For new anglers, we offer a specific learn to fly fish drift day. Your day will be broken up into drift boat fishing and bank fishing, focusing on basic casting skills, rigging various setups and understanding currents or ‘reading water’. The day aims to equip you with the knowledge and understanding to fly fish by yourself or with others, and of course, to catch fish!
Our standard guided day builds on our beginners package and is tailor-made depending on conditions, angler preferences and location. The Tumut River is home to brown and rainbow trout in diverse environments that can be targeted with multiple methods all trout season long. Whether you’re a dry fly enthusiast, want to work on your nymphing skills, keen to throw some big streamers, or ready to stretch your casting arms with spey, skagit or scandi setups, our guides can deliver. Finally, if your guides have invented something new, you’ll be the first to know.
Walking and wading remote backcountry streams, tiny twig-water creeks, beautiful freestone, spring-fed and tailwater rivers is the perfect way to push your sight fishing and stalking skills. Chase a late-season trophy trout or get deep into the backcountry of the western slopes around our hometown of Tumut, all the way to the top of Australia in Kosciuszko National Park. Our team can guide you on a unique fly fishing adventure.
Tom's Outdoors is a NSW National Parks Eco Pass holder which means we are licensed to responsibly operate tours throughout Kosciuszko National Park. Our tour guides hold current First Aid and CPR certificates and are qualified in Swiftwater Rescue (Swiftwater Safety Institute SRT Pro 1).
We are an award winning outdoor retail business inspiring a life lived outdoors through gear that's considered, enduring and trustworthy. Our carefully curated range of gear is tried and tested in the mountains of Kosciuszko National Park and surrounds.
Tumut fly fishing guides Pat Ryan and Mickey Finn spend three days hiking and camping alongside remote trout streams in the heart of backcountry Kosciuszko National Park. A backpacking adventure on many Australian anglers bucket list, set in some of...
It's that time again to fill the fly boxes with bugs that'll work year-round but are tailored towards the beginning weeks of the season. Tumut River fly fishing guide Pat Ryan twists up some of his go-to patterns and speaks...
Below you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions we receive about our fly fishing tours. If you have any additional questions, please call us on (02) 6947 4062 or email us.
Our tour packages include a professional and experienced guide, all necessary fly fishing gear (rods, reels, lines, flies), waders, transportation to-and-from Tom’s Outdoors and personal floatation devices (lifejackets must be worn on drift boat and power boat).
All our tour offerings are capped at two participants per guide and are always private.
Absolutely! Our guides are experienced in teaching beginners and are happy to provide instruction and support throughout the day.
We recommend booking a Learn to Fly Fish Drift Boat tour which will be customised on the day to ensure both of you get the most out of your experience. If you are unsure, please email or call us on (02) 6947 4062 and we can ensure you’ve booked the right tour.
Of course! We often have clients who will book multiple days of multiple experiences, for example, a drift day followed by a power boat day in the high country.
The minimum age for a participant on our tours is 14. This is non-negotiable regardless of skill level to ensure the safety and enjoyment of participants.
Clients are exempt from paying the fee for recreational fishing (NSW Fishing Licence) while participating in a guided day with Tom's Outdoors.
Please contact us on (02) 6947 4062 or email us to discuss cancellation or if any changes to your booking need to be made.
Cancellations made 7 days or more prior to the tour date will receive a refund of the tour fee minus the non-refundable deposit. Cancellations made within 7 days of the tour date are non-refundable. In the event of adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances, the guide may reschedule the tour at no additional cost or offer a refund, at their discretion. This includes if the guide feels the client's level of fitness is a safety risk. Guests that arrive late or depart early shall not be entitled to any refund of unused booking.
Our guides are experienced in dealing with various weather conditions and will make every effort to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Waders will be provided for your comfort in wet weather, however, please bring a waterproof jacket and warm layers. In the case of extreme weather, we may need to reschedule the tour and will contact you.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of trout fishing, our guided days are strictly catch and release on rivers. On a lake day, your guide will help you pick a sustainable catch to take home.
Tours typically start at 8:00 AM and conclude around 4:00 PM. However, times may be adjusted based on weather conditions and your guide will contact you to discuss any changes.
Your guide will meet you at the Tom’s Outdoors shop, at 52 Fitzroy St (Snowy Mountains Highway) here in Tumut.
Rivers, lakes and streams in NSW are open for trout fishing from the October long weekend until the June long weekend, so bookings can be made anytime within these dates. The high-country lakes, including Lake Eucumbene and Talbingo Dam, can be fished year-round, and these tours can be booked year-round.
