sport, local-sport,
Josh Walker thought nothing of picking up a rod and reel, step into the pristine Tasmanian waters and cast out a line at one of a number of idyllic spots conveniently located a leisurely drive south of his Norwood family home. The first catch was from fly fishing, just nine years of age with his dad John, drifting out in a boat called The Hamill’s Killer across Arthurs Lake. The format of fishing that is unique to reeling a perfect catch in had the Launceston Christian School pupil hook, line and sinker for life. “As a kid, hooking a fish fly fishing was a whole new, exciting feeling and another challenge,” Walker says. “Once you catch your first fish on a fly rod, you never look back – it basically becomes addictive.” The avid Tasmanian fly fisher these days has more worldly deeds on his mind. It is just a way of life for Walker, whose next catch is the other end of the planet. First it was trying Norway in 2013 between working as a tour guide at the Northern Lights. Then after he fished all of their rich streams, it was a hop across two countries to bartending in Finland. There seems to be enough lakes, rivers and streams close to Turku, some 170 kilometres from Helsinki, to invigorate the passion more. So much so that Finland has reportedly sold more fishing licences in the first six months of 2020 than in any other year. “I am lucky enough that the restrictions did not stop the fishing,” Walker says. “So I have been able to enjoy the fishing this whole pandemic time and it has been a great relief to get out fishing.” But something has still been missing. Serious fly fishing competitions have fallen victim to the outbreak of coronavirus, having been postponed, even cancelled throughout the world. So Walker was inspired to do something about it. A return visit to Tasmania for the 2019 world fly fishing championships was a great opportunity to engage with the leading anglers. When fly fishing was restricted to their own borders, even states and regions in some parts of the world, Walker contacted eight of the best to throw a line to a wider audience than ever before. The ingenuity came about to create, produce and even host throughout July a live streamed international fly fishing knockout tournament for purists to watch. It has already reached 214,000 world views. “I have some of the world’s best fly fisherman committed, seeing as the world championships were postponed this year due to coronavirus,” Walker says. Even though world No.1 Howard Croston was unable to commit to the series, the Englishman was still able to spare time to guest host a match with Walker. The competition already has dusted off all of the four quarter-finals and one of the two semi-finals, with the other streamed on Monday before the decider. There are also plans next to introduce a women’s knockout on similar lines. Walker is not completely out of his depth in front of a camera, having previously filmed a YouTube show at the last two world fly fishing championships, including the 2018 titles in Italy. “This is where I first got to know some competitors and as I am currently living in Finland, where the world championships were meant to be this year and [before it] got postponed,” Walker says, “my mate Phil Hogsten, from Norway, and I decided to start an online fly fishing tournament as I knew these guys were keen to get into competitions,” Walker says. ELSEWHERE IN SPORT: The pair have something of an ulterior motive to gain from their involvement. They are on the verge of bringing out a new fishing app called FishCoin. “We can’t say too much about the app right now, but we can say you will love it. There is nothing else out there like it,” Walker says. Irish captain Peter Driver at the 2018 Italy world titles pointed out some quirks of the rules that “would be great to have and help out along the way” in Walker’s Fly Fish Live tournament. “All of these guys have been involved in the world championships and they loved the concept of Fly Fish Live,” Walker says. “We have had nothing but great feedback and in the first semi-final, I heard guys from different countries were even gathering their mates to their place for some beers and watch the live show on the big screen.” It has attracted stars from Finland, Sweden, Ireland, New Zealand, USA and France, who are among the leading fly fishing nations. The rules remain simple: most fish netted inside an hour wins. Ties are counted back to the first fish that were caught head-to-head. Some of the winners are going at more than a catch every three minutes. The competitors choose a favourite location in their own country, so the concept is open to an element of luck where the winner could be a tick to that waters’ ecosystem more than anything. Walker genuinely believes he may have created a phenomenon that could be the way to future fishing. “This, I believe, is the first of its kind online streaming tournament where two competitors compete live at the same time from different parts of the world in a one-hour knockout competition of an online fly fishing streaming tournament,” Walker says. The competition is shown on the Ultimate Adventure Fishing and Hunting Facebook page and is streamed live via YouTube channel FishCoin from 10:50pm on Monday night.
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Josh Walker thought nothing of picking up a rod and reel, step into the pristine Tasmanian waters and cast out a line at one of a number of idyllic spots conveniently located a leisurely drive south of his Norwood family home.
The first catch was from fly fishing, just nine years of age with his dad John, drifting out in a boat called The Hamill’s Killer across Arthurs Lake.
