The Highland Fly has operated independently since 2018. However, in order to improve our capacity to meet the needs of as many fly fishing visitors as possible, from 2024-25 The Highland Fly will be working in collaboration with the team at Trout Tales Tasmania, offering a broader range of packages that will hopefully meet most people’s needs.
Your Fly Fishing Guides
Nick May
Fly fishing guide and owner of The Highland Fly
My name is Nick May, and I will be your guide and companion when you fish with The Highland Fly.
I aim to offer you a memorable experience of Tasmania, its fly fishing, its scenery and, most likely, its highly changeable weather, all of which, I hope, culminates in catching one of Tasmania’s wonderful trout.
I have fished now for more than 50 years, including 25 years of fly fishing in Tasmania.
I hold Australian Tourism Accreditation, First Aid certification and appropriate certification from AMSA to operate my boat. I also hold all appropriate insurances.
In 2018 I established the Highland Fly, a one man operation but part of a network of professional Tasmanian fishing guides that specialises in trout fishing in Tasmania.
My business has taken past tourism experience and knowledge, my understanding of business and organisations and has linked them, most importantly, to my long standing love of fishing and my love of Tasmania.
Matt Stone
Fly fishing guide and owner of Trout Tales Tasmania
For over twenty years I’ve developed my passion for fly fishing, wild trout and for the amazing places experienced in Tasmania along the way.
After many years of early morning starts, long days on the water and endless lessons learned from unforgiving trout -I have accumulated a deep knowledge of the intricacies fly fishing in Tasmania presents, and what it takes to be successful in this truly a special place that I call home.
What excites me about being a fly fishing guide is the opportunity to combine my passion and knowledge of trout fly fishing in Tasmania with my experience in the hospitality and tourism industries as a qualified chef to create all-inclusive, unique and highly personalised guided fly fishing tours in Tasmania.
I hope you will join me for an unforgettable journey to create your own Tasmanian fly fishing 'trout tale' that will last a lifetime.
Peter Stone
Fly fishing guide
Growing up in Northern Tasmania presented the opportunity to start my fly fishing journey on many of Tasmania’s iconic rivers, which began a lifelong passion for trout fishing in Tasmania. After moving to Southern Tasmania, the lakes of the Central Highlands region became a greater focus, and over the course of 40 years, I have developed a deep understanding and respect for the rugged wilderness locations that the wild trout inhabit.
What excites me most about guiding in Tasmania is showcasing the sight fishing opportunities that we have available for the majority of the trout fishing season. I particularly enjoy dry fly fishing and spotting fish and believe that there is nothing more exciting than watching a trout rise to a well presented fly.
I look forward to sharing some time out on the water with you in Tasmania’s world class fly fishery.
The Highland Fly
The Highland Fly operates personalised fly fishing tours in Tasmania. Come and visit some of the world’s best fly fishing locations. Experience sight fishing for wild brown trout. Maybe chase a rainbow trout.
Whether you’re an absolute beginner, an experienced angler visiting Tasmania for the first time or someone returning to Tasmania we’re here to help.
Have your own gear or don’t have your own gear?
Know where you want to fish or don’t know where to go?
It doesn’t matter - you’re all welcome. So long as you bring your enthusiasm, we’ll do everything we can to find you a fish or two. No guarantees, of course, but that’s natural when you’re dealing with wild fisheries!
Interested in getting your first taste of fly fishing? We can tailor a day or a package to meet your needs, generally at Herne Lodge, an exciting private fishery in the Central Highlands.
And, although we normally work with only one or two clients at a time, we’re also very happy to look at your requirements for larger numbers, generally in collaboration with other professional guides.
Photo: Rachael Stone
Photo - Rachael Stone
Why Use A Trout Fishing Guide?
Tasmania’s trout fishery is a challenging one. It challenges you with weather conditions. It challenges you with a range of fishing locations. It challenges you with access. It challenges you with major seasonal influences. For a fly fisher it challenges you with fly choice. And, of course, it will challenge you if you haven’t fly fished before.
Of course, if time is on your side and if patience is one of your virtues then you may just be able to do it on your own. But if you want some of the guess work to be taken out of the challenge, then a local Tasmanian trout fishing guide is a great alternative.
You may want my help on your first day before embarking on your own pathway, we’ll give you as much help as we can. If you want a few days, looking at a number of waters and fishing styles, we can help you with that too.
Don’t want to bring your own gear, or don’t want to invest in gear before you are confident that fly fishing is your thing, then we can get you over that hurdle as well, with all the gear you might want.
Oh, and of course, for those of you who would prefer to fish out of a boat, we’ve got that covered to - with a great, purpose-built fly fishing boat - a late model Quintrex Hornet.
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“What a wonderful experience! Perfect introduction to fly fishing from Nick. From or initial contact Nick was incredibly helpful in accommodating our schedule, and communication was prompt and clear. We met at the boating ramp on Penstock Lagoon on a beautiful fresh spring morning, Nick’s warm welcome and professional approach set us at ease as we geared up and launched out onto the lake. Nicks a very knowledgeable and natural teacher, in no time we were casting out and learning the subtle intricacies of technique something between a science and art. Time flew by, Nick put on an excellent lunch, way beyond what we expect on the water, delicious! After lunch we were rewarded with a lovely brown trout. Even if we hadn’t have caught anything it was the best day out of our trip to Tasmania! And will be back!”
/ Jack Taylor, Melbourne, November 2018 /
Experience
Why fish with the Highland Fly? We’ve already detailed the benefits of fishing with fly fishing guides in Tasmania. As to why you might choose us we can offer three perspectives:
what others have said about their experience with us;
our experience; and
our commitment
Testimonials: Throughout this website you will find testimonials from satisfied clients. These are the best “currency” in the tourism industry, and we can assure you they are all genuine. We believe they speak for themselves.
Experience - Nick May: My best calculation says I started fishing more than 50 years ago. As a kid much of my time was either spent fishing or gathering bait to sell to pay for my fishing gear. I was, for many years, a saltwater angler - a rock fisher, a beach fisher and an estuary fisher. Dad occasionally took me out into the freshwater - angling for trout with garden worms was my introduction to trout fishing.
A move to Tasmania in 1990 was the trigger for a heightened interest in trout fishing and it wasn’t long before I was introduced to the art (yes it is an art) of fly fishing. And that has been my fishing obsession ever since. In recent years I have taken years of obsessive recreational fly fishing experience and invested that in becoming a guide. My passion as a recreational angler remains and, like every fly fisher, my education continues every day. I now understand much more about what I previously took for granted.
Our Commitment: That’s pretty simple. We will do everything that we can to give you the best possible experience on the day. Our satisfaction comes from the enjoyment that fishers experience during a day on the water with us. Ideally, that will include the thrill of landing a wild Tasmanian brown trout, but every day will be much more than that.
