"PROMOTING COMPETITIVE SPORTS FLY FISHING IN AUSTRALIA"

Australia first entered the World Fly Fishing Championships in May 1987 as an invitation team. This was done on the understanding that for Australia to be involved in future competitions, an organization representing our country and recognized by the governing body of international sports fly-fishing formally known as “Federation De Peche Sportive Mouche” and colloquially known as just “Fips Mouche”, would be formed.

Fly Fish Australia Incorporated (FFA) was formed in 1989 and became the recognized body by Federation De Peche Sportive Mouche for the purpose of selecting teams to represent Australia.

Initially, selection for Australian teams was done through a Curriculum Vitae and reference process, which clearly posed a number of problems in respect of access and equity.

At the 1993 Annual General Meeting of FFA held in Cooma, the Board resolved ".... to work towards a fair and equitable system of selection. This has led to the conduct of State competitions for the purpose of selecting competitors to fish in the National Championships, from which a National Squad is chosen.

The Board reserves certain rights with regard the final team selection but by in large selection is done through the team selection panel which is independent of the board of directors of FFA and is charged with the responsibility of making sure that the best team for the competition type is chosen.

There are now essentially two principal rules that apply for fly fishers to gain selection to an Australian Team. Firstly, they must be financial members of Fly Fish Australia and, secondly, they must have qualified in competitions that comply with the rules of Fly Fish Australia Inc.

FFA is a not-for-profit organization aimed at promoting fly-fishing and, in particular, using state, national and international fly fishing championships to promote camaraderie, sportsmanship and conservation.

Competitions are strictly catch-and-release events and provide a focal point that brings fly fishers together from throughout the states and territories of Australia and the world. 

FFA is a growth organization providing an opportunity for fly-fishers to compete in FFA fly-fishing competitions in every state of Australia except Queensland (where there are few trout).

FFA continues to grow in status and has been partly responsible for putting fly-fishing in Australia on the international map. Important milestones in that process were the hosting of two international fly-fishing events in recent years. The first was in 1988 when it hosted the World Fly Fishing Championships in the Central Highlands of Tasmania and the second was in 1999 when it hosted, out of Jindabyne in NSW, the World Fly Fishing Championships.

As an elite sporting organization FFA is affiliated and operates under the overall auspices of the international controlling body for competitive Fly Fishing, “Federation De Peche Sportive Mouche”.  That organization has overseeing international fly-fishing competitions since 1981.

All FFA and indeed Federation De Peche Sportive Mouche competitions are true test of skills, knowledge and teamwork with the venues and the fishing styles offering the ultimate challenge in sportsmanship.