Swoffing Safari around Oz

[Byron]

ORSOME!

Today just got more tedious.

[Conrad Botes]

Well done Jono.

I got the latest edition od FFISW magazine (we're about 2 months behind) only to be pleasantly surprised to see you and your adventure gracing it's pages!!

For those who don't know, FFISW is the world's best known magazine dedicated to salt water fly fishing only. This is what they had to say about Jono:

"Introducing Jono Shales, one of Australia's top young fly-rodders. By the time you read this, Jono will be immersed in the kind of trip we all dream of: an open-ended adventure of discovery around the wilds of Australia.
Shales, a 35 year old who runs Aussie fly-fishing site www.swoffa.com, began his adventure in Sydney, towing his boat due west through some of the most inhospitable and desolate stretches the outback has to offer.....
(and) .... Shales is chronicling his travels on the Fly Fishing in Salt Water's website where he pens a regular blog accompanied by stunning photography and video"

Hey, they forgot to mention Flytalk!

Well done Jono and keep it coming.

[Jono Shales]

Thanks Conrad, ja, pretty cool seing my ugly mug in that mag, ha aha!

Moving on .... after Wilderness Island, we joined up with 'Boneheads' which for those who don't know, is the annual migration of swoffers to Exmouth for a week of fly fishing nirvana. Most of the guys are from the Perth club 'Saltwater Flyrodders', but this year there were guys from Darwin, Karratha, Sydney and even a dude from Idaho!

Here's a few pics of the shenanigans ..

May as well celebrate life to the full


Matt Dundas with his slab of Exmouth gold


4 mates camping on a remote island, a million miles from care, talking crap around a campfire


Wes from Idaho tying his first ever saltwater flies, the humble clouser ... while the billie heats water for a morning cup of tea


Nobody is going anywhere until the tide comes in

[Jono Shales]

Matt eventually got this his well deserved goldy on the flats ... on day 12!!



My first threadfin salmon - super stoked!


Also got a wolf-herring which was another new species for me


Seriously-pointy pointy-end


A welcomed change from the relentless goldy attack ... a brassy trevally

[Jono Shales]

On the last day of Boneheads I dropped Matt off at the airport after 2 weeks of seriously eipc fun.

At 4:30 that afternoon after carying out some maintenance on the rig, Wes from Idaho came across to our cabin and was mumbling something about how cool the last few days have been for him, learning all this new stuff, meeting new people who are into fly fishing etc ... The previous day Wes had caught his first golden on the first fly that he'd ever made that very morning. To say he was stoked is an understatement. When he hooked up, we could hear him holler from 2km away.

I suggested we bettered the previous day's feat and offered to take him out on the boat for the sunset and see if we could get him a longtail tuna on the fly.

The pics speak for themselves..

[poppernel]

HI Jono,

Great fish allround. Love the Longtail Tuna, speedy tuna specie, similar to the Longfin Tuna size wise. Just enjoy their colouring, beauts.

DAVE

[beefybovril]

It is just not fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Rendier]

Awesome! Can't wait to join the flyrodders!

[nkula_nkula]

Absolutely stunning....

Please keep em pics coming

[Jono Shales]

The past few weeks have been filled with some truly memorable experiences, not only for me as Safari leader but for my mates who have been invited to join me.

Sharing personal bests and new species captures with guys really is something special ... high fives on the boat and laughing until our stomachs are sore seems to be the norm these days. Being with a mate when they are having an experience in their life that they will never forget is a great thing. I am humbled by these experiences I am being fortunate enough to be a part of.

On the last Christmas Island trip I was joined by fellow Sydney angler Rod Kimberley who was great fun to be with so it was only fitting that he was invited to be a part of the Safari. Rod is a 16 year old boy in a 66 year old body ... the man just goes and goes and goes .. casting all day, constantly doing stuff and keen as a bean to catch fish. With multiple marathons, triathlons and a Hawaiian Iron Man under his belt, it's easy to see why.

Not long after flying in, it wasn't long before we were straight into the action


The best of 5 goldies that rod landed in this session




A lovely rankin cod caught dredging flies over a shoal


The second half of the double hookup, another quality goldy