Who is Charley May?

So, my name is Charley May. I'm originally from the UK. I am 44 years old, and I started fly fishing journey when I was about nine. My father who was alright at fishing, decided he needed to get an energetic (slash naughty) kid focused on something productive. So, he introduced me to fly fishing. There was a lake down the road, and I started fly fishing down there and absolutely loved it.

“I’d spend hours down there and my mum would have to ring a huge school bell at the house to get me home for dinner. I’d walk back up, often reluctantly, with a couple of fish, sometimes not.”

I was quite shit to start with, but it's very much my personality to stick at something, want to get good at. I loved the look of fly fishing and the promise of one day being rewarded with a fish. It took me about a year to land my first rainbow trout. As soon as I did that, there was no going back. I fished regularly throughout my childhood. When I got in from school, particularly in summer evenings, I’d finish my homework and head down the field with my rod. I’d spend hours down there and my mum would have to ring a huge school bell at the house to get me home for dinner. I'd walk back up, often reluctantly, with a couple of fish, sometimes not. I learnt how to gut them, BBQ them, and that was how I got into fly fishing.

A year is pretty good going I would say for finding your first fish. I'm not sure too many people can claim that. In that early stage, given that you weren’t finding success in the conventional sense, what was it that had you going back to that lake?

In all honesty, I had a bit of a turbulent childhood. My mum re-married when I was quite young, we moved to a new house and there was a lot to get my head around. My mum’s new partner is a lovely man called Richard and I call him my dad because he took me under his wing. I’m still in touch with my biological father but it's taken many years to rebuild what was broken by the adults in my life back then.

“That’s kind of what kept me going back, just that freedom and peace.”

Anyway, fishing was a welcome break from all of that. I found it a really peaceful pastime where I didn’t have to think about anything else but tempting a trout to bite. And even when they didn’t, I’d be happy to just sit and watch the bird life and see badgers, deer and foxes come out at night. That's kind of what kept me going back, just that freedom and peace.

So, you moved to Australia in 2010, and I presume that fishing wasn't what drew you here, but something that you were interested in pursuing once you go to Australia?

Absolutely. Me and Deb, my partner, had been living in the UK for about six years and were drawn to Australia because the UK wasn't offering the type of lifestyle we wanted. It's especially expensive when you're living in London. You need to have loads of money to enjoy a fishing lifestyle. As you might be aware, the way fishing is regulated and accessed over there is different from here in Australia.

“In the past, the adrenaline would surge, and I’d get the ‘oh shit’ moment. I was a little bit taken aback, but then I calmly watched it move out of my path”

It was a joy discovering all you need in Victoria is a fishing licence, and as long as you access water through a public place, you can go and enjoy yourself freely. It's not like that in the UK. So, when I came here I was just like, “Oh my God, I totally wanna get into this, but I actually don't know how to!” Because it's a different landscape and it's not my home country, I was a little bit scared of all the creepy crawlies and unsure how to safely access the bush.

I found a guide up in Eskdale, and I went out on a few guided trips. We developed a bit of a friendship and he taught me a lot about stream craft, how to fish Victorian rivers well, and that set me off on my journey. From there, I built up confidence and would just go out anywhere there was a creek and give it a shot.

Obviously, there were a lot of changes with the move out to Australia, but it sounds like one of the adjustments was from fishing still water to fishing creeks and rivers. Is that the case?

Yeah. It’s a very different ball game. I hadn't had a lot of experience fishing rivers in the UK. But then we came over here and I really wanted to learn how to do it. Fishing rivers allows you to walk up into amazing country, and the way you fish, the techniques you use, are so much more dynamic. I’m particularly passionate about small waters and enjoy seeing the different habitats in which fish carve out a life. River fishing has taught me to look at the water and think like a fish. Where are all my essentials as a trout being met? My shelter, my feed, my oxygen. It’s similar but different from the tactics you use on still water.

Yeah definitely, I had a similar transition going from Tassie to up here. So much of what we did back at home was on lakes, and some of it is excellent, but it is a completely different ball game. Now when I go back to still water fishing it feels like a bit of a guessing game, almost feels a bit unfulfilling, which is probably a reflection on me more than anything. But it certainly is a very different way of going about it.

Yeah, it doesn't interest me that much anymore. Perhaps it's just a time of life and I might pick it up again when I’m too old to hike in hard country. I don't disparage still water fishing because everyone has their own jam. I just really enjoy fishing small remote water. And I’ve managed not to be so scared of snakes anymore. The other day I bumped into a large tiger snake. In the past, the adrenaline would surge, and I'd get the ‘oh shit’ moment. I was a little bit taken aback, but then I calmly watched it move out of my path. I’ve learned they don’t want to hurt me.

