Presented from Issue 105, August 2013

We did a bit of a runaround Tasmania’s tackle stores to see what their tips for the first month or so of the tackle season were. We asked what the top three places to fish were, plus lures, flies, baits and a few other things.
Here is a rundown on their answers Whenever, and wherever you fish - anywhere, or for any fish in the world - ask the locals and especially ask at the local tackle store. They know what was caught today, yesterday and on what.

TackleWorld and Outdoor Burnie

Top three waters for the opening of the trout season Burnie and West Coast area:

  1. Pet and Guide Dam
  2. Inglis River
  3. Lake Plimsoll

Top lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Ashley 2” Number 28,14, 29; Rapala spotted dog F7; Yo-Zuri Pins Minnow 70mm
  2. Plastic: Berkley black and gold T-tail, Gulp pump- kinseed minnow grub.
  3. Fly: Woolly Worm, Gibson woolly bugger mk2
  4. Bait: Scrub and garden worms, PowerBait Recommended gear:
  5. Spin rod and lures: Shimano Jewel. Ideal for Ash- ley/Devon 2”spinners plus most Cobras.
  6. Troll Rod and lures: Silstar Leadline Combo’s with 5 colours of leadline. King Cobra/Tassie Devils/ Hellins Flatfish
  7. Soft Plastic rod and lures: Shimano Catana Combo - New Crucis rods
  8. Lines: Power Pro braid, YGK Nitlon, Soft DMV mono.
  9. Fly Rod, lines and flies: Vision Zulu combo, Gib- son Flies

Tips for better results:

When spinning pick the shore with the onshore wind. Fish your plastics slow and deep. When fishing with bait (worms) fish as light as possible with a single worm.

 

Bigfin Sportsfishing - Devonport

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Mersey River: Anywhere along its length now IFS has secured many angler access points. Shallow Maria lures and F5 floating Rapalas. Bead head nymphs in fast water and wooley bug- gers in flooded margins and back waters.
  2. Lake Paloona, plenty of shore access along banks. Most under fished lake in Tassie. Lucky craft Tangos, F7 Rapala in Brook Trout and Perch. Woolly buggers in black and red.
  3. Lake Plimsol. Along edges with inflowing water, Maria 50mm suspending shad in black silver or Luckycraft Tango in Brown and Rapala Cd7 in Golden Albernus. Plastics deep in black/gold ttailon 1/8th jigheads

 

Coastal Marine

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Great Lake
  2. Arthurs Lake
  3. Four Springs

Top lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Ashley 14 Green and Gold Plastic: 65mm Squidgey Fish in Garry Glitter Fly: Big wets fished slow
  2. Bait: Wattle Grubs
  3. Recommended gear:
  4. Depends on your budget, I get all my gear from Bigfin Sportsfishing they have everything!

Tips for better results:

I find that the slower you fish with soft plastics the more you will catch.

 

Tuffwear - Burnie

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Pet Dam
  2. Guide Dam
  3. Lake Burbury

Top three lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Lofty 48, Hueys Spotted Dog Plastic: Berkley Black and Gold T-tail minnow
  2. Fly: Woolly Bugger
  3. Bait: Power Bait

 

NW Coast angler - Bryan Van Wyk

Top three waters for start of the season:

It’s gotta be lakes/dams! Rivers are usually slow.

  1. Guide Dam.
    I’ve had some of my best sessions at this place early on in the season. If you’re a north-wester then don’t forget to have a crack at your door step before going across the state to other areas. The trusty green and gold Ashley spinner with red spots is a winner here.
  2. Talbots Lagoon.
    Although you need to get a permit to fish here (which is not hard to get), it is an absolutely awesome spot to catch a bigger than average brownie! I like fishing it from around September- November (for rainbows) which is why it’s not my number 1, but it is a great spot to fish opening season. My favourite lure is a Berkley black and gold T-tail fished on a 1/8th jighead or less.
  3. Four Springs.
    This one is a bit closer to home for many. Which can result in larger numbers of anglers, especially at the start of the season. I know many don’t like to share waters but nevertheless, this place has its reputation for fishing well early in the season for big fish. My favourite lure is a black and gold hawk sniper. I like to fish shallow diving lures here as it’s extremely weedy on the bottom. I’ve done well on the snipers in the past and since then it has been my go-to lure here!

Fishing Gear - Launceston

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Lake Leake.
  2. Pine Tier Lagoon.
  3. Bradys Lake.

Top lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast) Ashley 2’” colour 14D / Tassie Devil colour Y90, Rapala Jointed pattern Trout.
  2. Plastic: Squidgey Bug - Bloodworm, Gulp Grub - Pumpkinseed, Yep Red Rascal, Black and gold Flapper.
  3. Fly: Trevor Berne’s ‘Cat Fly’, Possum Fur Nymph, Bead Head Black Woolly Bugger (Trevor Berne)
  4. Bait: Wattle Grubs, Moon Bait worms, Dynamite Bait ‘Trout Pellet’.

Recommended Gear:

  1. Spin Rod and Lures: Fishing Gear Supreme rod 6’6” 2-4 Kg.
  2. Troll Rod and Lures: Fishing Gear ‘All-Rounder’ (NEW).
  3. Soft Plastic rod and lures: Shimano ‘Raider’ soft plastic rod.
  4. Lines: Sufix XL Strong, Fuse Braid, Platypus Classic.
  5. Bait: Wattle Grubs, Worms, Power Bait.
  6. Fly Rod, lines and flies: Rod: Vision ‘Nite’ 9’ #6 weight. S A Mastery GPX line.

