Fishing Guides - Fly Fishing
Jimmy Barwick - Provisional Member
SNOWY VALLEYS FLY FISHING
Jimmy owns and operates Snowy Valleys Fly Fishing based in Tumut NSW. A fly fishing fanatic who lives and breathes all things fishing, Jimmy is a dedicated and highly experienced guide. Jimmy’s career in guiding began over 15 years ago, and with experience all over the world, it’s the Snowy Valleys that really captured his attention four years ago when he came to live and guide in the area.
With everything a fly fishing enthusiast could ask for: a versatile river right on the doorstep, high country creeks and streams and pristine lakes, there was no better place for Jimmy to realise his life long dream of launching his own guiding operation. Wanting to provide the very best experiences across the board, this area was like striking gold! The area is also unique for offering year round fishing opportunities.
During the trout season, Jimmy offers unforgettable drift boat trips on the Tumut and Swampy Plains rivers and walk and wade adventures in the picturesque Kosciusko National Park. In winter, Jimmy practically lives on the famed Blowering Dam, where he has put countless hours into honing the craft of catching trophy Murray Cod on fly. With some unheard of runs on the board in this department, he has now invested in a custom built powerboat, fully fitted out with state of the art Garmin electronics. With this addition to Snowy Valleys Fly Fishing, Jimmy is excited to be able to offer the rare opportunity to target the highly coveted monster of a fish that is the mighty Murray Cod!
Service Location: New South Wales
David Becconsall - Provisional Member
CAST COACH
David is a very experienced Fly fisherman with over 25 years’ experience fishing the trout waters of NSW and Victoria. As a professional fly fishing guide, David offers guiding services in East Gippsland, North Eastern Victoria and the Victorian High Country.
ln 2022, David obtained FFI Casting instructor Certification. He enjoys sharing time on the water with avid fly fishers regardless of their age, ability or experience. David is passionate about his craft and
works hard to help clients with their streamcraft, casting and fishing skills so they enjoy their passion in fly fishing even more. A day on the water with David will see a fish or two to hand, some laughs and a photo to remember a great day in the most picturesque fishing environments and the best trout waters of Australia.
Service Location: Victoria
Phone: 0421 035 216
Email: castcoach01@gmail.com
Paul Bourne - Full Member
Snowy Monaro Fly Fishing
Paul has been operating as a fly-fishing guide / instructor in the Snowy Mountains and Monaro region in 1994.
He began fly fishing in South Australia in 1980 while in his early 20s and was a regularly visitor to the Snowy / Monaro through-out the 80s and early 90s. After moving to Sautelle Lodge as guide/instructor in 1994, he located more centrally in Cooma just after the World Fly Fishing Championships that were held here in 1999.
While he has a tremendous amount of experience on the streams of the Monaro, his current focus is more towards the mountains rivers and streams of the Snowy Region of NSW.
Service Location: New South Wales
Phone: (02) 6452 7650
Mobile: 0415 779 316
Email: paul@snowymonaroflyfishing.com.au
Erhan Cinar - Provisional Member
Wilderness Fly Fishing
Erhan is passionate fly fisher who cut his teeth in flyfishing when he was introduced to the banks of Lake Eucumbene by his father-in-law. Since then his passion for fly fishing has taken him to many trout destinations around Australia, New Zealand and beyond, where the passion has grown into a full blown obsession!
Nowadays you will find Erhan fishing around Victoria’s north east rivers and heavily competing in Australia’s competition fly fishing scene, where his knowledge for fly fishing has excelled. At the Australian Fly Fishing Championships in 2022, he placed third against some of Australia’s finest anglers. Erhan recently qualified for the Australian fly fishing team, competing on the Isle of Islay in Scotland in 2023. When Erhan isn’t on the water, you will find him on the fly tying vice whipping up some beautiful creations. There is a good chance he will tie one on while you are out on the water with him.
Erhan’s enthusiasm for teaching both beginners and seasoned fly fishers is outstanding. If you’re wanting to take your current fly fishing to the next level, Erhan has a plethora of skill sets to share with you. Your day on the water with Erhan will be filled with knowledge and laughs.
