Of Rivers and Rises

This book is written in appreciation of the many joys and quiet contentment that I have found in my wanderings by river and lake. The legendary Australian author David Scholes penned these words. It would be hard to find a better way to introduce a collection of fishing adventures, because fifty years of waving the slender rod have given me abundant pleasure, copious exercise both physically and mentally, wonderful & lasting friendships and the enjoyment of being at one with nature. On reflection, it seems that centuries ago a good friend and skilled fly-fisherman introduced me to what became a pastime, perhaps an art, certainly a physical exercise, a method of spending the family fortune and a lifelong pleasure. We were privileged in those days to enjoy accommodation in the heart of some of the finest trout streams in Australia, as the Red Shack stood alongside Pollock’s Creek at Kiandra. Oddly, it was also known as the Poacher’s Hut, odd because the keenly enthusiastic users were exactly the opposite, with the tongue-in-cheek motto there are no rules and don’t you dare break them. Since those early days, I have fished in many countries and all the states of Australia and although the body ages the enthusiasm does not. I hope you enjoy the ramblings in the following chapters and perhaps disagree or otherwise with some of the theories within.