Sea Trout are a bit of an enigma around the world. Runs of these brown trout, born in a river, migrating to sea, and returning to a river for feeding (or spawning in autumn), are notoriously hard to predict. But like searching for Lasseters mythical reef of gold, the thrill of the chase and the promise of big rewards (sight-fishing to double figure fish if successful), offers more than enough attraction for most of us fly fishers! Timing is all about recent rainfalls (the time between the wet of spring and the dry of summer is when things peak), and the availability of migratory food sources such as whitebait are key to success.

There’s sea trout hotspots around the state: the Derwent, Huon and Lune systems down south are the most popular, with the Derwent offering months of sea-run fishing throughout its long and complex system, as migratory browns and resident slob trout follow runs of whitebait, lampreys, mullet and glass eels up and down the system from urban Hobart to rural New Norfolk. In the north and north east of the state, the Boobyalla and Ringarooma mouths are a hard-to access hotspot, while the Great and Little Forrester rivers have respected runs of medium sized sea-runners. Across to the West Coast and the Arthur, Henty and Gordon rivers produce the best runs of big trout, but also some of the most un-predictable. If fishing among ancient rainforests or rolling sand dunes, in large tannin rivers sounds interesting, then this is the coastline to follow. The classic BMS whitebait patterns are the most popular flies, though larger and bulkier flies work best when things are quiet. Eight pound leaders and size #2-4 Woolly Buggers, Zonkers and Fuzzle Buggers are the go, complete with rubber legs and coneheads if your serious about getting among the snags and tempting the ambush feeding trout when things are quiet.