So, where's your home water now? Where would you describe as being the automatic place that you go to? Your 101, I guess.

My nearest waters is the Steavenson and the Taggerty Rivers which are both under two hours from Melbourne. I like both of those rivers, but they get a lot of pressure, and more so in recent years.

But the waters that make my heart swell have to be the Mitta Mitta near Anglers Rest in the Glen Valley. The waters around there, the Cobungra, the Mitta, and the Bundara hold some of my favourite memories and one of the best fish I’ve caught in Australia. When I’ve got plenty of spare time I wander back up there and just bathe in their beauty. There’s a massive pull for me to the people there too. Some of the best people I know live in the Glen Valley. I spent a summer there one year fly guiding and running horse trails – I go back there often in my dreams.

“Some people think I’m a bit of an old fart because I’ll be honest about the fact it’s unlikely to deliver instant gratification. I think that’s a good thing in our ‘everything, all the time, now’ society.”

So, to drill down a little bit more on the experience of fishing. First, what is it that keeps you coming back, and second, when you’re explaining it to somebody who’s never heard of fly fishing, what’s the story that you tell, or the way that you explain it to them, as something that's worthwhile?

It is an addiction, but a good one (I think!). And I love the ritual of preparing for a trip. Going back through my mental notes about the character of a river, prepping my gear and flies, making sure everything is just right gets me really excited about it.

“Within 5 minutes he was saying “there are no fish in this river”. I grabbed the rod to show him, and a few minutes later I pulled out a nice rainbow.”

When I’m thinking about fly fishing, something switches in my brain, and it feels really good. Also, it never gets boring watching a fish take the fly off the surface. Never. There’s something so utterly joyful about it. Then there is always the one that got away that you have to go back for – that’s what keeps me going out there time and again.

When it comes to explaining fly fishing to people, I don’t talk about the technical aspects straight away (because it tends to bore newbies) but I’m honest that it’s a skill you must learn and work hard at. But when you do, it is unbelievably satisfying and takes you into some amazing places where you’ll meet some amazing people too.

Some people think I’m a bit of an old fart because I’ll be honest about the fact it’s unlikely to deliver instant gratification. I think that’s a good thing in our ‘everything, all the time, now’ society. I think good things come to those who work hard and are kind, and this is something I’m imparting to younger members of my family such as my nephew.

One of my protégés, I took him out for his first session when he was 12 and initially he thought it was boring. Within 5 minutes he was saying “there are no fish in this river”. I grabbed the rod to show him, and a few minutes later I pulled out a nice rainbow. He realised that fly fishing would take a bit of time to figure out and the challenge has kept him engaged. He’s 15 now and we just came back from a very successful trip on the Delatite River where we caught around 30 between us.

That’s a good way of putting it. I think that’s a trap I fall into all the time – let’s start talking about the technical stuff, and how it’s different from normal fishing. It’s not as if the technical side unlocks the magic. I think it’s also good to always have something else to learn, and to never have totally mastered everything.

I agree. I don’t know how to Spey cast but it’s on my agenda to learn because I look at big rivers and see how this technique will come into its own.’ I was fishing in New Zealand in March and saw anglers doing it on the Tongariro and I thought that looks cool, I’m going to have to get myself some lessons.’ I’ve been fly fishing over 20 odd years, and there’s still so much to learn. That’s part of what makes it great.

“ I’m so glad I went with two professional anglers who were generous with their tips because I found it incredibly difficult to catch fish.”

There’s something healthy about being humbled constantly by something. It took me a few years when I moved here to catch any fish around Canberra, then eventually I got quite good at that. But then I went over to New Zealand with my dad, and neither of us had fished there before, and absolutely got our arses kicked. We still had a great time, and the scenery was something to behold, but there is something healthy about being reminded every now and then you’re not quite there yet.

Yeah, that’s right. Fishing some of the North Island’s famous rivers was an absolute education for me. I’m so glad I went with two professional anglers who were generous with their tips because I found it incredibly difficult to catch fish. Though I landed two trophies that had me smiling from ear to ear.

My other protégé and great friend Katherine came away from the North Island a little forlorn because she didn't catch the big trout she wanted. There might have been a few tears on the plane home, but I told her disappointment is part of the journey and it’s what keeps you hungry. She told me to piss off!

The difference between what you want to hear and what you need to hear perhaps? Charley it’s quite clear from your website that fishing, a lot of the time, isn't really about just the fishing itself. What are the benefits that you see that it offers people?

As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression, fly fishing is a tool I use to stay mentally well. Studies have shown that fishing boosts mood, raises self-esteem, and reduces stress and spending time in natural environments reduces blood pressure. In fact, in the UK press I saw a feature about a doctor who was prescribing fishing to help people with depression.

