Season’s greetings to all
ANGLERS are in a state of excitement as they count down to the opening of the Tasmanian trout season this weekend.
Armed with licences and new equipment, many will be trying for an opening-day fish at well-stocked lower-level impoundments such as Craigbourne Dam or Tooms Lake.
Woods Lake will no doubt be well visited, but a good fire might be the order of the day.
The Inland Fisheries Service has released some interesting figures readers might find useful. This data comes from its annual report and concerns the popularity of waters. Findings included:
● Four Springs Lake rose in popularity from 11th to sixth.
● Bronte Lagoon has slipped in popularity from fourth to fifth.
● Penstock Lagoon has moved up from sixth into fourth place.
● Bradys Lake has dropped from fifth to eighth.
● Lake Leake fell from 10th to 18th due to low water levels.
Great Lake remained the state’s most popular fishery, ahead of Arthurs Lake.
The River Derwent and the Mersey River are the top two most-fished rivers respectively. St Patricks River has moved back into the top 10 most-fished rivers, displacing the North Esk River.
The highest catch rates (fish per angler per day) for the year across all the waters (where the number of respondents was greater than 11 anglers) were reported at:
Lake King William............ 2.73
Huntsman Lake................. 2.60
Lake Pedder.........................2.15
Lake Burbury..................... 2.02
Woods Lake......................... 1.79
Lake Echo............................. 1.77
Lake Augusta...................... 1.76
Penstock Lagoon................ 1.77
Lake Mackintosh............... 1.59
Tyenna River...................... 1.48
Breaming with details
ITEMS on the agenda in the 2018-20 IFS management plan, which has been released for public comment, include the plan to oversee the bream fishery in more detail, plus possibly introduce estuarine perch into the mix as a “sports’’ fish.
Opening up the lower reaches of the Derwent during the “closed’’ season is another possibility.
To view the plan, go to https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/about-us/publications/ tasmanian-inlandrecreational-fisherymanagement-plan-2008-2018
Flat-out at Marion Bay
MARION Bay is currently the place for fish, with some good sand flathead being caught in deeper water.
Browns River continues to be a “hot zone” for southern black bream, which are being caught both on bait and lure.
Waters in the North are muddied by rainfall and siltation, but may clear in time for opening-day adventures.
St Leonards may be a good spot to throw in a worm, or possibly Corra Lynn.
I saw quite a few earlyseason whitebait at Trevallyn Tailrace the other day, so a bait or lure fished deep might be the go for here.
Squid are starting to put in an appearance, with local Leo Miller getting among a few in deeper waters offshore.
Traditionally calamari squid start to move in-shore during late August and September, but early action looks like happening this year. We shall keep you posted.