funfishingThis Sunday, 10 October, is an angling licence free day! An angling licence will not be required for anyone wanting to fish inland waters in Tasmania on this day. It is a great time to try trout fishing.

It is also national Gone Fishing Day with junior angling events happening across Tasmania, it is a great opportunity for those 17 years and under to catch a truly wild, wily trout.

Anglers Alliance Tasmania (AAT) and the Inland Fisheries Service, with the co-operation of local angling clubs, are co-ordinating free junior angling events on Sunday 10 October 2021 as part of national Gone Fishing Day. In preparation, AAT have stocked junior angling venues across Tasmania.

rainbowRainbow waters are now open

Anglers seemed undeterred with the easterly rain experienced last weekend, which also heralded the opening of the 2021-22 rainbow waters on Saturday 2 October. Reports of good catches were received throughout the State, with mild temperatures and increased water flows providing ideal conditions. Good sized sea-runners and lake trout were on the chew after the snow melted from the peaks.

Tasmania’s rainbow trout waters are:

gfd 2021Sunday 10 October is national Gone Fishing Day.
Grab a friend and try trout fishing.

With junior angling events happening across Tasmania, Gone Fishing Day a great opportunity for those 17 years and under to catch a truly wild, wily trout.

Plus – Gone Fishing Day is an angling licence free day! An angling licence will not be required for anyone wanting to fish inland waters in Tasmania on this day.

Anglers Alliance Tasmania (AAT) and the Inland Fisheries Service, with the co-operation of local angling clubs, are co-ordinating free junior angling events on Sunday 10 October 2021 as part of national Gone Fishing Day. In preparation, AAT have stocked junior angling venues across Tasmania.

Gone Fishing Day is a national event created to encourage people to get outdoors, drop a line, enjoy time with family and friends by or on the water, and hopefully catch a fish or two.

Getting outdoors is beneficial to both your physical and mental health. All anglers can agree that there is no such thing as a bad days fishing when you’re surrounded by those close to you and the glorious areas fishing takes you. So why not have a day that recognises and promotes all of these things!

Venues for junior angling events

 talk trout 2021
Talk trout Tasmania,
7pm on Friday 15 October
at the Great Lake
Community Centre.,
Miena 

Join us at the Great Lake Community Centre on Friday 15 October for Talk Trout Tasmania 2021.

This is an opportunity to meet some of our inland fisheries staff.

Hear about fisheries management and ask your questions of the panel.

Our team will present information and strategies about the management of the recreational fishery.

On the eve of the Great Lake Tie In, Talk Trout Tasmania is the perfect way to start this exciting weekend.

Great Lake Community Centre, Miena. 7 to 9 pm. Supper and refreshments provided.

Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/sep/23/talk-trout-tasmania-2021

 river derwent
 Peter Skeels proudly
holding one of the
Brown trout he caught
and released on Saturday

Over the weekend, anglers of all ages and abilities ventured out to their favourite water to try and catch one of the prized trout or salmon Tasmania is famous for!

Peter Skeels was one of those anglers. He has a little spot on the River Derwent he likes to fish, using baitfish under a float. Within five minutes he landed two brown trout in great condition. One of the fish was sporting the green tag of the River Derwent trout study, with both fish released unharmed to fight another day.

Not to be confused with the orange tags for the very popular Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion, details of the trout study can be found here.

If you catch a tagged trout, contact the Inland Fisheries Service on 1300 IN FISH (1300 463 474) between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., provide your name, contact details, tag number, waterway, location the fish was caught and overall length. Orange tags are worth $2000 (subject to terms and conditions) and if you capture a green tag, your name will go into the draw for a Shimano graphite fishing rod and reel combo at the end of the season.

Recent rainfalls and climate outlook are combining with the IFS stocking and transfers program, to set up what is shaping up to be one of the best trout seasons in recent history.

So why not buy a licence and catch a trout? You may get more than you bargained for!

Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/sep/12/river-derwent-delivering-goods

 arthurs lake
The brown trout in the
Arthurs Lake spawning
run were in good
condition this year 

The fishing at Arthurs Lake is a good news story. Fishing has steadily improved over the past five years. The number of fish in the 2021 spawning run was our largest in many years with over 14 500 brown trout being counted through the three Arthurs Lake fish traps and allowed to travel on upstream to spawn. The spawning fish were in good condition. Anglers reported some good catches in the past season.

Winter rain kept the lake at a good level and it is still rising. This will give shore-based anglers plenty of options. The shallow areas around Hydro Bay, Cowpaddock Bay and Jonah Bay will be productive for bait fishermen. In September, it is hard to look past an earth worm fished close to the edge. The colder it is, the further out your worm should be cast. There is no need to try and get fancy with different baits. Steady and rising water levels will bring worms into the lake.

These shallow areas are also the best and most popular spots for shore based fly and lure anglers. Carefully wading in knee deep water and fishing slowly into depressions and around structure will be productive. More and more fish will move on shore as the weather and water warms.

