During the trout off-season I tend to spend a bit of time chasing bream, to continue getting a fishing fix, and spend time tying flies and dreaming about the trout season to come. It’s a time to spend doing tackle maintenance, stocking up on lures and dreaming up new challenges and goals for the trout season ahead. When the new season comes around I usually spend the first few months targeting sea runners. Sea run trout are simply brown trout that spend much of there lives out to sea and come in to the estuaries for spawning and to feed on whitebait and the other small endemic fishes that spawn in late winter through spring. Mixed in with the silvery sea runners you can also expect to catch resident fish that have the typical dark colours of a normal brown trout as well as atlantic salmon in some of our estuaries that are located near salmon farm pens. Living in Hobart it is quick and easy to do a trip on the Huon or Derwent and is a more comfortable proposition compared to a trip up to the highlands with snow and freezing winds to contend with.
Read more ...Please check all relevant authorities before fishing - www.ifs.tas.gov.au and dpipwe.tas.gov.au . Don't forget issuu.com/stevenspublishing for years of back issues !
Shannon paragalaxias (P. dissimilis) |
Each year we monitor the native fish populations at Penstock and Shannon lagoons. The three species of fish we are looking for are, the spotted galaxias, the Shannon paragalaxias and the Great Lake paragalaxias. This year we caught a very large number of both the spotted galaxias and more pleasingly, the threatened Shannon paragalaxias. This is the highest numbers of this species that have been found at for many years! The third species, the Great Lake paragalaxias, which is much harder to find and occurs only in low numbers in these lagoons, was found within both lagoons. This is a great outcome and indicates the overall health of these waters is good.
Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/may/14/penstock-and-shannon-lagoons-native-fish-monitoring
On Friday 14th May 2021 Barry John McDermott appeared in the Devonport Magistrates Court charged with the illegal possession of whitebait.
The charges related to 7.86 Kilograms of whitebait seized by Fisheries Officers from a residence in Devonport whilst executing a search warrant in November 2019.
Mr McDermott was convicted and fined $1344, plus $85.86 Court Costs.
Illegal fishing is an ongoing problem with the whitebait fishery. Each year IFS officers actively target poachers to ensure the long term viability of the recreational whitebait fishery.
We strongly urge anyone that suspects illegal activity at our inland waters to report it to us. You can call 0438 338 530 or 1300 INFISH (1300 463 474). You can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/may/14/whitebait-poacher-convicted
Tasmanian Irrigation wishes to advise that Craigbourne Dam in Tasmania’s South East is now open to the public. The dam was closed to fishing and recreational activities as a precaution due to the detection of naturally occurring blue-green algae.
Tasmanian Irrigation thanks the public for its patience during the recent closure.
Source: Craigbourne Dam now open (ifs.tas.gov.au)
We released Atlantic salmon into Brushy Lagoon today, approximately 170 at an average of 1.2kg. These fish were an opportunistic donation by Huon Aquaculture. Happy fishing all!
Source: Brushy Lagoon Stocking (ifs.tas.gov.au)
The IFS released Atlantic Salmon into Brushy Lagoon
Information for suitable applicants who have an interest in the Fisheries Community Engagement area.
Applications close soon!
The Leader Fisheries Engagement is based in Launceston at 0.8 to 1.0 FTE.
Improved western access to Pet Reservoir |
Pet Reservoir now has improved access for older and mobility impaired anglers.
Works have been completed to improve the parking area close to the existing access on the western side of the dam, the path to the edge of the dam and widen pedestrian access.
The reservoir is home to a healthy population of brown and rainbow trout.
Source: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/news/2021/apr/01/pet-reservoir-access-improved
Tasmanian Irrigation wishes to advise that Craigbourne Dam in Tasmania’s South East is closed to the public. The dam is closed to fishing and recreational activities as a precaution due to the detection of naturally occurring blue-green algae.
Tasmanian Irrigation is continuing to monitor the dam on a weekly basis and will advise the public when Craigbourne Dam is available for recreational use. There is currently no impact on irrigation as a result of the dam closure.
Tasmanian Irrigation thanks the public for its patience during the closure.
Source: Blue-Green Algae Advisory for Craigbourne Dam (ifs.tas.gov.au)
Needing only ten more trout to reach my 300th trout for the 2020/21 trout season and with the larger rivers still running high after 47mms of rain three days ago I had no option but to head back to my favourite tannin waters. The weather was fine, no wind to worry about plus I had an earlier start to the day than I normally do, I was in the water by 8:20 am. At this time of the year the sun rises much later than last month and lower in the sky in the morning to what it was last month. Not that it mattered all that much as the area I'm fishing has a lot of dense foliage on both sides of the stream.
Due to the constraints of delivering a COVID-Safe event, Trout Weekend 2021 will not go ahead.
The Inland Fisheries Service has reluctantly taken this measure, as this is an important event for the Inland Fisheries Service, anglers and the Central Highlands community.
Trout Weekend is planned to return on the 21 and 22 May in 2022.
For any queries, contact Steve Paterson on 0438 338 530 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Source: Trout Weekend 2021 cancelled
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Here is a list of all of the Article Categories. The number in Brackets, eg (13) is the number of articles. Click on Derwent River and all articles relating to the Derwent will be displayed in the central area.
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My name is Stephen Smith and I have been managing the website tasfish.com since May 2009.
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and an art worth your learning.."
Presented from Issue 112, October 2014
So said Izaak Walton in the 1600s. It seems that Burnie’s Hannah Ledger has combined angling with art rather well. Hannah is a fish fanatic, outdoor enthusiast and budding, self-taught artist. From as young as she can remember, she has always had crayon in hand, colouring book under arm and as she’s grown as a painter, jars full of paintbrushes and cupboards full of ready-to-go blank canvas’.
A country girl at heart, Hannah was schooled at Yolla District High School, a small ‘farm’ school in the states North West, then went on to Hellyer College where she was given the opportunity to really grow her art skills; And by grow, that meant skipping the classes that would probably have more an impact of getting her somewhere in life, like English and Math to spend every spare minute with the art teacher, painting or drawing.
As typical teenagers do, they make poor decisions- and after being accepted in to one of the countries top art schools, turned down the offer and decided to move to the big island, where she lived for 5 years working in what seemed ‘dead end’ retail.
Read more ...