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0421 556 916
Email: wildernessflyfishing@gmail.com
Web: http://www.wildernessflyfishing.com.au
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildernessflyfishing
David Copperthwaite - Full Member
Wild River Tours
David Copperthwaite was born with a passion for fishing and - more importantly - Bass fishing!
An expat from the UK, it was love at first sight for David when he first moved to the Northern Rivers of NSW. After fishing the bays and local coastal waters he discovered Bass fishing and from that moment he has dedicated every spare moment and resource to chasing the amazing Australian Bass.
David says that if you’ve never fished for Bass then you are missing out on one of Australia’s most iconic and amazing fish.
Service Location: Northern New South Wales
Mobile: 0477 779 983
Email: admin@wildrivertours.com.au
Michael ‘Harry’ Davey - Full Member
Michael is based in Tenterfield NSW and offers fly and lure freshwater fishing tours in the New England and Northern Rivers region of NSW.
When it comes to fishing, nothing beats local knowledge and Michael ‘ has plenty of it. Harry has been a fishing guide in his local town of Tenterfield for more than 10 years.
Harry specialises in accessing remote fishing locations and ‘un-pressured’ fisheries that have limited access. Catching vibrant brightly coloured green and gold fish from the clear waters among this Aussie bush land, is an experience not to be missed.
Service Location: New South Wales
Mobile: 0412 241 934
E-mail: michaeltdavey@outlook.com
Brenda Galey - Full Member
Galey MsGuided Fly Fishing
Brenda owns and operates Galey MsGuided Fly Fishing and is a full time guide in Central and North East Victoria.
She has been fishing all over Victoria and around the world for the last twenty five years. Brenda drifts the Goulburn River near Lake Eildon but will be branching out to chase Murray Cod. Her new drift boat The MaeFly is a new low sided skiff style custom designed and imported from Montana. Mae is extremely comfy for clients and easier to enter and exit than a traditional drift boat. She has a strict catch and release policy and also advocates the Keepemwet catch and release method. Evening Rises with tiny dries is her first love but chasing grasshopper feeders is fun too!
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0477 000 324
E-mail: msguidedff@gmail.com
Grant Hilder - Full Member
Reel Fly Fishing
Grant Hilder from Reel Fly Fishing specialises in trout fishing tours throughout NSW’s inland streams, rivers and lakes. Grant has access to some of the most pristine rivers and streams (including those on select private lands) ensuring a unique fly fishing experience in some of the most scenic areas NSW has to offer.
Grant is a passionate, ethical and experienced guide, providing a personalised and sustainable fly fishing experience, tailored to meet your objectives and/or goals whatever they may be, from catching and releasing fish, to learning new techniques.
Grant conducts his’ trout fishing tours during trout open season, throughout New South Wales inland streams, rivers and lakes. Reel Fly Fishing has secured private lands with extensive water frontage in the Snowy Monaro District, ensuring your exclusivity and serenity. Grant respects all communities, lands and waterways, preserving the environments he and his guests visit, leaving only footsteps.
Service Location: New South Wales
Mobile: 0474277286
Web: http://www.reelflyfishing.com.au
E-mail: granthilder@me.com
Nathan Johnston - Full Member
GUIDED FISHING DOWNUNDER
Nathan is a bachelor qualified aquatic resource manager with more than twenty years experience in the waterway, fishery and coastal ecosystem sciences sector. Nathan is currently PFIGA’s President.
Nathan is a Rockhampton local who has been fishing the Fitzroy and the Capricorn Coast for more than 30 years. Nathan now blends this scientific understanding of aquatic ecosystems along with a detailed local knowledge of the fisheries in Central Queensland to tailor each fishing charter and deliver the best possible results. Nathan brings a mature, observant and patient outlook to his guiding services and works with each individual angler’s strengths and weaknesses to help achieve the best outcome for his clients.
