Curries River Reservoir is located off the B82 road, between George Town and Bridport. The fishery serves anglers from the greater Launceston area. Over the years this water has produced variable fishing for both brown and rainbow trout. However, the fish are always of excellent size and condition.

During August 2019 we did a survey of Curries River Reservoir to assess;

- the number of brown and rainbow trout,
- - the size of the brown trout population,
- the length structure of the brown trout population and,
- the condition of all fish.

In summary, there were very low numbers of both brown and rainbow trout. However, the resident fish we did catch were in great condition.

Before the survey, 1 175 adult brown trout with their adipose fin clipped were released into the reservoir. These fish weighed around 721 g and were on average 420 mm long. By the 2020-21 season they should be approaching 1.2 kg. The fin clip enables to identify the released fish and estimate the size of the brown trout population.

As a consequence of the survey, we plan to boost fish numbers in Curries River Reservoir with stockings of brown and rainbow trout over winter 2020.

For the full results, read the Fisheries Performance Assessment Technical Report – Curries River Reservoir 2019.

Source : https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2020/may/22/curries-river-reservoir-results-our-fisheries-performance-assessment

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 22 May 2020

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This report covers two consecutive days fishing tannin waters after some decent rains that got the streams up and running to a good fishing height again.

Day one:

The first trip was the morning after we had 26 mms of rain the day before and into the night and once at the river I found it to be running at a nice height and a very dark tannin colour. Several weeks ago I fished this same little tannin stream and had a good four days of fishing in it, I'm hoping for the same result again this trip. I was in the water at 8:20am and started off with a #00 White Miller Bug spinner, the same little one that did a good job in dark tannin water here before. The area I started off in is the upper reaches and the last trip here (7th March) I caught & released thirteen trout. Even though the water was a littler higher and faster flowing it was still good enough to be holding trout in flat water on both sides of it. I slowing fished my way upstream casting the Bug into the flat waters on both sides of the stream and waited for a strike as I retrieved the lure each time. Nothing happened, not a single touch from a trout, not even bow wave behind the spinner, the trout weren't here.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Trout Fishing

Published: 20 May 2020

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• Adrian
• Trout Fishing

Read more: Tannin water trout hard to find

It was back to the Meander fast waters again this morning for another spin session to see if I can add a few more trout to my season's tally of 370 trout. I wasn't intending to fish the fast waters today mainly because of the right hip but then decided what the heck get in there and see how you go, if fishing there aggravates it then I'll get out and head to the slower flowing waters. The conditions were quite overcast and a cool six degrees when I hit the clear flowing river at 10:10am, the water temp was sitting on ten degrees and it was cold on the legs too. I started the session off with a small #00 White Miller Bug spinner, it's not a colour I would normally start off using but I wanted to see how it would perform in the dull conditions and clear water. Well, not a lot happened for around fifteen minutes or so before a cast directly upstream into a flat water a small brown took it. Two head shakes from that little brown and it was gone, it tossed the White Miller as quick as it took it.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Meander River

Published: 11 May 2020

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• Adrian

Read more: Meander trout go for the Bug

After missing out not having a spin session yesterday, this afternoon I decided to head back to the fast waters of the Meander River. It was 2:25pm when I hit the water in what was perfect weather conditions with a light breeze and patches of scattered cloud.

The river level was a little lower than my last trip here, it was still running nice and clear, lure of choice for starters was the #1 Stone Fly Bug spinner. The first area I fished was a large wide deep stretch of medium flowing water, it was here I had a follow from a nice brown.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Meander River

Published: 14 April 2020

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• Meander River
• Adrian

Read more: Back to the fast waters

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 08 April 2020

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• IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Today's weather is not as good as I was hoping for as it was bright sunny conditions with a North Easterly wind blowing at 15 kph which will make for a tough time in the small tannin stream I'm heading to this morning. It's also a day to be on the lookout for snakes, perfect weather conditions for them to be out and about. I was a little slow of the mark in heading to the stream due to the long spin session I had yesterday the body was a little on the sore side this morning.

By the time I walked (1.5kms) and reached the stream it was 9:20 am, a little late given the conditions that were forecast. The stream had dropped in level as I had expected it to, any lower and I wouldn't have fished it. Today I started off using a gold #00 Aglia Mouche Noire just for something different to see if the trout would take it in the low, light tannin waters. This 1.5 kms of is very tight fishing as it's pretty narrow over the distance and the foliage isn't as thick, it's more open than other areas I've previously fished.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Trout Fishing

Published: 04 April 2020

Hits: 1606

• Adrian
• Trout Fishing

Read more: Chasing trout in low tannin waters

Scallop season closure

The Premier has announced that the recreational scallop season in Tasmania will remain closed as part of broader measures to protect Tasmanians during the current COVID-19 situation.

The season was originally scheduled to open this Saturday, 4 April.

As the scallop season can see thousands of fishers travelling to the East Coast, this decision is consistent with the Premier's goal to minimise non-essential travel.

DPIPWE Recreational Fisheries is working through the implications of this for recreational licence holders and will provide further information in the near future on our website and the Fisheries Tasmania Facebook page.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 03 April 2020

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• IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

This trip today required a forty minute walk to where I started off the spin session in what was quite good conditions, apart from the lack of cloud it was a top morning to be chasing trout. It was 8:50am when I hit the river and started the session off with a well used #00 copper Aglia mainly because I was fishing in shade & the water was still reasonably dark in colour, if it doesn't catch a trout then I'll make a change. The water level had already dropped by a few inches since my last trip so I have to make the most of fishing these tannin waters while there's still some decent water flowing in them. Casting up and across the stream into the flat water near the river banks I had a few light hit and misses on the Aglia, I wasn't sure whether to stick with it or give it a bit longer. I did the latter and it wasn't all that long when I had my first hook up and trout in hand, a small/medium brown and a plump fish it was. I continued working the spinner from one side to the other in the stream as I slowly fished my way up it and had a couple more hook ups but lost both fish. I don't mind losing the odd trout every now and then but when I lose two in a row then it's time for a lure change, it was off with the Aglia and on with a #00 March Brown Bug spinner.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Trout Fishing

Published: 27 March 2020

Hits: 1649

• Adrian
• Trout Fishing

Read more: Brown Trout and March Brown Bug

Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 and following the Federal Government’s ban on outdoor gatherings of over 500 people, Trout Weekend 2020 will not be going ahead. The Inland Fisheries Service has reluctantly taken this measure, as this is an important event for anglers and the Central Highlands community alike.

The Trout Fishing Competition continues. This year the competition winners will be announced at a later date.

Trout Weekend will return over Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 May in 2021 and we hope you will be able to join us once again at the Liawenee Field Station.

If you would like more information, please contact me via email or mobile listed below.

Kind Regards,
Steve Paterson
Manager – Compliance, Inland Fisheries Service (Tasmania)

17 Back River Rd
New Norfolk TAS 7140
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mob: 0438 338 530 Work: 03 6165 3808 http://www.ifs.tas.gov.au

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 21 March 2020

Hits: 1617

• IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies