Hydro Tasmania have advised that all sites at Penstock lagoon including the below are now open after completion of vegetation fire damage works;

Penstock Lagoon boat ramp and campground

Penstock Lagoon Lady’s Walk campground

With a pleasant weekend forecast the fish should be rising. Tight lines.

https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2019/feb/22/penstock-lagoon-reopened

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 23 February 2019

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• IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies
• Penstock Lagoon

From Parks Tas website:

Advice from the Parks and Wildlife Service:

Nineteen Lagoons Open

Lake Augusta Road is now open to regular traffic for day use only.  Lakes and tracks north of Lake Augusta Road are open to visitors and fishers for day use only.  Pillans Track remains closed and overnight camping within the 19 Lagoons area is not permitted at this stage.  Lakes and tracks south of Lake Augusta Road from Thousand Lakes Lodge through to the Pine River remain closed due to continuing fire-fighting operations. Please drive to the conditions and be aware that fire fighters are still actively using Lake Augusta Road for fire fighting operations.

https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2019/feb/15/nineteen-lagoons-open

NORTHERN REGION

Central Plateau Conservation Area 
– tracks/lakes north of Lake Augusta Road, including Pillans Track Road, Julians Crossing, Pillans Lake–Lake Field remain closed for overnight camping
– tracks/lakes south of Lake Augusta from Thousand Lakes Lodge to the Pine River, including 19 Lagoons (O’Dell Lagoon / Lake Flora, Lake Kay Road, Lake Botsford, Double Lagoon Road, First Lagoon, Second Lagoon), remain closed
– tracks/lakes west of Lake Augusta, including Talinah Track Road (closed to vehicles), Lake Fanny beyond Talleh Lagoons, Lake Antimony, Lake Fergus, Higgs Track (closed past Lake Nameless), Ritters Track, Explorer Creek Track, Blue Peaks Track, and all remote walking routes east of the central Walls of Jerusalem area remain closed.

Walls of Jerusalem National Park – Little Fisher River Track is closed and routes east of Mt Jerusalem remain are closed

Liawenee Conservation Area – the reserve is closed

Rainbow Point Conservation Area – the reserve is closed

Remarkable Rock Conservation Area – the reserve is closed

Five Mile Pinnacles Conservation Area – the reserve is closed 

Little Pine Lagoon Conservation Area – the reserve is closed

Top Marshes Conservation Area – the reserve is closed

Steppes Homestead State Reserve – the reserve is closed 

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 17 February 2019

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Hit the Mersey River just on 7:00 am in what was cool foggy conditions to start with, but a good mild 19 degree day was forecast. My last trip here was back on the 5th December when I had a tough spin session chasing trout in similar conditions. As soon as I hit the water I could see plenty of trout on the rise in a wide long slow flowing flat water which meant I was in for another tough spin session. I fished a short fast water to start with just like I did on the last trip with the same result, no fish. As I headed into the wide long stretch of river with the fog slowly lifting there was a line of trout rising ahead of me which was quite good to watch. Trout were rising everywhere,

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Mersey River

Published: 09 February 2019

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• Mersey River
• Adrian

Read more: Another tough day chasing wild brown trout 2/2/2019

I Headed over to the Mersey River and walked down through several paddocks for a good kilometre or so below the Union Bridge then started fishing my way back upstream. I haven't fished here for quite some time due to the lack of trout being in the river, today I mainly wanted to see if it has improved with trout stocks. The river was running at a nice wading height and a dark tanning colour. I started off with a Mepps #1 gold black fury working it in several fast water and medium flowing runs without a sign of a trout over the first two hundred meters of river. I changed over to the #1 Aglia Furia and the first stretch of water I used it in I had a couple of follows from brown trout that were mainly out of interest, not a sign of aggression from either fish. Then decided to try hard body lures in that same stretch of water, all to no avail as I never had a follow on any of the five different hard body lures I tried.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Mersey River

Published: 08 February 2019

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• Adrian

Read more: Union Bridge area, very low on trout stocks 1/2/2019

Presented from Issue 117, August 2015

Where to go and what to do?

Just how lucky are we to live in a naturally beautiful and safe place like Tasmania?

It is school holiday time and I am lucky that I have been able to schedule a full week off my work to take the kids on an adventure somewhere. So where should we go? Just a relatively short drive in any direction can take you to some terrific places. Should we go back to Wynyard where we caught bucketfuls of magnificent squid at this time last year. But then again, maybe we should take the camper with the dingy on the roof back to Bruny Island where we had such fun catching tuck loads of Salmon the last time we were there? Then again there is always Strahan and that magnificent wild ocean beach to explore !

My daughter suggested we sneak around the east coast and maybe we could work out a win/win deal where all our needs could be met. My son is mad about fishing a nd my daughter is mad about surfing. Let’s go to St Helens I said.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: St Helens

Published: 08 February 2019

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Read more: Taking a winter break - Peter Hayes

Presented from Issue 117, August 2015
The editor Mike Stevens has asked me to write a short article about an underutilised fishery that we has recently become more accessible.

Opening out onto the waters of Bass Strait, the Weymouth area has long been acknowledged by those in the know (the locals) as one that produces quality recreational angling opportunities.

Up until recently and given the unpredictability of the predominate NW winds many avoided launching from here. The main obstacle was the substandard boat ramp and this troublesome facility often resulted in damage to expensive boats when launching or retrieving. Weymouth ramp upgrade

Thanks to a recent MAST upgrade the Trevor Street launching facilities are a huge improvement. Finished in early April 2015, these issues have to a large degree been addressed and this area now offers much safer accessibility for those who wish enjoy a day with family or mates.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: North West Coast

Published: 06 February 2019

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• North West Coast

Read more: Weymouth wows - A new boat ramp opens up a great bread and butter fishery - Todd Lambert

A late cancellation has resulted in there being just a few spaces available for the upcoming Girls Gone Fly Fishing event at Hayes on Brumby's Lodge, Cressy, Tasmania. 

This special event will be held on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of March. All accommodation, tuition, meals and airport transfers are included in the 'live in' cost of $900.

This will be the 5th year of this highly successful event and we are very excited to have Heather Hodson from the USA as our guest presenter at this years event. See her bio here.

There are limited opportunities for 'Live in' attendance and day attendance opportunities for those living locally.

Click here to book your place on this remarkable event.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Events

Published: 05 February 2019

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Read about a successful compliance outcome at:

https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2019/feb/05/successful-compliance-outcome

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

Published: 05 February 2019

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Christopher Bassano reviews last season and gives some tips for the upcoming season.

Presented from Issue 117, August 2015

Every season I am asked about various ‘fishing events’ or changes that occur through different months of the year. Many people are surprised to hear about the different options that we have. You may be surprised, but some of the best fishing over the last seasons has NOT been during summer.

Last season, the early season was the best I have known and generally I find pre-Christmas is better than after. The timing of your fishing may be determined by when you can get the time, in which case, the presence of tailing fish or sea trout or massive trout will not affect your fishing dates.

For other people, the option of doing something different, going somewhere new or trying a particular style of fishing or fish may require a change in their fishing schedule.

Here is a two year summary on how I have found the fishing in Tasmania.

Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training

Category: Trout Fishing

Published: 04 February 2019

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• Trout Fishing

Read more: Planning your season - Christopher Bassano