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Trolling for flathead - a proven method

by Phillip Ellerton

Try something different: Flathead on the troll. Your average angler has caught a flathead on bait. We've all done it before, a relaxing afternoon catching enough flathead for friends and family.

Category: Saltwater and Estuary Fishing

Published: 22 September 2008

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Tasmanian's South West Australia's undiscovered frontier

Rod Green of South West Adventure Tours the Strahan area on the West Coast.

Great fishing, variety and spectacular scenery is what awaits any fisherman and their families venturing into the West coast.

Category: Saltwater and Estuary Fishing

Published: 22 September 2008

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Surf Fishing techniques

by Phil Ellerton

Tasmania is blessed with some of the most beautiful, scenic beaches in the world, all containing various numbers of sought after sportfish.
Often species as rare as Tailor, enter out waters with there being a ready supply of Rays, Sharks, Flathead, Whiting, Mullet an the more elusive Blackback Salmon. The fact is, that these secluded beaches are not heavily fished and publicised, like the more popular mainland destinations. As in all fishing there are certain techniques, rigs and baits which will give you the advantage and swing the odds back into your favour.

Category: Saltwater and Estuary Fishing

Published: 12 September 2008

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Crankin' for Bream

by Dwayne Rigby

Lure fishing for Bream is quite popular on the Mainland. It is not widely practised in Tasmania. Dwayne Righy of Hobart explains his techniques and the lures that have brought him success in the South of Tasmania.

Category: Bream

Published: 19 August 2008

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Snapper Hat

by Andrew Hart

On December 27 a young man lost his lucky hat. This incident took place somewhere on the Tamar River at around 3:00 pm. The Hot Tuna hat is grey and faded, and has a picture of a fish on the front.

Category: Saltwater and Estuary Fishing

Published: 19 August 2008

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Catching Yellowtail Kingfish

by Ron McBain

Additional information by Steve Suitor

Yellowtail Kingfish - or "Kingies" as they are referred to often - are a fish found in all Australian states. They are an elongated while some of larger fish can be fatter - more like an Albacore in shape. Colour of dark blue to purple above, silvery below, the two colours separated by a broad yellowish-green longitudinal band. The spinous dorsal and pectoral fins are light bluish, the other fins including the tail are yellow. The Kingies are a totally different fish from Yellowfin Tuna. Kingies are a schooling fish, where there is one there are usually a lot more.

Category: Saltwater and Estuary Fishing

Published: 19 August 2008

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Flinders Island - spectacular fishing, scenery and adventure

Especially, Flinders Island has not been discovered yet. It has no crowds, traffic jams or rip, rush and tear. The weather is mild by Tasmanian standards with frost free winters and more sunshine than the Gold Coast. It has spectacular natural beauty, lots of fish and friendly people. James Luddington reports on one of Tasmania's most productive fishing areas - Flinders Island.

Category: Saltwater and Estuary Fishing

Published: 19 August 2008

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Burnie to Wynyard

Burnie
Best shore based areas are Black and Red Rocks at Cooee Point west of Burnie. The Penguin boat ramp is a great location as is Penguin Point just to the west of the ramp. Boat Harbour is good from the beach and the point is also good from the rocks. The Bund Breakwall in front of the Burnie Yacht Club is fast becoming one of the hot spots around Burnie. A lot of salmon are taken during the day and good catches of squid are also caught. Small snapper are also taken here occasionally.

Blackmans Reef off the main Burnie wharf is a terrific hot spot when the salmon are running and if it is too rough here the water on the inside of the main breakwall will give good fishing and protected waters.

Also near Burnie, to the west, is the Cam River at Somerset. This a great place to take the family with grassy banks adjoining the river and a playground to keep them occupied. Mullet are plentiful and there is always a bream or two to be caught.

Wynyard
Wynyard has some fantastic fishing - from Table Cape just west of the town to the Inglis River on which it is situated. Table Cape and Fossil Bluff are especially productive. The Inglis River adjoins Wynyard and fish are caught virtually in the main street. Fishing off the wharf is always productive. At night, salmon are almost guaranteed and it's a lot of fun. Off the mouth, trolling for salmon is virtually a local custom with a sliced piece of plastic tube as the lure. There is some great bream fishing in the Inglis River.

Category: North West Coast

Published: 18 August 2008

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Devonport to Ulverstone

Devonport
Moving west from Port Sorell you'll find Morelands Beach, which stretches from Port Sorell to Wrights Island - around five kilometres east of the Mersey River at Devonport. Access is from opposite the mill at Wesley Vale and surf fishers often drive along the beach. This is one of the most popular beaches in the area with good gutters. Best fishing for large flathead is October/November. Salmon are caught all year.

Wrights Island is directly off the airport. A boat is needed and good pike and calamari squid are found inside the island, while outside wrasse, leatherjacket and flathead. Good pike are trolled up off the eastern side of the heads, but these are also caught off the shore.

The breakwater on the eastern shore is popular for cocky salmon, snotty trevally, flathead, mullet and couta. Half to three quarter incoming tide is the most productive.

The western breakwater is blocked off to fishing and the next popular area is the Mersey Bluff. Access is good either from the beach or the car park at the top. The best fishing is on the eastern side where salmon, shark, couta, flathead, and pike are taken over sandy broken bottom. On the western side there is reefy bottom and wrasse, leatherjacket and other reef species are found here. Luderick are also found off the bluff, although only a few Tasmanians target these.

Back Beach and Coles Beach are easily accessed between the Bluff and Don heads. A lot of fishing is done from boats around the Don heads for pike, couta and salmon. The heads are also easily accessed from both sides.

Further along is the Forth River. This is a popular areas for large Australian salmon. Local boat fishers claim trolling is only successful when undertaken in an east - west direction. No one seems to know why. Skipping plastic lures or squid imitations across the surface is most successful and trolling fast is essential. Occasionally shore fishers can reach these fish, but the size is usually smaller.

Ulverstone

Ulverstone is a lovely town with friendly people and a small estuary that gives easy access to the sea. The area is not as productive as one would think though. The Leven River estuary contains mullet, Australian Salmon and a few trevally, and apart from some good sea-run trout in spring little else. A few couta are also caught around the mouth.

The breakwall on the eastern shore is one of the most popular fishing spots. Fish this on an incoming tide for wrasse, cod, couta and salmon. The western side is not as popular, but a silver wobbler cast into eddying water will often be worth the effort.

There is a good boat ramp and pontoon on the western shore of the Leven River. Beach fishing around Ulverstone is generally not as good as further east around Turners Beach.

All the coastal area from Ulverstone to Rocky Cape is similar in structure, accessibility and species. Most rivers are navigable only at high tide, which is often the best fishing time anyway.

Flathead are readily caught all through this area, gurnard perch are another good catch which are ugly, have poisonous spines, and some claim good eating. Couta are somewhat seasonal, while Australian salmon are caught all year round. Much of this area was, in the past, subject to some unsavoury and dirty industry, but this has all changed. Pollution is now virtually non-existent and the fishing has improved enormously. Regularly sighted off the coast are dolphins, whales, and seals.

If you have access to a boat, occasional snapper and school shark are available off shore. Inshore rock cod, leatherjacket, couta, yellowtail kingfish, squid and salmon are the reward. It is an abundant area that deserves some closer attention as the water quality improves.

Category: North West Coast

Published: 18 August 2008

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