australian television information archive

Series 1

It all begins in country Victoria, Australia, where Tom and Rob start up the FWD and head down a dusty road to find a petrol station and a packet of chips for a hungry Tommy G. They are in search for nice waters where they can catch a couple of decent sized trout and maybe even the odd gum boot, accidentally—they never proclaimed to be experts at fly fishing.

The series starts out as a quest for the perfect sized fish, but as the shows progress Tom and Rob discover that the budget allows for a lot more than just fly fishing in Australian waters. We're talking New Zealand then Scotland, Belize and Italy (then they go over budget and find themselves back in Australia). We even get to see Rob fly a plane with a nervous Tommy and see both wade in crocodile infested waters. All in the name of great TV. (Actually, I don't think they realised about the crocs until the camera assistant spotted one. See how they run!)

A River Somewhere is not just a fishing show. As Rob puts it, "…it's a travel series." Yeah about finding 'that river'. But as the shows roll on you get to see more travelling than fishing and the concept of varying the content makes it accessible and always entertaining.

Tongariro River, New Zealand

The Tongariro is one of the most famous trout fishing rivers in the world. Rob and Tom stay near a tiny village nestled in the mountains on Lake Taupo where they fish in the world's finest rainbow trout rivers.

Turneffe Island, Belize

A group of little-known coral islands off the coast of an even lesser-known country called Belize draw Tom and Rob in search of salt-water fishing's holy trinity; a bone fish, a tarpon and a permit, all in one day.

Series 2

The second series presents a new opening with images from places like Bhutan, Wyoming and then back to Australia. Yep, you guessed it, the budget fell short again. But you couldn't really tell since they decided to 'do' Australia via the east coast on a yacht heading to Port Douglas. I don't think the ABC had the heart to make them fish the northern Australian waters in a dingy, despite making them do it in Scotland.

Possibly the most fascinating show of this series is Bhutan, a country rarely talked about and rarely visited by anyone, 1000 visitor per year in fact. But trust Tom and Rob to find it. These boys are pretty smart you know. They had to apply six months in advance to enter the isolated country and it was all worth the wait. The culture, the atmosphere, the smiles from children being taught to fly fish by Rob, and the free growing marijuana on the banks of one river in particular. If only Tom could rekindle his relationship with his wife after asking for the footy score first up when he called home.

Bhutan

Arriving in Calcutta, Rob and Tom catch the Darjeeling Mail Train north, and continue the journey of discovery across the border into Bhutan, a tiny country nestled in the Himalayan mountains where few tourists are allowed each year. Here, they are in search of wild brown trout, said to inhabit the rivers of this magical kingdom.

The Cobungura River, North East Victoria

The pristine creeks and rivers of the High Plains are a fly fishing wonderland. To reach this remote alpine region Rob and Tom abandon their jeep where the road runs out and trek in on packhorses, armed with a few provisions, a very slow dog and of course their fly rods. The target - sweet river trout from the Snowy Mountain wilderness. Rob Sitch and Tom Gleisner travel to the Cobungra River in Victoria for a wonderful trek into a genuine cattleman's hut with rabbit and fish on the menu.

Wyoming, USA

In the heart of America's mid-west, Wyoming is your classic fly fishing destination. To reach there, Rob and Tom hire a car on the west coast and set off on a road trip that takes them through four states and two flat tyres in search of wild west trout from a rocky mountain creek.

The Yarraki River, Far North Queensland, Part 1

From the tropical centre of Cairns, Rob and Tom take the road north where they take to the sea, charting a course in search of the elusive coral trout.

The Yarraki River, Far North Queensland, Part 2

Leaving Cooktown behind them, Tom and Rob sail on, past magnificent coral reefs and uninhabited tropical islands. Eventually they reach the jungle wilderness of the Yarraki River where its time for some salt water fly fishing.