Service Location: Capricorn Coast, Rockhampton Queensland
Mobile: 0400221055
Web: www.guidedfishingdownunder.com
E-mail: nathan@guidedfishingdownunder.com
Kiel Jones - Full Member
Wilderness Fly FISHING
Kiel grew up fishing Victoria’s central highland lakes. He caught his first trout on fly at age 11 and never turned back. With many trips and a holiday house in East Gippsland, bream, estuary perch and bass occupied most of Kiel’s teenage years while waiting for the lakes and rivers.
These days, Kiel’s flyfishing habit leads him all over Australia and the world – back at the highland lakes chasing midge feeding trout, spring time dun feeders on the shores of the local waters, the rivers of New Zealand’s back country, GT’s and bone fish on pacific islands, Victoria’s north east rivers and the Snowy Mountain streams of NSW.
Or there’s the ever elusive estuaries of south east Victoria. Since picking up a rod Kiel’s been chasing bream and other estuary targets in and along the ship wreck coast, frequenting the Hopkins, Aire, and Curdies rivers.
Kiel guides at one of Australia’s premier trout fisheries Millbrook Lakes and works part-time at The Flyfisher in Melbourne. Kiel is an enthusiastic guide who has a passion for teaching beginners and to take seasoned fly fishers to the next level, his drive for catching fish and having a good time is infectious.
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0406 089 126
Email: kajflyfishing@gmail.com
Web: http://www.wildernessflyfishing.com.au
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildernessflyfishing
Scott McPherson - Full Member
INDULGENCE FLY FISHING
Based out of Eskdale in The Mitta Mitta Valley, Scott McPherson from Indulgence Flyfishing is perfectly located to access the flyfishing opportunities offered in Northeast Victoria.
45 minutes from Albury/Wodonga, on the Hume Highway, it’s right in between Melbourne and Sydney. Scott is surrounded by some of Australia’s premier trout rivers and streams – the Kiewa, Mitta Mitta and Buckland Rivers and Nariel Creek just to name a few. We are also on the doorstep of extremely productive fishing lakes such as Dartmouth Dam.
Not only is the fishing good… Indulgence Fly Fishing also located next to the world famous wineries of the King Valley and Millawa regions. No matter what kind of location you are after, and regardless of your current proficiency, Indulgence Flyfishing can make sure you have an unforgettable experience of great food, wine… oh, and did we mention fly fishing in Northeast Victoria?
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0412 690 696
Web: www.indulgenceflyfishing.com.au/
E-mail: scott@indulgenceflyfishing.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.mcpherson.796774
Bo Nikolic - Provisional Member
Wilderness Fly Fishing
Bo Nikolic is one of Australia's most experienced fly fishing guides and has long been considered the unsung hero of the industry.
Whilst Bo is one of Australia best drift boat guides and a celebrated casting instructor, it's his patience, reliability and humility that sets him apart from others. Bo prides himself on his versatility and his ability to customise the fishing experience to suit the needs of any client in any conditions. An avid and well-rounded outdoorsman, he has also provided outdoor education fly fishing for several of Melbourne elite private schools and designs custom trips into the Victorian and New Zealand back country for the more adventurous fishers.
Bo doesn’t just meet the standard, he set it! He has spent the last 30 years fishing and guiding throughout the world's most glamourous fly fishing destinations including north-east Victoria, Snowy Mountains, North America, New Zealand, Slovenia, Montenegro, Indonesia, Bosnia and New Zealand. Despite this, Bo's passion is providing positive fly fishing experiences for children with special needs, having made many lasting memories working with organisations such as CANTEEN and the Royal Childrens Hospital.
Always the entertainer, you're likely to have Bo singing for you, however a day with Bo you will make you a better caster. You'll read the water better. You'll understand fly fishing better. You will apply your skills better. But most important of all, you'll have a lot of fun!
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0421 556 916
Email: wildernessflyfishing@gmail.com
Web: http://www.wildernessflyfishing.com.au
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildernessflyfishing
Daniel Ringer - Provisional Member
wilderness fly fishing
Daniel has been fishing since he was old enough to go out in the boat with his Dad. It all began chasing bread and butter species around western port bay which he still enjoys to this day. He started fly fishing at age 12 and quickly became obsessed with it. Starting competition fly fishing at 14 years old was a huge learning curve and he quickly gained experience in modern competition techniques. Now a little older he has enjoyed success at all levels of competition in Australia and regularly places well. In 2023 Daniel was a member of the Australian fly fishing team that fished Scotland.
