Young Gun Lucas — Lubin Pfeiffer

Young Gun

Interview with a Young Gun - Lucas Loves Fishing

By Lubin Pfeiffer

Lucas’s best fish to date, a beautiful brown trout from Four Springs Lagoon

In the summer of 2019, I had the pleasure of spending a couple days with an amazing young angler named Lucas Stancombe. My wife Casey was hosting a river clinic on the Mersey river and Lucas was one of the attendees. The first thing that stood out to be was Lucas’ natural ability, this young guy could fish! At only 11 years of age he had the fishing skill of someone many years his senior, and Lucas not only fly fished, he also fished with conventional tackle as well! It was fantastic to see someone of his age so willing to learn new techniques and pick them up so easily, especially euro nymphing, which Lucas gained control with his flies, managed line and caught fish almost instantly. A feat that would take any experienced angler a long time to master. After catching a few fish on the nymph, we decided to tie on a grass hopper as there was a few fish rising in a particular stretch of the Mersey. Confidence is key in fishing and while I suggested a shorter drift as it would be easier manage the line, Lucas spied a prime feeding zone, on the far bank, and proceeded to perfectly place the grass hopper right across the river! The fly drifted down, the fish came up right on cue and slurped the hopper down. In the sport of fly fishing we need as many new young anglers as we can get, so I thought it would be great sit down (on computers in different states) and have a chat to Lucas about why he loves fishing. Lucas is based in Launceston which is a fantastic place to be as an angler both for freshwater and saltwater fishing.

Lucas, what got you started fishing? My Mum and Dad took me fishing.

What is your favourite type of fishing and why?

Dry fly fishing because I love seeing the trout come up and crush it. Tell me about your first trout on fly?

The first fish I caught was a brown trout out the St Patricks River at Myrtle Park. I saw someone catch one so I got the fly rod out. I saw a few fish rising as I was fishing upstream. I got frustrated because they wouldn’t take my fly until I found a nice pool of water where I watched one slowly approach the fly and ate it.

Do you have a favourite saltwater fish?

Australian Salmon are my favourite saltwater fish to catch. When the birds are working and the salmon are boiling at the top of the water it’s exciting to throw a soft plastic at them.

Do you have a favourite place?

St Patrick’s River and Penstock Lagoon. There’s lots of fish there.

I know you’ve started tying flies, how did you get into this and what is your favourite fly to tie?

My Mum encouraged me to tie flies whilst we were at home so I had something to do other than fishing. My favourite fly to tie is a pheasant tail nymph on a jig hook, very simple but very effective.

What are your goals for the future? Do you have a fish you’d really like to catch, start competition fishing or travel to a particular place to fish?

I would like to compete in the fly fishing comps and travel around Australia fly fishing. Trout are my favourite so I really want to catch more species of them.

Do you think the opportunities for young anglers in Tasmania are good or bad and why?

Tasmania is great because everything is so close. You just have to get out there and work hard for your fish. I have heaps of people who support me so I get to go fishing every weekend and almost every day in the holidays.

Do you have a mentor for your fishing or anglers you inspire to, and why?

Definitely Lubin! He is the best fly fisherman in Australia and the best guide I have ever had.

What’s your best capture to date and how did it all go down?

There was a nice looking trout feeding on duns at Four Springs Lagoon. I put a cast two metres in front of where it looked like he was going. I couldn’t see him approach it but out of nowhere he came up and slurped down my dun pattern. I struck and the fish was going crazy trying to wrap me around the weed. It put a massive bend into the Primal fly rod and slowly started to come up off the bottom until I had him in the net. After taking a few photos I let him go and he was back on his way.

I’d really like to thank Lucas for the interview and his mum Lucy for organising it for us. There is much to be learned from young anglers as they pay a huge role in the future of fishing in Australia. What I took out of the interview was the visual part of fishing is the most exciting for Lucas. Whether it is watching a trout rise to a dry fly or watching a school of Australian salmon boiling on the surface before casting a lure at them. Hopefully this sort of information can give other parents ideas of ways they may also be able to encourage their kids to get excited about fishing. Tasmania has endless great fishing opportunities and the more kids we can see out on the water the better. If you would like to see more of Lucas’s fishing achievements, just follow his Instagram page @lucas_loves_fishing Great to see such enthusiastic young anglers in action