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Presented from Issue 114, February 2015 and 115 April 2015
Have you been exercising your grey matter, thinking about getting into a kayak for some fishing fun? There’s a lot to think about, and the thinking doesn’t stop once you’ve carefully chosen your vessel. You’ll also need to put a lot of thought into setting it up for action, as Jo Starling explains.

Being a relative newcomer to the world of ‘yak fishing, I still climb the sport’s steep learning curve each and every time I go out. That’s one of the many great things about fishing… it’s just like a braided river; regardless of how well you think you know it, there’s always another ‘stream’ to explore!

You might assume that stepping into a kayak for a fish will not be a big stretch from your everyday fishing activities, but give it a go and you will soon realise how very different it is. Of course, the fishing nitty-gritty won’t change.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Kayak Fishing; Published: 03 April 2018; Hits: 4603

Kayak

Presented from Issue 114, February 2015

Tuna season is well upon us and as Matt Byrne writes, with some preparation, a Tuna out of your tinnie is a real option proving that you do not need all the top end gear to get amongst the action.

Every single angler has a new goal or something they aspire to, whether it be catching a wild 10lb Trout, a Tasmanian Snapper or more recently perhaps even hooking a Broadbill swordfish. Yes, with the right amount of money you could indeed hire the top guide or the big boat with the gun crew and probably shortcut a lot of time and effort in achieving your dream fish, but would it be truly as satisfying I ask as having done it in your own boat, in your own backyard and with your own tackle?

For me, there is something incredibly satisfying about doing all the hard work in researching your target species, knowing its habits, preparing your gear, learning from your mistakes and of course in the end experiencing the thrill of landing that target fish. Small boat tuna fishing has all of that and much, much more and in this article I will detail everything I have learned about what is arguably one of the most adrenaline filled forms of fishing, targeting high speed Tuna out of your tinnie.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Tuna Fishing and other Game Fishing; Published: 02 April 2018; Hits: 7437

Tuna Fishing and other Game Fishing

Presented from Issue 114, February 2015

Crafting something with your own hands can be incredibly fulfilling. I have a trade background as a fitter, machinist and toolmaker and have made many things from metal, timber and other things over many years.

Some time ago I thought I would build a small drift boat and searched the internet for some plans. There are hundreds of plans online from free to a few hundred dollars. Like most things in life it is wise to spend enough to get what you need.

Drift boats are most common in the USA and used there mostly for floating downstream on rivers. The design is characterized by a wide, flat bottom, flared sides, a narrow, flat bow, and a pointed stern. A rocker is designed into the bottom along an arc from bow to stern of the boat. They are sort of back to front and can be rowed either way depending on the situation and speed of water. Drift boats have a very shallow draft and are very easily manoeuvred, spun around and held in fast water.

Drift boats have become more popular in recent times in Tasmania and we have many waters for which this style of boat is ideal. At least a three guides now use them and a few locals have either built or imported different styles.

Many pictures are at the end of the article.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Tackle, Boats and other Equipment; Published: 01 April 2018; Hits: 4193

Tackle, Boats and other Equipment

2018 03 18 All gold in this Meander River brown trout Given it was a nice cool morning with a heavy overcast sky I headed off (at 7:25am) to the Meander River again this morning for another spin session. The river was still running clear and had good flow even though it was a little lower than my last trip here. This trip I'm trying a couple of new lures that I picked up from an online fishing tackle store that has quite a few lures on special at the moment. The ones I bought were the Pontoon 21 GagaGoon 45 mm suspending lures named MI perch and MI gold perch and they're only 3 grams in weight too much like the little ghost brown lures I use. So it will be interesting to see how these lures go on the trout... So I started working my way upstream and over the first one hundred meters of never I never sighted a fish.

