Fishing Tasmania's Tamar Heads

by Carl Hyland on 5 Sep 2011 Tasmania is renowned for its trout fishing hotspots and rightly so, but the game action and general fishing along the North Coast rates as some of the best in Australia.

Whilst tidal outflows at this time are laden with freshwater from deluges that have occurred in catchment areas, water will clear and temperatures will rise. Hovering at around 11C at this time, brine action can be had if and when you move from the murky discoloured water.

At Low Head, there is a man built breakwater which provides shelter from prevailing North West winds and this is a great platform from which to fish with many species being caught from here, fish such as Luderick and Black drummer with pelagic species such as Yellowtail Kingfish, couta, snook and big Australian salmon being present near all year around.

Of a night time, under lights provided for the nearby Pilot vessel, squid both arrow and calamari can be taken with jigs plus species such as yellow eyed mullet and couta.

It’s often hard to find a spot to fish as anglers are usually shoulder to shoulder.

Offshore, the game action can be incredible with Mako shark the most sought after game species and it’s not uncommon to see boats heading 30km’s offshore to chase this species during the warmer summer months.

Closer in, where sandy bottom meets shale, good flathead fishing can be had as well as smaller sharks being available to catch, fish such as gummy shark and seven gillers.Over weed beds just inside the river mouth, sand whiting and luderick swim in vast schools.

Depths at the Tamar Heads range from 55 metres to 12 metres and are usually constant around the North Coast making for great calamari fishing and shark angling. Divers have great luck on species such as greenlip abalone and the Tasmanian Lobster. Those using pots also have luck especially towards the East where sandy beds meets rocky limestone ledges.

Well worth a visit, the Tamar Heads must be put on the to do list for visiting anglers!