Hobart

Summer visitors sliding in

HOBART Andrew Large

Wet weather for the moment has eased significantly in recent weeks all across Tasmania allowing anglers to pursue their chosen summer species.

Tiger flathead are biting well from Musselroe Bay in the northeast to Adventure Bay, and Bruny Island in the southeast. Anglers have been experiencing good fishing on the top of the tide, just on the turn. These flathead have been taken on both fresh bait and a slowly drifted soft plastic. Daiwa Bait Junky Minnows in the 100mm size doing well.

Meanwhile, Australian salmon have begun chasing and feeding heavily on the influx of bait over the last month. Swansea, St Helens, Orford and Dunalley have all experienced great runs of fish to 2kg. Cremorne closer to Hobart has seen masses of these fish taking Halco Silver Slice lures in the 30-40g size.

Sand flathead continue to fire up for summer, with some great catches being taken close to the Hobart CBD in the Derwent estuary and further afield into Storm Bay. Marion Bay on the east coast has also surprised anglers with a happy mix of both tiger and sand flathead. Drift spinning the many beaches from the shore with a Berkley Nemesis is also producing good flathead as these fish feed closer to shore.

The Derwent and other larger estuary systems in the southeast continue to produce bream to 45cm. The best results are being obtained further up in the mid sections of these systems. Hardbody minnows and soft plastics seem to be imitating the bait at the moment.

Early rumours of kingfish abound, particularly in the southeast as they do every year around December. It isn’t necessarily too early for Tasmania, particularly in the northeast. My thoughts are kingfish are possible any time after the Australian salmon arrive for the year; this essentially coincides with water temperatures rising and starting to pass through the 14-15°C bracket in late November. Of course, an angler’s chances increase the closer we head toward 18-20°C, but I believe from 15°C onwards if you’re keen enough it’s well worth a try – particularly if you live close to Bass Straight or are persistent enough to try offshore structure in deep water along our eastern coastline. Be mindful that the peak for these fish is February to April. When I was a child, I remember abalone divers from NSW who were close family friends told the story many times of seeing kingfish around our coastlines at all times of the year, so who knows? Anyway, a deepwater knife jigging session just might be called for during December and January!

Southern calamari are now in full swing, with Storm Bay, Marion and Freycinet areas fishing well. Size has generally been small to medium, with these fish being possibly the progeny of the winter spawn session.

Sea trout are now all but finished for the season. They are still around, just not in the concentrated numbers of recent months owing to the intense feeding on whitebait during their annual upstream run. Most seatrout now will have reverted to feeding on seasonal baitfish and crabs.

On the Tasman Peninsula close to Fortescue Bay, good runs of SBT continue with school fish to 40kg available. They are patchy but rewards await the persistent angler.

In freshwater, all our lakes are looking full in both water capacity and aquatic life, which has been getting anglers excited for the third summer in a row. A wet winter pay-off has meant nearly every lake is fishing well.

Great Lake continues to amaze anglers with the quantity and quality of both its rainbows and brown trout. Some of these fish have been nudging 3kg, but the average size seems to be around 1.35kg. Bait, lure and fly are all working well around the extremely high edges, taking fish that are foraging over new ground.

Arthurs Lake has really bounced back this year, with fish to 1.5kg being taken by anglers drift spinning through the many sunken trees covering the lake. Fly anglers have struggled a tad as the water on the shoreline has remained cloudy due to the windy conditions of late and wave action.

Large stocked rainbow trout have come out of Bronte Lagoon in recent weeks, and healthy, well-conditioned browns have been caught by mainly fly and troll anglers close to the shorelines. The Tasmanian Devil lure Y106 has been working extremely well and may possibly elicit a strike in and amongst the multitude of gum beetles falling onto the water on hot days.

A little further to the northeast, Lake Echo is once again full and fish are feeding well around the newly-flooded edges. Both rainbows and browns are being taken even on the brightest and stillest of days. Value for money Black Magic bibbed minnows have been taking mixed bags of both species, both trolled and spun; the Mad Mullet is my pick.

As always, enjoy the start of the new summer season for us Tasmanians, relying heavily as we do on different species making their way south in warmer currents. Please remember these fish only visit, and sometimes for only a part of summer, so get out there and enjoy what you can of the milder and calmer conditions this wonderful month has to offer.

Matt Haines with a 1kg Great Lake rainbow, taken at twilight.

VICTORIAN FISHERIES NEWS

The author caught this brown trout on a Bloody Ripper Tasmanian Devil.

Rocklands water release for Lake Toolondo

Lake Toolondo in the Wimmera will receive a water allocation from Rocklands Reservoir.

Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Freshwater Fisheries Manager Anthony Forster said recent rainfall has resulted in nearby Rocklands Reservoir exceeding 56 per cent capacity, a threshold to trigger a large-scale water allocation for Toolondo.

“The VFA has developed a trout stocking plan for the lake that will kick in after Grampians Wimmera Mallee (GWM) Water transfers water from Rocklands and water temperatures are cool enough to support trout,” he said.

“This is expected to create a high-quality trout fishery at Toolondo for several years, enough time for stocked brown trout to grow with the right environmental conditions.”

Water levels in Lake Toolondo are reliant on water transfers from Rocklands, which have not occurred in recent years.

To assist in providing a productive environment for stocking, the VFA is reducing carp numbers in Lake Toolondo in conjunction with recreational fishers, GWM Water, the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority and commercial carp fisher Keith Bell.

Last year more than 70 tonnes of carp were removed from Toolondo.

A further 22 tonnes of carp have been removed from the lake in recent weeks with carp harvesting to continue through to December.

BOAT SEIZED FOR

ILLEGAL WHITING HAUL AT ST LEONARDS Most recreational fishers do the right thing and abide by catch limits that keep our booming whiting, snapper and calamari fisheries sustainable however three men have been apprehended at St Leonards and had their fibreglass boat seized for allegedly taking more than the daily bag limit of King George whiting.

Director of Education and Enforcement at the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Ian Parks said the trio were observed retrieving their boat after catching a quantity of whiting, travelling to a nearby house, then relaunching their boat to continue fishing in the same spot.

“The three men returned to the boat ramp in the early evening and were intercepted by Fisheries Officers a short time later, back at the nearby house, where they presented a quantity of whiting for inspection,” Mr Parks said.

“Enquiries saw more whiting produced from the house and confirmed as catch from that day. In total, the three men had allegedly taken 68 whiting over two trips on the same day, with one allegedly catching 38. The daily bag limit for King George whiting is 20 per person.

“All fish, fishing gear and the boat were seized on the spot.

“Recreational fishers are reminded that bag limits are personal, you can’t catch fish on behalf of others, and it is illegal to sell your catch.”

Mr Parks said this apprehension led to a Lygon Street restaurant in Carlton where 25kg of illegitimate King George whiting and 58kg of calamari were allegedly uncovered.

“The whiting and calamari could not be substantiated as commercially sourced product and were seized by Fisheries Officers,” Mr Parks said.

“It will be alleged a document to account for the whiting was falsely created by a seafood wholesaler at the request of the restaurant.

“The proprietor and company associated with the restaurant will face charges relating to the sale of recreationally taken fish, providing false documents and information, and other significant offences under the Fisheries Act. A seafood wholesaler will also face charges relating to the creation of a false document connected to the whiting.”

If you see or suspect illegal fishing, call our 24/7 reporting service, 13FISH (133474), to speak directly to a Fisheries Officer. You can remain anonymous. NEW SHELLFISH REEF

TO BOOST FISHING IN THE BAY The Victorian Government is continuing to create more recreational fishing opportunities in Port Phillip with a $50,000 contribution to a proposed new shellfish reef off Kerferd Road pier in Albert Park.

Minister for Fishing and Boating Sonya Kilkenny said the funding will continue a partnership between the Government and the Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club, which initiated the concept of shellfish reef restoration in Port Phillip Bay. It will complement the $2.5 million already invested into shellfish and rocky reefs as part of the $35m Go Fishing Victoria plan.

The new reef would be deployed about 800 metres off the Kerferd Road pier to cater for the growing numbers of kayak fishers as well as those out on the water in small boats.

The proposed reef will be made up of metal ‘oyster triangles’ containing shells that mussels and oysters can attach to and grow, providing habitat and food for fish as improving water quality and marine biodiversity.

It’s expected snapper and calamari will take a particular liking to the reef, with whiting and flathead around its perimeter. All are among the key recreational species Port Phillip is known for, providing another avenue for Victorian families to enjoy the great outdoors and enjoy the freshest fish at the dinner table.

Previous shellfish reef projects in Port Phillip include rocky reefs that are already attracting a wide range of aquatic life, with recent surveys of the rocky reefs showing them covered in sea sponges and home to colonies of small fish and being visited by schools of pinky snapper.

Earlier this year kingfish reefs were deployed near Point Nepean to provide nutrient-rich upwellings of water that attract yellowtail kingfish, while also keeping fishers out of shipping channels near Port Phillip heads.

Port Phillip is in better shape than ever thanks to the removal of commercial net fishing, record spawning of whiting and snapper in recent years and upgraded boat ramps where it’s free to launch and park. – Victoria Fisheries