Early season prospects

by Carl Hyland on 2 Sep 2013 Sitting at my computer desk it is a pleasure to look out and see blossom on the fruit trees, sun shining and listen to the blackbirds in full song. It just makes me want to get out there and go fishing, which is what I intend to do once the writings done. Prospects are good with heavy rains still flushing most rivers and this is even before snow melt begins. Once that happens, we should see some improvement in fishing even further.

Those fortunate enough to get out have braved treacherous conditions and as I mentioned, most freshwater streams are running a bunker and bottoms are either too deep to see or are very slippery. There are options though, some have taken to fishing up in amongst trees where cockchafer beetles are everywhere, washed out of flooded pastures no doubt, what this means is that trout, bream and many other species are now gorging on this sumptuous banquet.

In some estuaries, young elvers(eels) are making their way up fish ladders on dewy or wet nights, across paddock’s to try and reach sheltered waters where they can grow fat and in turn, start the life cycle all over again. Already we can see options where if you ‘match the hatch’, you would have luck. A big black gold t-tail soft plastic would match an elver appearance and a small fly would suffice for the cockchafers.

Lake Crescent declared carp free.

When a lone female carp was captured in an aggregation with a number of 'Judas' transmitter fish in December 2007 the Carp Management team knew that they may have been on a winner. Despite extensive effort over the past six years no carp have been captured and no recruitment observed in the lake confirming that it is carp free. Staff recently spent one and a half days removing many hundreds of metres of old chicken wire barriers, star pickets and an assortment of carp traps from Lake Crescent that were used to block and trap the final fish. With high lake levels and steadily improving water quality the removal of the equipment returns the lake to a condition seen prior to the discovery of European carp in 1995. The native golden galaxias is now once again abundant and despite proving difficult to catch large trout have also been seen in recent surveys. Lake Sorell carp monitoring continues and hopefully, one day, we can see this once magnificent trout fishery returned to its former glory. Read more at www.ifs.tas.gov.au

In the brine, the Striped trumpeter season has just close and re-opens on 1st November 2013. Reports indicate that the trumpeter season was very successful for many anglers and I have even included this species in my bucket list for this year. I am told that once you have tasted striped trumpeter, no other fish will satisfy.

Tasmanian seems to be the place for unseasonal capture especially on species like King George whiting and snapper. Recently, slender tuna were caught in the Derwent River by anglers targeting Australian salmon and these reports can be viewed at www.redmap.org.au

Finally, my favourite place (which I aim to visit later this week) is Trevallyn tailrace which I have mentioned many times before. Some good sea run trout have been landed here over the last week and with the eels and other fish being present, the big fish are starting to feed up. A big fillet of striped tuna should get the results I am after or perhaps that t-tail soft plastic could bring one undone?

Attached is a picture of the best spots to fish at the tailrace (land based) and the yellow dot is where the outflow exit is located form the power station. I find it best to fish in the turbulent waters.

Until next time, take care.