Tasmanian Fishing Report – 08/10/2020

Tasmanian Fishing ReportTasmanian Trout Fishing

9 Oct

This week although a little wet we find both salt and freshwater action quite hot ....

Saltwater

Australian Salmon are running well in and around SE surf beaches such as Clifton, Hope and Roaring Beach on the peninsula. Meanwhile fish to around 1kg have also been caught at both Cremone, Carlton River mouth and in the Denison Canal .... it seems as though this species is on the move as water temps rise for the summer season.

Yellow Tail Kingfish will appear early, we stress, in very limited numbers with the Australian Salmon ... no reports yet but there is always a report or two once salmon have arrived. However, for more reliable and constant action, most will all have to wait until at least January for a true arrival which as always will depend on water temperature and available baitfish.

Tiger Flathead are available along the mid to upper east coast. Further south fish have been encountered but not consistently biting just at the moment.

While Norfolk and Fredrick Henry Bays seem to have Sand Flathead biting well for the moment.

Closer to Hobart we have Calamari biting around Adventure and Nubeena Bays and throughout the channel.

Early Arrow Squid have been caught further up the east coast around Bicheno and St Helens. . But these can’t be relied upon for a good catch just at them moment. The run of fish will increase in the next few weeks.

Silver Trevalley are available at St Helens with soft plastics and even natural baits working the best in recent days. Fish up to 3kg are still being landed.

Sand Whiting have been available in sandy coastal and estuary bays throughout the State for a while now while the north coasts continue to give up good sized King George Whiting.

Southern Bluefin are quite for the moment ... October has long been regarded as a jumbo month but the action we have had over the last 12 weeks seems to have dried up.

Locally anglers currently look forward to striped trumpeter and calamari closures reopening soon.

Freshwater

Around the lakes keen fly fishers are anticipating some serious frog feeding action with trout starting to focus their attentions on spawning frogs in the shallows.

With an increased amount of water this year and higher water levels anglers are revelling in the action so far .... bead headed woolley bugger patterns seemingly the best choice.

Spin fishers have also faired well spinning the edges of many waters such as Great Lake, Lake Leake and Tooms Lake... frog action will certainly help anglers fishing these waters but so too has the timing for the annual spawning runs of many species of galaxia.

Trollers also taking good fish in Woods Lake, Bronte Lagoon and Four Springs in the north.

Last week saw fish in Four Springs and Tooms fall again to the dry fly.

Trout Season So Far

Its interesting to note that trout activity in the opening 8 weeks and condition and quality of fish has been the best we’ve seen for some 20 years and its only going to get better as trout turn to the surface in order to source their food and dry fly action continues to increase.

Nearly all waters have fished well since opening weekend and the overall condition of trout this season having to be seen to be believed.

Already Woods Lake, and Arthurs Lake have produced fish to 2.3kg to trolled lures.

While Duns been showing for a few weeks now.

Great Lake continuing to produce fish to both trolled and spun lures while fly fishing remains a little quiet on this water for the moment. .

For those anglers who possibly missed wet fly activity in the lower lakes during Sept will have a second chance to catch up with this action at higher altitude in our western lakes region shortly with the seasonal gate opening a highly anticipated event. . Again an olive woolley bugger stripped slowly at the mouths of underwater channels close to shore for best results.