Trollers, lure casters and fly fishermen will do well fishing around 3m – 4m below the surface over deep weed beds. This depth is productive in September and anglers should be fishing slowly with large, dark coloured lures and flies. Fish are wanting to put weight back on after spawning and will eat bigger offerings than they will at other times. The water is often warmer at this depth which attracts large quantities of fish. If spring is mild and the water warms quickly, the shallows will then become more productive.

 green tag
The brown trout
in the study have
green tags 

In late July, 400 tagged wild adult brown trout were released into the River Derwent in the Dromedary area. Each of the trout have a single green coloured tag with a four digit number. This release of fish is part of a study to investigate the movements, growth and population of brown trout in the River Derwent. It will also tell us how easy the trout are to catch. The study will run for the next two years. We would like anglers to report the capture of these tagged fish, noting the tag number, location captured and if possible the length and weight of the fish. We are also keen to know how many other untagged trout are caught. There is no requirement to release these fish, we just want to know if you catch one, along with the tag number and location.

So far there have been 12 tagged trout re-caught, ranging from the Dromedary area up to 5km upstream of the New Norfolk bridge.

Please do not confuse these tagged fish with the Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion (three have been released in the River Derwent), of which the tags are orange. These fish are worth $2000 each to the lucky angler. One of these has been caught and two still remain so keep an eye out!

Report tagged fish via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR phone 6165 3808

For each green tag that is returned, your name will go into the draw for a Shimano graphite fishing rod and reel combo at the end of the season.

If you fish the River Derwent for trout, please contact us and we will send you a free IFS Tasmanian Inland Recreational Anglers Logbook so that you can record your catch. We are interested in both tagged and untagged brown trout, so even if you haven’t caught a tagged trout, your fishing information is important for managing this wonderful fishery!

Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/sep/06/river-derwent-trout-study-update

Salmon into craigbourneToday we stocked 130 Atlantic salmon in Craigbourne Dam. The fish averaged 1.2 kg. The dam is full and fishing well with the adult brown trout and smaller rainbows it has received over the past few months providing lots of action.

There is also, of course, one remaining $2 000 tagged brown trout after the other was caught last week. For more information go to Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion.

More salmon stocking is planned in the coming week in other waters. Keep an eye out on www.ifs.tas.gov.au for up to date information.

We would like to thank Tassal for supporting anglers with the donation of Atlantic salmon.

 

Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/sep/03/salmon-craigbourne

derbyWhile in Derby, David Fraser, decided to take a young family friend, 8 year old Kaiden, for a quick fishing lesson at Briseis Mine Hole close to the centre of town. Before they started David looked Kaiden in the eye and said “if we catch the tagged fish we are going halves”. Kaiden looked David back in the eye and shook his hand.

David and Kaiden were casting green and gold Ashley spinners along the back shore not to far from the floating sauna. They were starting to get a bit cold but David encouraged Kaiden to stick with it have a have few more casts. That’s when David hooked a good fish. After a strong fight the fish was near the bank where Kaiden, like a pro, shot out the extension handle on the landing net, ducked down the bank and the big brown trout was soon landed. They could see that the trout had an orange tag and was one of the $2 000 fish released as part of the Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion.

There was much excitement from the two anglers, so much so that people came out of the sauna to see what was happening.

The two are going to share the prize and David noted that Kaiden’s casting had greatly improved. He is hooked for life!

Fifty tagged brown trout have been released into waters around Tasmania for the 2021-22 Angling Season. Each tag is worth $2,000* to the angler that returns the fish to the Inland Fisheries Service (*conditions apply).

brothers 

Len and Hilton Howard enjoy their time fishing together. Len is 82 and Hilton is 68. On Wednesday they headed to Craigbourne Dam on the word that the fish were biting. They launched their boat and were trolling lures around the lake. In the deep water off the dam Len hooked a good fish and after a fight Hilton netted it for him. Hilton said “Len is a bit unsteady on his feet in the boat, so I helped him net it. We didn’t see that it had an orange tag until I was cleaning it at the ramp. Len did let out a holler when I told him ”.

The fish has been confirmed as one of the two tagged trout released into Craigbourne Dam. The brothers are going to share the prize money and will use it for a trip to Adelaide as they like travelling.

Fifty tagged brown trout have been released into waters around Tasmania for the 2021-22 Angling Season. Each tag is worth $2,000* to the angler that returns the fish to the Inland Fisheries Service (*conditions apply).

 rex
Rex Meikle and
one of the $2 000
tagged trout from
Lake Leake 

Rex Meikle loves fishing Lake Leake so much he has a shack there. On Tuesday afternoon, just on dark, he was fishing from a drifting boat with his mate Barry in the area where the Snowy River enters. Using a wet Woolley Bugger fly, fishing in shallow water, Rex hooked and landed the catch of the day. A $2 000 brown trout was in the boat.

Rex doesn’t have a mobile phone so he had his mate Harvey contact IFS and the fish was confirmed as one of the three fish released into Lake Leake as part of the Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion. While speaking to Rex’s wife Robin, to get details, she asked us to remind Rex that their 50th wedding anniversary was coming up and that the prize money was timely!

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