Merry Xmas & Fishing Report – 18 December 2020
A Christmas Message
From everyone at The Fishing Connection we would like to wish all our customers a Safe and Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We will take a break from the weekly email and we will be back early in January with further reports. Happy Fishing and tight lines till then.
Saltwater
Sand Flathead continue to bite well in all areas – hotspots being Storm and Marion Bays.
Tiger flathead seemed to be doing similar last weekend – reports received were mainly from Marion Bay.
Snapper were caught in Storm Bay last week. Fish size seems to be on the small size but the good news is they are there.
Australian Salmon are now in numbers in most areas and feeding heavily on summer baitfish. Denison Canal saw fish to 1kg being caught on evening. Cremorne is fishing well too.
Sand Whiting have again been encountered in Storm Bay, Primrose and Lewisham areas.
School and Gummy Shark have been responding well to those targeting them around Schouten Island, Fortescue and Storm Bay areas. Use well-constructed running rig made of solid 50lb leader and 5/0 to 7/0 circle hooks and fresh squid as bait.
Atlantic Salmon are still widely available in “the channel”, Huon and Derwent rivers, Pittwater and Lewisham channels and Pipeclay and Southport Lagoons. These fish are now starting to target lures as they begin to concentrate on baitfish instead of pellets.
Calamari are going well along most of our coastlines, big southerlies have affected the fishing a tad but fish were back on in recent days.
Bream available throughout the Derwent estuary and feeder tributaries such as Browns River at Kingston. These fish are hitting baits lure and fly readily.
Yellowtail Kingfish are quiet for the moment.
Southern Bluefin are reported to be biting well in the south around Pedra and Mewstone with fish to 80kg taken last week. Rumours of smaller fish in Tasman Peninsula waters are circulating particularly around Tasman Island and also wide of Freycinet on the shelf in about 200m.
Albacore Tuna were caught last weekend along the shelf wide of Coles Bay and also of Eagle Hawk Neck in 200m of water.
Rock Lobster potting well in the south and a little bit slower further up the coast.
Freshwater
Penstock Lagoon bounces back this week with good fish hitting the dry fly readily all throughout the week. Wet fly is still working on the rougher days.
Lake Leake continues its golden run after a quiet patch, during the windy period a few weeks back owing to the fact it became murky. Having cleared somewhat recently the resident brown and rainbows were very quick to come back on the chew. Spin, troll and fly all working well.
Tooms Lake fishing well to those prepared to put in the time. Troll and spinning producing most of the fish.
Arthurs Lake has become murky in recent weeks and fishing activity has slowed. Fish are taking a dun on the right day. Trollers and spin fishers struggling.
Great Lake continues to fish well with shore-based angling nearly as productive as by those using a boat. Fit trout to 2kg are being taken. Sharks in the wind lanes and early morning midge feeders have been real highlights.