Getting down - and getting lucky

The Central Highland lakes during the early season can be a daunting prospect. Water temperatures are low with snow, ice and freezing winds a common occurrence, all combine to make fishing the lakes a challenge to say the least.

Breaking the ice - starting the new season

To say that this winter has been wet cold and windy would be an understatement. It really harks back to the good old winters of years gone by - heaps of snow on the highlands, piercing winds that hardly pause for breath and driving rain that only stops so that it can come from a different direction. While this makes us cold and miserable, uses up all our firewood and ramps up the electricity bills as well strive to stay warm and comfortable, it is also "money in the bank" for the new trout season. We need plenty of winter rain and snow for a great summer season. Oh wondrous day, the opening of the season!

Stillwater Nymphing.


Hobart trout guide Bob McKinley revisits a tried and proven method.

I like nothing better than sight fishing for trout and fishing the dry fly has to be the champagne of all fishing. However we all find those times when conditions are less than perfect, no fish are visible and we find ourselves having to go down to find the fish.

What makes a Tasmanian guide?

Tasmanian trout guides have a worldwide reputation as guides of high skill and professionalism. This reputation hasn't happened by accident, as the peak body representing trout guides in Tasmania, (Trout Guides and Lodges Tasmania or TGALT) has continually lifted the bar in terms of guides qualifications and requirements for government accreditation.

Motivations of Tasmanian Trout Anglers

Michael Burgess, a post graduate student from the Australian Maritime College, conducted a study researching the motivations of Tasmanian trout anglers last year and in this article he discusses the results and their implications for increasing angler participation.

The Forgotten Double Taper
Andy Puyans

Although I have fished extensively for most fresh and salt water species with a fly, I keep going back to the Trout as the perfect fly rod species.  Trout challenge us by their natural wariness, while feeding on an ever-changing menu of aquatic and land born insects, together with other water born yummies from baitfish to leeches.

Late season rainbow trout

With winter fast approaching the browns of most waters are gearing up for spawning. Though surface activity is possible at ideal times, the browns are more likely to be found grubbing around the weed beds, feeding on crustaceans high in carotene and vitamin B, important for egg and milt quality.

Tasmanian trout on soft plastics

To have not heard or been exposed to the absolute hype surrounding soft plastic fishing you would have had to have been on Mars for the past four years or born yesterday. The success on bream, flathead and a whole host of popular species has been well documented in a whole range of media. Yet one of our favourite species hasn't had that same exposure- the good old dependable brown trout.

Late season rainbow trout

With winter fast approaching the browns of most waters are gearing up for spawning. Though surface activity is possible at ideal times, the browns are more likely to be found grubbing around the weed beds, feeding on crustaceans high in carotene and vitamin B, important for egg and milt quality. As fishing in most brown trout waters slows down approaching the close of the brown trout season (2 May), fly fishers may wish to turn their attention to rainbow trout waters when seeking the final chances for sight fishing and good quality fish for the season. Rainbow trout waters are open until 30 May this season and include Lagoon of Islands, Lake Rowallan, Lake Skinner and Dee Lagoon, with Dee Lagoon and Lake Rowallan representing arguably the better of the fisheries.

Another successful Trout Weekend

by Tim Farell Inland Fisheries Service

What a success, 4 000 people, car park full and 150 cars in the overflow car park. As a consequence of the huge attendance the local police officer spent three hours on the Lake Highway directing traffic on the Saturday and one and a half hours on Sunday. The weather was cold and misty but most the people had come prepared dressed in warm clothing, although a few people were spotted wearing t-shirts. Exhibitors included MAST, Hydro Tasmania, Quarantine Tasmania, the Cancer Council, tackle stores, outdoor equipment stores, Cressy Trout Expo, Anglers Alliance Tasmania and the Fox Task Force. The Bothwell District School had over 60 paintings on display produced by the local children. There were demonstrations of fly tying and fly-casting that proved popular as well.

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