Tasmanian Fishing Report 02/03/23

Store NewsTasmanian Fishing ReportTasmanian Trout Fishing

2 Mar

Marcus Saunders searching for sippers in the Western Lakes. Photo @samuelpshelley

The fishing has been outstanding over the last month and is only looking to get better.

We would love to hear your reports and see photos of your catches to help fellow anglers. Please email info@spotonfishinghobart.com.au or send them to our Facebook/Instagram Page.

Freshwater

Lake Crescent – Big fish continue to be caught, 4” soft plastics and presso 9f lures seem to be the most productive with fish being most active early in the day.

Bronte Lagoon – is fishing well with fly anglers doing well sight fishing from the shore. Low levels and a lot of weeds is making it hard to trollers and lure anglers to have much success.

Dee lagoon – Reports of good browns and rainbows coming from the dee with trolling and drift spinning being the most effective way of catching fish. A few fly fishermen have done well if there is a hatch on with rainbows happy to feed of the top.

Lake echo – Trollers are doing very well trolling deep with lead line of down riggers, fish are all in great condition and of very good average size. Fly fisherman have been finding it hard with fish preferring to hang deep instead of feeding in close

Lake Burbury – Early morning wind lanes have been very productive with anglers getting large numbers of browns and hard fighting rainbows. Casting small bibbed minnows or fishing damsel patterns at fish moving on the surface is the most productive way to catch good numbers of fish.

Great Lake – Early morning midge feeders continue to be good, with a few anglers finding beetle and Jassid falls in the evening as well. Trolling sting cobras deep on the weed beds using lead line is also proving very effective.

Lake St Clair - Often over looked this lake is hugely productive, drift spinning, trolling and sight fishing up the northern end with flies and lures has been resulting in some great fish being caught.

Salt Water

Australian Salmon
Good numbers of fish have been wide spread around Tas up to 2kg, small silver lurers slow trolled or spun are proving really effective. Large schools over the last few days have been busting up around the Tasman Bridge on the Eastern Shore.

Squid
Calamary have been caught down the East coast and Southern bays. Large numbers of arrows are currently being caught around maria with anglers complaining it’s hard to get a lure in the water to chase anything else without the arrow squid attacking it.

Bream
The bream have been on fire in the Derwent River and southern estuaries. Hard body lures fished over flats on a high tide have been most anglers preferred method. The Presso and Eco gear MW62 lures have been a stable lure of choice.

Bluefin
School fish have been seen and caught in Storm Bay, a few Blues have been caught in close around the Hippolyte Rocks and the mouth of Fortescue Bay. The North of the state has been the hot spot over the last month with fishing very close to shore along the cost.

Albacore
Small fish have arrived from around the 100m depth and out towards the shelf. The fish have been in large numbers in the smaller school size around 5-10kg. No reports of bigger models as of yet.

Snapper
Good numbers starting to appear in Frederick Henry Bay and Storm Bay recently. With large number of pinkies around the 30-35cm size appearing all over the place. A few fish have been caught in the larger 50cm plus range as well.

Kingfish
This year has been red hot with the kings making an appearance early, East coast, Derwent, Port Arthur and North West Bay have been the most reliable spots. Anglers have been catching on a wide array of tackle from bait to trolling lures like a Halco Laser Pro 120 and Small Meridian Mini D lures.

Sword Fish
The odd Sword has been caught over the last few weeks. When the weather has been decent anglers have been able to get a bite, this may indicate that good numbers are around.

Mackerel
Large schools of Mackerel have been see all along the coast. Great fun for kids and an excellent bait.

IFS News

Reminder Lake Kay and Double Lagoon track closures

Anglers are reminded that works to upgrade the Lake Kay and Double Lagoon tracks in the Western Lakes will commence on Monday 6th March and continue for approximately two weeks. The tracks will be periodically closed during this period. Please follow all signs and speed limits.

Anglers will experience improved access when the works are completed. Your patience is appreciated.

Inaugural Australian Fly Fishing Pairs Competition

Bring a mate and a boat and compete for some great prizes on Sunday 19th March. All monies raised will be used to support Australian Fly Fishing teams competing overseas.

No membership required, just a fishing licence and someone with a boat licence. To register go to www.flyfishaustralia.com.au and follow the links to the Australian Fly Fishing Pairs Competition.

Use whatever flies you like, how you like (fly rods only) and on a lake in the Central Highlands to be announced at the briefing. Registration opens on the 17th February and you must attend the briefing at the Great Lake Hotel at 8:30am on Sunday 19th March.

Enquiries can be made to Jason Garrett, the event organiser on 0408838753. All Australian Team members competing in the event understand that they could be auctioned off to have a third person in their boat to see how they go about working through a competition session. Yep, its just like a Pro AM and if you cannot find a friend or a boat, come along anyway.

The day will be a great experience to new fly fisher people to the sport, FFA members, FFA alumni members, fly fishing clubs and anyone wanting to have a fun day on the water. Andrew Hart from Hook Line and Sinker will be there so you will have a chance to get on camera. The boys from Spot On are also putting in a team!

Cost is $200 per team and we look forward to seeing you all. There are some great prizes, including one for highest placed club pair.

At the conclusion of the fishing, we will meet back at the Great Lake Hotel to award the prizes. See you all there.