“I think for guys, because many find it a little bit more challenging to open up, being outdoors and doing an activity helps make hard conversations a safer space.”

When I met my friend Katherine she was having a tough time in life. We were working together, and I’d been talking fishing around the office, and she asked about fly fishing. So, I brought my micro practice rod into the office one day to explain it. I gave her a couple of casting lessons at lunchtime, and she was a very good student, and quite a natural. Anyway, I invited her to come out with me and no shit, she caught some really nice brown trout on her first trip. Like me she can struggle with anxiety but on the river, the really very calm and focussed side of her comes out.

When I was guiding I was kind of blown away by how open guys were with me about some of their troubles. One guy told me about a cancer journey he was going on and it was heartbreaking to be honest. He wasn't that long out of treatment, a bit unsteady on his feet, and he slipped over and fell. He hurt himself, but not badly, so we plonked ourselves on a rock for a quick break. While we were resting, he just started weeping, just weeping for about 10 minutes. I just sat with him and he told me about everything and how he never thought he’d make it out on another river. After we’d dried his tears we went on to have an amazing day. It was an absolute honour to be able to help someone like that.

I think for guys, because many find it a little bit more challenging to open up, being outdoors and doing an activity helps make hard conversations a safer space. I wish there were more nature-based programmes for young men to help them do that.

I think that's a really powerful observation. It’s certainly something that I've seen even with people I am close with and I do trust. There seems to be something about being outside and being in an environment where you're doing something active, it puts a lot of guys in a space that they’re comfortable in. You mentioned that most of your clientele were men, have you seen a change in the gender dynamic over your time in fly fishing?

I've seen more interest from women in the sport. It's kind of a weird one, because I wonder if it's a true reflection of participation, or if it’s just because I'm in a bubble of fly fishing that I have that perception? If I was to really step back and objectively analyse how many women regularly fly fish, I reckon it would be less than we think.

Anyway, I don’t guide for now just because I have a young family and that is my priority right now.

However, I’m doing more charity and art these days.

So let's jump into that. You've got a few things on the go, what's happening and what's your involvement?

I realised what I love most about guiding is the altruism of it. Helping someone have a great experience and teaching them new skills is very rewarding. However, trying to hold down a full-time job, be a mum and run a small guiding business on the side was too much. Then I thought ‘what if I started volunteering for Casting for Recovery Victoria?’. It would give me the altruism fix I wanted and make a real difference to people in need of some love and rejuvenation.

I did my first Casting for Recovery retreat as a volunteer instructor in 2019, and I did another one in March this year. Both were amazing and we’ve got another penned in for March 2024 that I’m looking forward to.

I’m particularly proud of recently raising $1,500 for Casting for Recovery through the sale of three large format, pencil drawings of fish I’ve caught during my career. They were part of a silent auction at the Victorian Fly Fishers Association Christmas dinner and the President, Simon Joel, successfully bid on the set. I hope to do another art fundraiser again in 2024.

That’s incredible, and congratulations for taking that on. I've come across casting for recovery a couple of times, but for people that might not be aware, can you give us the elevator pitch?

Casting for Recovery is a program for women, developed in America 25 years ago, that enables cancer survivors to connect with the healing power of nature, learn new skills and enjoy camaraderie among peers who know what they’re going through.

In Victoria, Mending Casts Inc. is the charity that holds the licence to run Casting for Recovery and Reel Recovery – a similar program for men.

The mission of Casting for Recovery is simple but meaningful - to use fly fishing to change the lives of cancer survivors, one cast at a time.

Mending Casts Inc. has been operating in Australia since 2019. In May 2023, we became an official Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) registered charity and Deductible Gift Recipient.

Casting for Recovery is free for participants and want to deliver more magic experiences to those in need. To see the positive impacts of program and to donate, please head over to www.mendingcasts.org.

Excellent, thanks Charley. Any final thoughts about your fishing journey?

I’d like to thank the people in the UK and Australia who have mentored me and support my fly-fishing journey.

First up, thanks to my dad for introducing me to something that has become a foundation in my life and an on-going source of inspiration. That is real gift to give someone.

A big thank you to Bob Young, a Master Casting Instructor, who tutored and helped me qualify as a Certified Casting Instructor.

A massive thank-you to all the Mending Casts Inc. crew and everyone who supports them. It is a place where the best of humanity shines and it is a privilege to be part of such an incredible organisation doing great things in our community.

Finally, if you’re a fly fisher, be sure to pass on the passion to someone who hasn’t discovered it yet. We need to nurture the next generation of fly fishing tragics!

An excellent note to end on. Charley, really appreciate you unpacking your philosophy and experiences with us. Thank you for your time.

Thank you Andrew.

Charley May

Jules Stevens

Brendan Branch