the water.
All of our trips include drinking water. Due to the rising costs of food, lunch and snacks are BYO. Ice coolers are provided to keep food and drinks cold. Fishing licenses are not included, but are required. They are inexpensive and can be purchased online here.
10. Where will we fish?
Many people choose the water they want to fish well in advance; either because they wish to learn about a certain waterway, or they wish to return to the scene of past glories! Still most clients leave the decision of where to go to us, preferring to allow our local knowledge to determine the best location on any given day.
By the time you arrive at your preordained meeting point, your guide will be armed with all the necessary information to make the right call. We advise you to follow the guide’s recommendations, but do not hesitate to let him know if you have a particular agenda or expectations for the day.
11. What should I do to prepare for my trip?
If you have some fly fishing experience, the best thing you can do to prepare for a guided trip is practice your casting. If there isn’t any suitable water near your home or office, then go to a local park and cast on the grass. Practicing on water is best but not necessary. If you are a beginner – please don’t practice your casting. We want you teach you the correct techniques from the very start, rather than waste time trying to help you unlearn bad habits.
12. What do I need to bring for my fly fishing session?
Beginners need only bring a hat, sunglasses, appropriate clothing for the weather (no bright colours) and a belt for holding up the waders that we will provide.
For those that already fly fish, all you need is your normal trout fly fishing gear. A five weight is the recommended all-round rod. If you have a four it will be perfect for the smaller rivers like the Rubicon and a six is great for throwing large hoppers and double fly rigs from the drift boat. A seven is too heavy for local conditions and will greatly restrict your ability to make delicate presentations at close range. It will also impact on your enjoyment of the day. If you do not have the correct gear, please let us know so that we can supply it for you.
If bringing your own rod, you only need a floating fly line, preferably something olive, green, grey,brown or any dull colour. However any colour will do. Breathable waders are great for autumn-winter-spring but thigh boots or hip waders are much more comfortable from November through March (warmer months).
If fishing from the drift boat during the summer months when the temperatures are hot, lightweight quick dry pants or shorts and sandals are fine. If you prefer shorts you will need plenty of sunscreen. We recommend that you always have a hat, polarised sunglasses and waterproof sunscreen. Be prepared for cool mornings/evenings and hot days. A lightweight sweater/vest and a lightweight raincoat should be included in your day pack as a precaution if there is any chance of rain. Clothing should be subdued colours as much as possible. No yellows or whites etc. This includes hats! Bright colours = less fish.
A small day pack is worth taking with you to carry personal items, either in the truck or boat. A personal water bottle or camelback being ideal if doing a non-boat session in the heat of summer. An esky/ice box is taken with us on the boats and in our trucks, so there are always cold drinks available. Wading boots with cleats cannot be worn in our boats as it will damage the floors. Sandals such as Tevas / Keens / Simms are best.
When you arrive on the day of your trip, your guide will discuss the fishing options available to you, and review your equipment. If you require help in setting up gear, please let us know beforehand and organise to come in a bit earlier than your scheduled start time, as setting up equipment can be time consuming.
13. Where do I find out about local fishing conditions?
We operate the longest running fly fishing reporting website in Australia. For Members, up to date reports can be viewed on the private section of this website. For non-members you can phone us for a brief report.
The current river level can be determined by phoning 03 5774 3928. This message is recorded daily at 9am.
If you have any further questions or just need further advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email or phone.
14. Can I keep the fish I catch?
We have a strict catch and release policy, meaning that any fish caught whilst being guided by us, must be returned to the water unharmed. Trout in Australia have a hard enough time without us further reducing their numbers. We are commited to a total catch and release policy to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.
15. PRICES
There is a price difference between our regular guiding and drift boat services. This is because the drift boat trips require extra staff to do drop offs/pick ups; and because we use expensive, specially imported drift boats from the USA, rather than rubber rafts. We are the only full-time professional drift boat guides in Victoria, and we have been running these trips on a daily basis since 1994.
Guiding / Instruction / Streamcraft
- Half day – 5 hours — TOTAL PRICE $550 — for either 1 / 2 anglers
- Full day – 8 hours — TOTAL PRICE $790— for either 1 / 2 anglers – BYO lunch.
- All guided trips include use of gear (if required) and all flies. They also include drinking water and coolers for you to store your lunch in.
Drift Boat
- Half Day – 5 hours — TOTAL PRICE $590 — for either 1 or 2 anglers
- Full Day – 8 hours — TOTAL PRICE $850 — 1 or 2 for either anglers – inc. lunch.
- All guided trips include use of gear (if required) and all flies. They also include drinking water and coolers for you to store your lunch in.
- Scenic drifts include drinking water and a pair of binoculars for bird and platypus viewing. Learn more here.
Two Day Weekend Fly Fishing Workshops (SAT & SUN)
- Workshop price – 2 day — TOTAL PRICE $490 per person.
- Includes two full days of instruction at an instructor:participant ratio of 1:4. All gear and lunch is included on both days. Learn more here.
Corporate/School Groups
Customised itineraries including special deals for Activity Week programs of 1-5 days duration. $ Call for a quote $ More info here
New Zealand Trips 2023
Our New Zealand trip price is $5,200 AUD. These trips include six days of fishing and seven nights lodging, as well as all guiding, meals, transport and flies.
These trips run from NOV – APR and offer participants the chance to fish some of the best rivers on the planet.
Fishing Licenses are required for fishing on local rivers.
* 1 day Victorian Licence $5.50
* 3 day Victorian Licence $12.00
* 1 Year Victorian Licence $26.00
* 3 Year Victorian Licence $66.00
* Licences can be purchased online by clicking here
For more information or to make a booking, please phone us on 03 5773 2513
For detailed information on cancellations, please see our CANCELLATION POLICY.
CONTACT US
For more information or to make a booking, please phone us on:
Landline: 03 5773 2513
Mobile: 0418 995 611