JAN SPENCER
Jan was born into the famous pioneering Miles family. Philip Miles was her great-grandfather, Cecil her grandfather. They would be away for weeks on end: their exploring, hunting and moving cattle on the Great Western Tiers is well documented. So it is in Jan’s blood to explore the rivers and mountains of the high country. She is a pioneer in her own right and is known as Tasmania’s First Lady of fishing, mostly trout, but she has travelled overseas fishing for many saltwater species. Her fishing started on the Liffey River which ran through her family’s property. She started going fishing with an uncle as she was not allowed to go on her own at such an early age. Jan married into a fishing family, and as they say, the rest is history.
Jan has two life memberships from the Northern Tasmanian Fishing Association and many tokens for her work done in Southern and Northwest Tasmania in guest speaking, demonstrating and teaching the art of fly tying. She has also been a delegate and patron, and a life member of the Longford Fishing Club.
Jan is a founding member for both Flyfish Australia and the Van Dieman Flyfishing Club. She has also served on the board of FFA for some time. In 1988 Jan was selected into the Australian Flyfishing Team, and in 1989 she was again on the team to go to Finland. She was the first lady out of all the teams in Finland to fish. There was great interest from the Finnish ladies who now have their own team. There are now lots of other countries with ladies’ teams, including Australia. In 1999 Jan received a world gold medal in the Australian No.1 men’s team as fly-tyer, producing a fly that gave Australia the winning edge. It was the first gold medal won by Australia, and the only one so far.
Jan taught fly tying at Adult Education for some years: it certainly was a great honour taking over from Dick Wigram and Noel Jetson. Jan’s flies are known worldwide. In 1999 the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships were held in Tasmania, and Jan was appointed judge for the fly-tying competition. It was a real pleasure to be asked.
Jan’s family has always been supportive, her husband Bill being her Number 1 supporter: he is always just there. Her children love Tasmania as much as she does, although neither of them caught the fly-fishing bug. Thanks to longtime friend Steve Suitor for his help and daughter Sheryn for her never-ending support.
