Josh Hutchins

Ambassador

 

Growing up beside the mountain streams of Sydney, Australia, Josh spent most afternoons nagging his parents to drive him to new fishing spots and streams. Since then, his passion to explore has only grown leading him to over 30 countries across Europe, Asia, South Pacific and the Americas.
Through his guiding and travel business, Aussie Fly Fisher, Josh hosts fly fishing trips around the world while also guiding hundreds of anglers on his local waters each year. Josh also runs several Learn to Fly Fish and Next Steps courses and has also established the Aussie Fly Fisher Youth Academy to raise up young fly fishermen and build a positive community within the sport.
Today, Josh struggles to choose between the camera and the rod. He loves capturing his experiences and his photography is regularly featured in leading publications such as National Geographic, the Flyfish Journal and Fly Life magazine. Josh looks forward to joining the Scientific Anglers team, adding his Aussie accent and humor, and inspiring more people to keep exploring the world on fly.
  1. Home water? Blue Mountains & Central-West, NSW. Basically straight west of Sydney Australia. My closest fish are Trout & Murray cod.
  2. What 2-3 lines do you use the most and why? Amplitude MPX #5 – Rolls Royce of Trout Lines, such a pleasure to cast! Grand Slam Series for all of my flats fishing. Great all-rounder, quick to load, I love it. Big Water Taper #12 Floater – I love GT fishing, and I have never found a better line for the job.
  3. What was the watershed moment when you knew you wanted to make your living fishing?  I’ve always loved to fish. But after leaving school I followed the usual path of University and then a job. I was lucky enough to travel with my job and fished in over 25 countries while ‘working’ the corporate life. This led into fly fishing travel, guiding and my love for photography. For a while the fishing business and my regular job felt like a double-life. When an opportunity came up to finish work with a year’s advance pay, it was a good time to leave the corporate life and begin full time fly fishing. I have no regrets.
  4. If you could spend one day on the water with anyone, who would it be? Hunter & Judah, my two- and four-year-old sons. Sharing the river with them is my ultimate dream.
  5. On the rocks or straight? 
 Rocks.
  6. If you could give one piece of angling advice to a younger version of yourself, what would it be? 
 Forget the trout, the gold is in everything else.
  7. What’s in the cooler? 
 Water, Coke-No Sugar, Beer of any variety, apples, ice and sandwiches.
  8. What are you doing when you’re not fishing. 
 Enjoying time with my wife and kids, answering emails, editing photos and planning the next trip.
  9. Where would you most like to fish? 
Hard one, I love variety. Any new location or species works for me. The top two on a saltwater & freshwater hit-list would be Golden Mahseer in India & Rooster fish in Mexico.
  10. Stealth or bright lines? 
 I don’t believe it makes too much difference, but I tend to lean towards stealth.
  11. Two Truths and a Lie. 
 I was once taped to a lamp-post in the middle of the main-street of my home town, to be only removed by the police; Carp are Lame; I missed the birth of my second child as I was in Argentina hosting a trip, thankfully my wife attended the birth.
  12. Craziest experience on the water? 
Wading in Northern Australia is pretty crazy. We are careful to always check our surroundings, but saltwater crocodiles are no joke. Lose respect for them, and game over.