Lakes with only a few articles ...

Somewhere completely different

Shane Flude
The heading sounds like something from a Monty Python sketch, but Shane Flude teaches us here about the joys of fishing and exploring. Or maybe that should be exploring and fishing. Nevertheless, sometimes, probably more often than you perhaps do, you should put some boots and a pack on and walk to the fishing. Walking is one of the easiest and healthiest things to do. So take a tip and take a trip by foot with Shane and discover new water.

Walking and Stalking

A first timer's impressions of Tasmania's Western Lakes with ABC Radio's Scott Levi.

So you think you're a dedicated fly fisher! Well try this quick quiz: Are you prepared to walk 1300 metres straight uphill with a 30 kilo pack, cross loose rock screes that can break an ankle with one false step and navigate across trackless wilderness?

Chudleigh Lakes Day Trips

Shane Flude
My previous Western Lakes article described the Pine Valley and associated waters and the various routes to reach these areas. Due to the remote location of the valley this area was really an overnight adventure and required the necessary camping equipment. I have since received some feedback that many anglers starting out who wish to fish the western lakes simply don't possess the equipment necessary for such an excursion. The following article will therefore describe waters that can be reached and fished comfortably in a day trip and details three moderately easy walks in the Chudleigh Lakes area. The only equipment you will need is boots and rod.

Bradys Chain Of Lakes

Greg French
Early in the trout season, high-elevation waters like Great Lake, the Nineteen Lagoons and Little Pine Lagoon (all higher than 1000 metres) can be very cold and uneventful, so this is an ideal time to try fishing further west in the Bronte district.
Without doubt, the most high-profile lake in the western part of the Central Plateau is Bronte Lagoon. This is largely because of its wet-fly fishing and superb rises, both of which can be world class. However, the nearby Bradys chain of lakes offers more consistent fishing and more variety. Greg French explains how you can make the most of the venue during the opening months of the coming trout season.

Ada Lagoon - early season

Gavin Hicks

After the birth of our second child in early September last year the opportunity arose for me to have a few days in the Central Highlands pursuing my love of fly fishing. Based at the inlaws shack at Miena the opportunities are endless, the hardest decision to make being where to go. I heard the gate was open to the 19 Lagoons area and after doing some weather checks I decided to give Ada lagoon a try.

Junction Lake

Craig Rist

The upper Mersey starts its flow from Lake Meston and continues down through Lake Youd and Junction Lake. Rainbows were first introduced into these waterways by the one and only airdrop of rainbows into Lake Meston in the 1950s. These lakes and the upper Mersey River, now have a wild population of rainbow trout. The Mersey River continues it's flow out of Junction Lake over a series of plummeting waterfalls that have prevented the migration of brown trout from Lake Rowallan.

Brook Trout Lake Plimsoll

Jamie Harris

The mysterious brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) provides extra variety for those Tassie anglers looking for that different experience. I say mysterious because there doesn't seem to be much known about the habits of these fish here in Tasmania. Only that they are challenging and they have the occasional feeding frenzy. This is definitely true but over the 18 years or so that I have been chasing them, I haven't learned a whole lot more.

Bronte Lagoon Report

(Name deleted to protect the guilty.) Had a couple of days camped at Bronte Lagoon. The lagoon is as high as anyone can remember that we have spoken to. On Wednesday night the water was a good metr above our previous campsite water level but with the tailrace into Brady's fully open the water was dropping fast and dropped about 400 mm over two days. This may account for the lack of trout visibly tailing.

Fly-fishing for trout in the lakes of Tasmania during summer.

Lakes are effective insect traps for terrestrial insects.
In fly-fishing terms terrestrial insects originate from the land, but through mishap, become victims to the world of water. Beetles, bees, leafhoppers (Jassids), crickets, ants, grasshoppers and other species find themselves helpless as they try to take off from the water surface. They sometimes make it to shore, but often are doomed to drown or worse eaten alive by fish. Trout love to concentrate on these easy pickings, and grow fat on this rich and diverse gift. It is our duty as fishermen to reduce this carnage as much as possible by hauling out these killers and giving them a stern lesson.

Bradys chain of lakes - a real gem

Quenton Higgs

From anyone's point of view be it anglers, visitors or local business operators a sure- fire vote winner for a smart politician would be to seal the link road from Great Lake Hotel to Bronte! From a purely selfish point of view a bitumen link would make the delightful Bradys chain of lakes more easily accessible to anglers from the northern regions of Tasmania. Southern based anglers have enjoyed this luxury for many years.

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