Having lived in the Yarra Valley and surrounds he has explored many local haunts and spent countless time fishing around Eildon and knowledge of the area is second to none. Daniel loves to teach all forms of fly fishing including European Nymphing which he is proficient in. A day on the water with Daniel is always a fun day on the water.
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0421 556 916
Email: wildernessflyfishing@gmail.com
Web: http://www.wildernessflyfishing.com.au
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildernessflyfishing
Chris Schrueder - Provisional Member
Wilderness Fly Fishing
Like many fly fishers, Chris began his fishing as a six year old jetty rat under the watchful gaze of his grandfather. The bug bit hard and when Chris was older he would ride his bmx down to the local Radelaide beaches and would always nag his parents to go on holidays based on the fishing. (His wife still has to contend with that!)
Bait transitioned to lures, bmx’s became skateboards and when he moved to Melbourne in the early 90’s, fly fishing became an obsession and 4wd’s became the required mode of transport. Yes, Chris is old enough to have seen Brad Pitt cast on VHS and watched the original run of ‘A River Somewhere’ air on the ABC.
Chris’ first love on fly is trout and the search for bigger fish and more challenging fishing led to many trips to Tasmania and New Zealand over the last two decades. He has written articles for FlyLife Magazine, the FlyStream Blog as well as local newspapers. In 2022 he also won the FlyLife Magazine Top Shot Photography Competition.
Chris is one of the founders and a former president of the Calder Fly Fishing Association and is currently the club secretary. He loves the way that fly fishing combines technology, skill, fun, travel and the beauty of the great outdoors in a way that few other sports can match
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0421 556 916
Email: wildernessflyfishing@gmail.com
Web: http://www.wildernessflyfishing.com.au
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildernessflyfishing
Michael Shanahan (Mickey Finn) - Provisional Member
TOM’S OUTDOORS
Mickey is the Head Guide for Tom’s Outdoors.
Based on the Tumut River in the Snowy Mountains, Mickey is experienced in drifting big rivers, loch-style fishing, chasing Murray-Cod on big flies, and is also always happy to hike a high-country stream. With over a decade of guiding and fishing experience in the Snowy’s and around the world, Mickey can find you the fish and experience you are after. Mickey is a Snowy Mountains local who cut his teeth on his home river the Murrumbidgee, and then learnt how to fish drift big rivers over years in West-Yellowstone Montana.
He is passionate about teaching his skills to new and experienced anglers so that everyone can enjoy and help protect the awesome fishery that he calls home.
Service Location: NSW
Phone: (02) 6947 4062
Email: mickey.finn@tomsoutdoors.com.au
Web: https://www.tomsoutdoors.com.au/pages/snowy-mountains-fly-fishing-tours
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomsoutdoors
Scott Xanthoulakis - Full Member
Wilderness Fly Fishing
Scott founded Wilderness Fly fishing in 2016 because of his passion for fishing wild places.
Learning to cast a fly at the age of twelve, Scott learned his craft from some of Australia’s finest fly fishers, fly tiers, guides and writers. The rivers and streams of North-East Victoria and the Snowy Mountains, as well as the lakes of Victoria’s Goldfield regions played backdrop to what many called a “misspent youth”. We’re still not sure about that!
Like many, Scott’s passion turned to obsession, with him regularly venturing to exotic locations like New Zealand, Tasmania, Montana and many Pacific Islands, including exploratory trips to ‘off-the-grid’ islands.
Nowadays, Scott gains his greatest fulfilment from teaching others the finest details of fly fishing and seeing the enjoyment that it brings them. A trip with Wilderness Fly fishing will not only make you a better fly fisher, it will remind you that fly fishing should always be fun.
Service Location: Victoria
Mobile: 0421 556 916
Email: wildernessflyfishing@gmail.com
Web: http://www.wildernessflyfishing.com.au
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wildernessflyfishing