The format of fishing that is unique to reeling a perfect catch in had the Launceston Christian School pupil hook, line and sinker for life.
“As a kid, hooking a fish fly fishing was a whole new, exciting feeling and another challenge,” Walker says.
“Once you catch your first fish on a fly rod, you never look back – it basically becomes addictive.”
The avid Tasmanian fly fisher these days has more worldly deeds on his mind.
It is just a way of life for Walker, whose next catch is the other end of the planet.
First it was trying Norway in 2013 between working as a tour guide at the Northern Lights.
Then after he fished all of their rich streams, it was a hop across two countries to bartending in Finland.
There seems to be enough lakes, rivers and streams close to Turku, some 170 kilometres from Helsinki, to invigorate the passion more.
So much so that Finland has reportedly sold more fishing licences in the first six months of 2020 than in any other year.
“I am lucky enough that the restrictions did not stop the fishing,” Walker says.
“So I have been able to enjoy the fishing this whole pandemic time and it has been a great relief to get out fishing.”
But something has still been missing. Serious fly fishing competitions have fallen victim to the outbreak of coronavirus, having been postponed, even cancelled throughout the world.
So Walker was inspired to do something about it.
A return visit to Tasmania for the 2019 world fly fishing championships was a great opportunity to engage with the leading anglers.
PICTURE THIS: Josh Walker, left, hosts the live stream from his home while watching the fly fishers lure their catches. Picture: Supplied
When fly fishing was restricted to their own borders, even states and regions in some parts of the world, Walker contacted eight of the best to throw a line to a wider audience than ever before.
The ingenuity came about to create, produce and even host throughout July a live streamed international fly fishing knockout tournament for purists to watch.
It has already reached 214,000 world views.
“I have some of the world’s best fly fisherman committed, seeing as the world championships were postponed this year due to coronavirus,” Walker says.
Even though world No.1 Howard Croston was unable to commit to the series, the Englishman was still able to spare time to guest host a match with Walker.
The competition already has dusted off all of the four quarter-finals and one of the two semi-finals, with the other streamed on Monday before the decider.
There are also plans next to introduce a women’s knockout on similar lines.
Walker is not completely out of his depth in front of a camera, having previously filmed a YouTube show at the last two world fly fishing championships, including the 2018 titles in Italy.
“This is where I first got to know some competitors and as I am currently living in Finland, where the world championships were meant to be this year and [before it] got postponed,” Walker says, “my mate Phil Hogsten, from Norway, and I decided to start an online fly fishing tournament as I knew these guys were keen to get into competitions,” Walker says.
The pair have something of an ulterior motive to gain from their involvement.
They are on the verge of bringing out a new fishing app called FishCoin.
“We can’t say too much about the app right now, but we can say you will love it. There is nothing else out there like it,” Walker says.
Irish captain Peter Driver at the 2018 Italy world titles pointed out some quirks of the rules that “would be great to have and help out along the way” in Walker’s Fly Fish Live tournament.
“All of these guys have been involved in the world championships and they loved the concept of Fly Fish Live,” Walker says.
“We have had nothing but great feedback and in the first semi-final, I heard guys from different countries were even gathering their mates to their place for some beers and watch the live show on the big screen.”
It has attracted stars from Finland, Sweden, Ireland, New Zealand, USA and France, who are among the leading fly fishing nations.
The rules remain simple: most fish netted inside an hour wins. Ties are counted back to the first fish that were caught head-to-head.
Some of the winners are going at more than a catch every three minutes.
The competitors choose a favourite location in their own country, so the concept is open to an element of luck where the winner could be a tick to that waters’ ecosystem more than anything.
Walker genuinely believes he may have created a phenomenon that could be the way to future fishing.
“This, I believe, is the first of its kind online streaming tournament where two competitors compete live at the same time from different parts of the world in a one-hour knockout competition of an online fly fishing streaming tournament,” Walker says.
The competition is shown on the Ultimate Adventure Fishing and Hunting Facebook page and is streamed live via YouTube channel FishCoin from 10:50pm on Monday night.
- Quarter-final: Santeri Kinnunen (Finland) defeated Lionel Fournier Nounours (France)
- Quarter-final: Peter Driver (Ireland) defeated Markus Ersbjors (Sweden)
- Quarter-final: Cory Scott (New Zealand) defeated Kirk Lewis (USA)
- Quarter-final: David O’Donovan (Ireland) defeated Mark Driver (Ireland)
- Semi-final: David O’Donovan (Ireland) defeated Corey Scott (New Zealand)
- Semi-final: Peter Driver (Ireland) versus Santeri Kinnunen (Finland), Monday
- Final to be announced
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