LONNIE Shepard is a veterinarian who lives in Missouri in the US. He was visiting Victoria and expressed an interest in learning about fly fishing.

Lonnie doesn't normally fish, even though he has a large pond below his log cabin in a beautiful rural, woodland setting.

People come to fly fishing from all walks of life for various reasons, including its therapeutic value.

Already keen to give fly fishing a go, Lonnie's curiosity was sparked further by a report on a morning television program that said women recovering from mastectomy operations were being encouraged to take up fly fishing as a way of rebuilding their pectoral muscles.

Eildon Pondage, I knew, would be an ideal place for the would-be fly fisher to learn basic techniques of the craft.

This year Fisheries Victoria has initiated a heavy trout-stocking program there, releasing thousands of rainbow trout to about 1kg, and hundreds of bigger brown and rainbow trout, to about 6kg.

My long-time mate Mick Hall, one of Australia's best fly tiers and fly-fishing instructors, is based at Eildon. I telephoned Mick about a day on the water and he was happy to oblige.

A three-hour drive, a hot coffee and a quick demonstration of fly tying and we were off to the Pondage. Our first stop was near the cemetery. The water was low and we needed only thigh waders to get close to the old riverbed of the Goulburn River.

After an hour or so with no joy, we moved to the opposite side of the Pondage.

A few anglers were dotted around the water and we ended up in a popular bait-fishing spot, near the oval. Footprints on the gravel revealed the popularity of this area.

"The bait guys have been working a lot of berley in this corner and that might hold the trout here for us," Mick said.

Mick had shown Lonnie the basics of picking up and putting down, and he was casting far enough to have a good chance. We were using a fly called a Chaser, which imitates the smelt the trout feed on.

In less than half an hour, Lonnie was fighting his first-ever rainbow trout on a fly rod. The fish were holding in the corner and we subsequently caught a few more before stopping for the day.

That's how easy it can be to start out fly fishing. Anglers do not take up fly fishing because it is easier, more efficient or predictable. Fly fishers are hunters and, as often as not, people who take it up are seeking a new challenge.

Freshwater fly fishing for trout has declined in popularity, but the trout season opening, on Saturday, could act as a catalyst for many would-be fly fishers to take up the sport.

There was a time when the costs of fly-fishing equipment were prohibitive, but that has changed. Nowadays you can set yourself up with a serviceable outfit and ancillary equipment such as waders, a landing net and fly jacket for less than it costs to buy a mid-range game fishing reel.

Anyone serious about fly-fishing needs to ignore the over-the-top literary hype about fly fishing being an art form. In its purest form, fly fishing involves trout.

Mr Speckles is the ultimate fly-rod fish, but he's a contrary creature. On any given day, fly fishing can range from long periods of exasperating difficulty to sharp encounters of the spectacular kind.

This discipline suits anybody capable of wielding a rod. Cost is no longer a deterrent factor, with a basic, entry-level outfit costing about the same as a good-quality snapper outfit.

The big hurdle for most would-be fly flickers is learning how to cast and present a fly.

This is about understanding the principles of a method where the weight of the line, rather than the weight of a sinker or lure, is used to cast a counterfeit offering to a fish.

My suggestion is to avoid many hassles by investing a few dollars in a fly-fishing school. The investment puts the novice ahead in terms of the time it takes to learn to cast and fish flies.

Fly fishing is the least efficient way I know of to catch a fish; it's also the most fun and least predictable. If you have thought about fly fishing, then now is as good a time as any to start. You won't be disappointed.

Steve Cooper can be heard on the Casting Off program on Radio Sport927, between 4.30am and 6.30am on Saturdays.