Good thing was that I found the lures worked a little differently to the ghost brown lures and it took around ten minutes to get used to them. Then the following one hundred I had three light hits and misses from some non aggressive trout, they was the last fish I saw before I decided to get out and and try my favorite stretch of river a few kilometers further upstream. Once there it didn't take all that long before I had a couple of follows, even those trout had no aggression in them either. They just sat back behind the lure for a short distance before moving off. It didn't matter what I tried, slow retrieve, light twitch and even stopped the retrieve and still they wouldn't take the lure.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Meander River; Published: 01 April 2018; Hits: 3155

Presented from Issue 113, December 2014
Tasmania has some of the best wild trout fishing in the world; there is a time of the year where the dedicated trout fisherman can look forward to more than most kids do at Christmas. The run of the sea runners,

When?

Between the months of mid-September and December sea runners will make their way up any river systems that white bait congregate in! The bait sometimes moves up in big numbers making an easy feed for the silver predator! These fish put on a lot of weight in a short amount of time making them a very powerful fish! Even on a firmly set drag I’ve had screaming runs of up to 50 metres or more in seconds from powerful fish! You will struggle to find a trout that pulls harder!

Finding fish?

The best waterways in my opinion for these fish are the Pieman River, Arthur River, Henty River and last but not least the Gordon river. While the first three rivers are easy to access, the Gordon River is a different story.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Other Rivers; Published: 31 March 2018; Hits: 11253

Presented from Issue 113, December 2014
Many lure fishers started their fishing at Arthurs and consider it one of the most reliable fisheries in Tasmania. Professional lure maker Justin Causby gives his tips.

Trolling on Arthurs can be broken down into three areas. Open water, structure and the Morass. I’m personally not one for trolling open water very often. The fish are out there, and they show in very good numbers in early mornings as they feed on midges from the evening and night before. But once the sun hits the water or the fog clears they go down, usually deep. You see very little sign of them on sounders despite seeing many scores of tell-tale rises all over the calm water at dawn.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Arthurs Lake; Published: 30 March 2018; Hits: 5458

Tasmania’s best all round trout fishery

Presented from Issue 113, December 2014
The season seemed to start a bit slowly on Arthurs Lake. The reports from the camp ground at Jonah Bay was that very few fish were caught on the opening weekend. The quiet word from inland fisheries was that there had been a good run of big fish, in the 4lb to 6lb in the first run of trout into Tumbledown Creek. None of these fish were in the 20,000 trout transferred to other waters; they finished their mating and returned to the lake to begin to put on condition for the coming season.

Since the quiet start, the action has steadily improved; the continued high water levels have dropped somewhat but at the time of writing Arthurs is 1.1 metres from full and steady. The slightly lower level has sent trout out from the submerged kerosene bush into the weedy shallows, making them more accessible. Fish are easily seen chasing frogs in the shallows at low light and the caddis are thickening up and being regularly nipped off the surface. Mayflies are now hatching in good numbers.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Arthurs Lake; Published: 30 March 2018; Hits: 4264

Arthurs Lake

Have you thought about going fishing? Fancy a feed of trout or salmon?

Easter is a great time to get back to nature and drop a line in the water. Recharge and enjoy the natural beauty that Tasmania has to offer.

With only a month of the brown trout open season to go – get out there and make the most of it.

The recent rain falling at Bronte Lagoon should see some water filling the mash creating a smorgasbord of drowned terrestrials for tailing fish.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies; Published: 28 March 2018; Hits: 2910

IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Scallop season is here

fisheries tas scallop

Who needs Easter eggs when there are scallops to be caught? The recreational season is now open except for the D'Entrecasteaux Channel.
Measuring gauges are available from Service Tasmania outlets.
Remember to measure and count scallops underwater as you dive. Highgrading your catch is not allowed, that is, you can't bring more than your daily bag limit of 50 scallops back to your boat and sort them there.

Scallop rules reminder

Flathead catch limits

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies; Published: 28 March 2018; Hits: 4378

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From the Archives ...

Atlantic salmon the hard way

When?

Finding fish?

Tasmania’s best all round trout fishery

Have you thought about going fishing? Fancy a feed of trout or salmon?

Scallop season is here

Flathead catch limits

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