Tips for better results:

In the early season use lures with a slow wide action at slow speed. Fish deep and use flies with long fur or Marabou which give plenty of move- ment when fished slowly.

 

Yep Tassie Tackle

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Curries River Dam
  2. Lake King William
  3. Lake Plimsol

Top three lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Yep Yellow peril
  2. Plastic: Black n Gold Flapper
  3. Fly: Red And Black Matuka weighted

Tips for better results: Fish slow and deep if you are not snagging the bottom you are not fishing deep enough

 

The Fishing Connection

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Derwent River
  2. Great Lake
  3. Arthurs Lake

Top three lures, flies etc:

  1. Strike Pro Galaxia Minnow – No: #553 and 986G, Tasmanian Devil – No: 50, Black and Yellow Yeti Size 8, Lure (troll or cast): Sting No:23 Plastic: Berkley Gulp
  2. Fly: Woolly Bugger Mk2 size 14
  3. Bait: Wattle Grub
  4. Recommended gear:
  5. Spin rod and lures: Shimano Xtreamstix 7’ combo. Troll Rod and lures: As above – great multi use option.
  6. Distributed by Clarkson Imports. Available from all good tackle stores.
  7. Soft Plastic rod and lures: Shimano Jewel or
  8. Catana.
  9. Lines: Shimano Power Pro 3,4,5 and 8lb
  10. Bait: Wattle Grub
  11. Fly Rod, lines and flies: Airflo Combo – starting at $149.95.
  12. Use a good quality Fluro Carbon leader – V Hard or similar.

Tips for better results:

Fish the breezey shore – because most anglers won’t so these are relatively untouched and fish remain here longer both undisturbed and feeding.

 

Tackle Us

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Bronte Lagoon
  2. Lake Echo
  3. Derwent River

Top lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Liquid Gold Aurum minnows in Green Creed, POP, Pumpkin soup, Daiwa Double Clutch Black and Gold
  2. Plastic: Yep Black and Gold Flapper, Berkley T-tail Olive Pearl,Yep Pumpkinseed Flapper
  3. Fly: White bait cut throat, Derwent Bunny, Bruce Gibson Bull head olive
  4. Bait:Scrub Worms,Wattle grubs, Maggots Recommended gear:
  5. Spin rod and lures: Rovex air strike rods. Liquid Gold lures. Troll Rod and lures: Rovex air strike rods. Daiwa double Clutch Black and Gold. Soft Plastic rod and lures: Rovex air strike rods, Yep Black and Gold Flapper
  6. Lines: Berkley Fireline crystal. Bait: Wattle Grubs $varies
  7. Fly Rod, lines and flies: Flies, Fly combo Find your budget and stick to it. Good combo’s start at $149.95

Tips for better results:

Trout are more than often deep this time of year. My recommendations are to concentrate your efforts around the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest and waters are warmer and look for ripples on the water.

 

St Helens Bait and Tackle

Top three waters for start of the season:

  1. Georges River
  2. South Esk River
  3. Big Waterhouse Lagoon

Top three lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Mepps Aglia Decoree #1 gold/ red dots
  2. Plastic: Strike Tiger 3” Curl Tail Grub spotted brew
  3. Fly: #12 Brown Pot Scrubber nymph
  4. Bait: scrubworms

Tips for better results:

In the rivers, fish with light lines, 4 - 6lb, and cast upstream searching all the little back eddies and changes in current. Trout will lay where there is least resistance for them and maximum access to food darting out into the main current when something grabs their eye.

 

Devonport boat ‘n’ tackle

  1. Mersey or Leven rivers with an unweighted worm, spinning I would use Ashley 16d or 29.
  2. Four Springs using soft plastics with a hint of orange eg atomic guzzler radioactive rooster.
  3. Woods Lake trolling rainbow Rapalas or co- bras with light pink.

 

Sherriff Agencies – Matt Sherriff

Top three waters for the start off the season:

  1. Four Springs – always good early season
  2. Arthurs Lake – fish smaller than great lake but there is just something special about this lake
  3. Derwent River – sea runners peak early in the season. I believe these are the best conditioned/ fighting trout in the state

Top three lures, flies etc:

  1. Lure (troll or cast): Hawk Sniper in B/Gold or RT. Plastic: Berkley Powerbait Minnow in Pearl/Wa- termelon
  2. Fly: Fur Fly. Bait: Worms Recommended gear:
  3. Spin rod and lures: Lox Yoshi and Hawk Snipers.
  4. Troll Rod and lures: Hawk Spectra X and Hawk Snipers or Tassie Devils.
  5. Soft Plastic rod and lures: Crucis Nano series and Powerbait Minnows or T Tails.
  6. Lines: Berkley Fireline 3-6lb with Unitika Flouro Leader 4lb. Sunline Sniper FC 3lb Flouro.
  7. Fly Rod, lines and flies: G Loomis 5-6wt and Fur
  8. Fly or Brown Nymph.

Tips for better results:

Fish the windblown rocky shores on the lakes with hardbody lures/plastics. Fish should be feed- ing hard after spawning. Backwaters on rivers should be worth prospecting if rain keeps the water levels up.

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