Australia

Australia is a multi-personality destination. The Top End — Arnhem Land, the Tiwi Islands, the Kimberley — is tropical saltwater and estuary country: barramundi the size of dustbins, Spanish mackerel, golden trevally, black marlin, and billfish offshore. Tasmania is a cool-temperate trout fishery, technical sight-fishing on gin-clear highland lakes for wild brown trout. And the Victorian high country holds free-range sambar deer — the largest and most coveted big-game animal in the Southern Hemisphere.

Arnhem Land's indigenous-owned camps (Davidson's, Arnhemland Barramundi Nature Lodge) operate in the world's most pristine barramundi water. Run-off conditions (March–June) produce fish in the metre-plus class on fly and lure. Tiwi Islands offer combined inshore/offshore programs with billfish on the continental shelf 20 minutes from the lodge. Tasmania's Western Lakes — Arthurs, Pine Tier, Little Pine — fish for trophy wild browns in 2–5 pound class with occasional 8+ pounders.

Trips typically route through Darwin (DRW) for Top End, Cairns (CNS) for the Great Barrier Reef, or Launceston (LST) for Tasmania. Sydney (SYD) + Hobart (HBA) connect to Tasmania. Expect 20+ hours from the US; an Aussie trip is a serious commitment, best done 10+ days to justify the jet lag.