Old time rock ‘n’ troll

TROLLING for fish is a popular pastime around Tasmania. Of course, this method requires a boat, canoe or kayak of some sort.

Older trout anglers favour trolling a fly or “harling’’.

However, switched-on anglers who seek trout try to get their lures down deep or where the fish are, and for this purpose lead-line or paravanes are used.

A lot complain that using lead-lines or paravanes takes the fight from the fish because all you are getting is the weight of the line, and I suppose this is true if you are a “meat” angler.

Those who sport fish usually use light line or fly rods.

I’m often asked what speed is a good speed for trolling lures and, being a bibbed lure maker I’d suggest anywhere between 1-2 knots (a fast walking pace) would be ideal, but it pays to mix it up.

If you are trolling for a period of time, stop the motor and let your lure sink or float to the surface. Just doing this can elicit a strike from a following fish.

Alternatively you could speed up. This can give the lure the appearance of a baitfish speeding up, trying to get away, which is sometimes all that is needed to spur a predator into action.

I suppose the same goes for spinning a lure from a bank. Mix up your retrieve with fast winds of the reel, or stop and let your lure rest.

The same goes for tuna fishing. Change your speed if trolling a set of lures. Even stopping now and then just may bring on an attack.

With tuna, your trolling speed should be a bit faster, say 5-6 knots, and again mix it up. Some even troll at 8 knots, which has the effect of skipping lures on to the surface. Combined with bubble wash from motors, this can prove to be a deadly technique.

I’d also suggest that if you are starting out on tuna fishing, talk to anglers who have been doing it for years. Also, look at what the manufacturer of the lures recommends as a good trolling speed (it’s usually on the packaging) and go from there.

The right speed for trolling lures is where most go wrong, with both tuna and trout.

Barrels of fun

TUNA are still being caught, with the odd “barrel’’ being landed. Most of the bluefin taken are of school sizes, which are not to be sneezed at.

Anglers who are seeking fish are asking for some good locations to try at the moment.

Along Derwent shores you can expect bream and even some good sea-run trout, which are taking bluecoloured soft plastics or bibbed minnows that look like whitebait.

The Kingston breakwater is a site often overlooked, yet some good flathead, squid and even salmon have been caught there by anglers spin-fishing recently.

I’d be trying beaches for big salmon because some have been taken in very shallow surf.

Rug up, get the kids in their wellies and go forth, because autumn and winter is the best time for beach fishing.