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2020 05 14 One of two browns for day one

This report covers two consecutive days fishing tannin waters after some decent rains that got the streams up and running to a good fishing height again.

Day one:

The first trip was the morning after we had 26 mms of rain the day before and into the night and once at the river I found it to be running at a nice height and a very dark tannin colour. Several weeks ago I fished this same little tannin stream and had a good four days of fishing in it, I'm hoping for the same result again this trip. I was in the water at 8:20am and started off with a #00 White Miller Bug spinner, the same little one that did a good job in dark tannin water here before. The area I started off in is the upper reaches and the last trip here (7th March) I caught & released thirteen trout. Even though the water was a littler higher and faster flowing it was still good enough to be holding trout in flat water on both sides of it. I slowing fished my way upstream casting the Bug into the flat waters on both sides of the stream and waited for a strike as I retrieved the lure each time. Nothing happened, not a single touch from a trout, not even bow wave behind the spinner, the trout weren't here.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Trout Fishing; Published: 20 May 2020; Hits: 1377

2020 05 05 Another well conditioed wild brown trout It was back to the Meander fast waters again this morning for another spin session to see if I can add a few more trout to my season's tally of 370 trout. I wasn't intending to fish the fast waters today mainly because of the right hip but then decided what the heck get in there and see how you go, if fishing there aggravates it then I'll get out and head to the slower flowing waters. The conditions were quite overcast and a cool six degrees when I hit the clear flowing river at 10:10am, the water temp was sitting on ten degrees and it was cold on the legs too. I started the session off with a small #00 White Miller Bug spinner, it's not a colour I would normally start off using but I wanted to see how it would perform in the dull conditions and clear water. Well, not a lot happened for around fifteen minutes or so before a cast directly upstream into a flat water a small brown took it. Two head shakes from that little brown and it was gone, it tossed the White Miller as quick as it took it.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Meander River; Published: 11 May 2020; Hits: 1647

Read more: Back to the fast waters

During this Easter and school holiday period, recreational fishers should consider if going fishing is essential.

The Tasmanian Government has a clear position that Tasmanians should stay home to save lives.

If you are going fishing, please follow the latest advice on our website including:

How far can I travel to fish?

Can I go camping as part of my recreational fishing activity?

How many people can I go fishing with?

What procedures should I put in place when I go fishing?

What will happen with my recreational scallop licence?

What about inland fishing?

The COVID-19 situation is changing daily, please check the Tasmanian Government coronavirus website regularly for any updated information.

Recreational Fisheries Section, DPIPWE
Phone: 1300 720 647
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.fishing.tas.gov.au

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies; Published: 08 April 2020; Hits: 1987

IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

2020 04 03 Beautifully coloured tannin water wild trout Today's weather is not as good as I was hoping for as it was bright sunny conditions with a North Easterly wind blowing at 15 kph which will make for a tough time in the small tannin stream I'm heading to this morning. It's also a day to be on the lookout for snakes, perfect weather conditions for them to be out and about. I was a little slow of the mark in heading to the stream due to the long spin session I had yesterday the body was a little on the sore side this morning.

By the time I walked (1.5kms) and reached the stream it was 9:20 am, a little late given the conditions that were forecast. The stream had dropped in level as I had expected it to, any lower and I wouldn't have fished it. Today I started off using a gold #00 Aglia Mouche Noire just for something different to see if the trout would take it in the low, light tannin waters. This 1.5 kms of is very tight fishing as it's pretty narrow over the distance and the foliage isn't as thick, it's more open than other areas I've previously fished.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Trout Fishing; Published: 04 April 2020; Hits: 1455

Scallop season closure

The Premier has announced that the recreational scallop season in Tasmania will remain closed as part of broader measures to protect Tasmanians during the current COVID-19 situation.

The season was originally scheduled to open this Saturday, 4 April.

As the scallop season can see thousands of fishers travelling to the East Coast, this decision is consistent with the Premier's goal to minimise non-essential travel.

DPIPWE Recreational Fisheries is working through the implications of this for recreational licence holders and will provide further information in the near future on our website and the Fisheries Tasmania Facebook page.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies; Published: 03 April 2020; Hits: 2058

IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

2020 03 25 Beautifully coloured wild brown trout This trip today required a forty minute walk to where I started off the spin session in what was quite good conditions, apart from the lack of cloud it was a top morning to be chasing trout. It was 8:50am when I hit the river and started the session off with a well used #00 copper Aglia mainly because I was fishing in shade & the water was still reasonably dark in colour, if it doesn't catch a trout then I'll make a change. The water level had already dropped by a few inches since my last trip so I have to make the most of fishing these tannin waters while there's still some decent water flowing in them. Casting up and across the stream into the flat water near the river banks I had a few light hit and misses on the Aglia, I wasn't sure whether to stick with it or give it a bit longer. I did the latter and it wasn't all that long when I had my first hook up and trout in hand, a small/medium brown and a plump fish it was. I continued working the spinner from one side to the other in the stream as I slowly fished my way up it and had a couple more hook ups but lost both fish. I don't mind losing the odd trout every now and then but when I lose two in a row then it's time for a lure change, it was off with the Aglia and on with a #00 March Brown Bug spinner.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Trout Fishing; Published: 27 March 2020; Hits: 1489

Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 and following the Federal Government’s ban on outdoor gatherings of over 500 people, Trout Weekend 2020 will not be going ahead. The Inland Fisheries Service has reluctantly taken this measure, as this is an important event for anglers and the Central Highlands community alike.

The Trout Fishing Competition continues. This year the competition winners will be announced at a later date.

Trout Weekend will return over Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 May in 2021 and we hope you will be able to join us once again at the Liawenee Field Station.

If you would like more information, please contact me via email or mobile listed below.

Kind Regards,
Steve Paterson
Manager – Compliance, Inland Fisheries Service (Tasmania)

17 Back River Rd
New Norfolk TAS 7140
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mob: 0438 338 530 Work: 03 6165 3808 http://www.ifs.tas.gov.au

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies; Published: 21 March 2020; Hits: 1492

IFS, DPIPWE, MAST and Peak Bodies

2014 03 15 A quality 1.04 kg wild brown trout After having such a great fast water spin session a few days ago I headed back to the Meander to have another crack at getting a double figure catch. This time it was a mid morning start, a morning that had clear skies, light breeze and a temperature of 22 degrees later in the day.

It was 9:45 am when I hit the river above the Chestnut Road Bridge to fish a long nice stretch of fast water, the first thing I noticed was green algae covering the most of the river bottom. Soon as I had seen that I knew then and there it wasn't going to be a good day on the trout here. I did fish around four hundred meters of river without seeing a trout so headed back to the car and drove to the fast waters in the upper Meander River.

: Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training; Category: Meander River; Published: 16 March 2020; Hits: 1782

2014 03 14 Another fast water wild brown trout The weather today was supposed to be fine and windy with rain due later in the day, well it was 2:00pm and the sky was still clear, there was hardly any wind blowing so I headed off for a spin session. This trip was to the upper reaches of the Meander River to fish the fast water, a long stretch of water that holds quite a few trout at this time of the year. It was 3:40 PM when I hit the river that was running clear and in full sun which didn't bother me all that much, as the day goes on it will be shaded by the trees and foliage that line both sides of the river.