Hobart

Warmer weather fishing

HOBART

Andrew

Large September sees things warming in all areas of Tasmania. It’s a time when saltwater and freshwater anglers take the opportunities that warmer weather brings in this state, to catch some nice fish. Some great trout have been taken right across the state, with the new season only being a month old. Greenback flounder have been having a great run over the winter months. We have had prolonged periods of calm conditions needed for lighting and spearing, which has made after-work and weekend trips viable and productive. Seasonal spring rains have not overly affected clarity, which is vital in being able to see carefully buried fish. Some great captures have been made in recent weeks.

As waters warm for the year, sand flathead continue to bite on the right day in deeper water. Fortescue, Tasman Island and lower Channel, Bruny Island and Mercury Passage are producing quality fish.

Spring calamari are building in numbers in southeastern waters. Triabunna, Mercury Passage and Marion Bay are seeing good-sized squid caught. Anglers closer to Hobart are finding action in Storm Bay. Winter storm surges have been low and kept schools in the shallows for now.

Winter run Australian salmon have been taken in good numbers around Cremorne and Clifton Beach, and further along the east coast towards Pirates Bay and Port Arthur. Salmon seem to be feeding on frogmouth anchovies, which have been very prevalent throughout Storm Bay in recent weeks.

Tiger flathead have started to bite well off Marion Bay and Maria Island. Pirates and Storm bays, closer to Hobart, have also produced fish.

Large schools of morwong perch are plentiful around the Peninsula and Schouten Island and Storm Bay, with anglers enjoying catching them on Black Magic Snapper Catcher rigs.

Snapper have eased off in Storm Bay after an extended winter run.

Southern bluefin have seen a bit of action in Storm Bay and Tasman Island on the Peninsula. Hippolyte Rocks and Fortescue Bay at The Lanterns are worth a look too.

Estuary action over the last month has been incredible, with seatrout

From page 78 gently squeezed onto the line and a home-made fly tied to a #6 strait eye bait hook. The fly was some old paintbrush bristles lashed to the hook eye with some normal old carefully, you may be able to make out the translucent and grey shapes of little whitebait in their annual migration. Trout love these and gorge on them. When the conditions are right, trout launch at them and send light jigheads and main line so you can present to more fish.

Sea trout can be found chasing whitebait along the rivers flowing into Bass Strait, such as the Leven at Ulverstone, Blyth at

Ben Hoggins with a nice big river trout.

black cotton and a dollop of clear nail polish on the head. If you wanted to get real fancy you could add a little dot of Tipp-Ex to each side of the head. We would fish these in and around the fallen logs on both sides of the river as the trout followed the whitebait schools up on the incoming tide.

The Mersey and Forth have good runs of whitebait, and their sea run trout fishery is well-regarded. Leave early and stand on the edges where the river flow is reduced. If you look bait fleeing in all directions. The mouth of the Forth River and along the banks to the train line are perfect to see this. Nowadays there are heaps of whitebait mimic lures and soft plastics. Find one you favour and try for a good natural presentation of whitebait and keep them high near the surface. Flies fished under bubble floats, or with tiny split shots attached, as mentioned help for longer casts. If you practice your trout stalking skills you won’t need to cast far and you can fish your soft plastics with Heybridge, Emu at Wivenhoe and the Inglis at Wynyard. These are all worth a look from time to time throughout September.

I know I am normally a salt fishing sort of a guy but there are a few things shut down for the season in September like striped trumpeter across the state and southern calamari in some areas. So as these seasons open up and the weather and available sun improves, I will talk it up big time, I promise. Until then – Tight lines and safe boating. and black bream biting well throughout most systems in the southeast.

Both the Derwent and Huon estuaries have seen incredible runs of sea-run trout, with these fish ranging in size from 0.5kg to 3kg. They have been madly chasing early runs of whitebait.

Drift spinning and spinning from shore has seen good captures made, while fly anglers sneaking along rocky shores have found undisturbed crab feeders and teams of trout crashing bait schools in ankle deep water. A standout lure this year has been the Daiwa Presso.

Fly fishers will continue to do well fishing the edges and following bait schools.

Soft plastic fishers have been picking up fish stalking the shorelines on a full tide using Berkley T Tails in black and gold and olive pearl.

The action with bream is unlikely to stop anytime soon, and these fish are likely to become even more active as whitebait numbers build for the spring season.

Freshwater fishers are experiencing another great start to the new trout season across the state, with nearly all lakes, rivers and estuaries fishing well for the highly sought-after trout. Please remember, rainbow waters remain closed for the time being. The usual favourites, Bronte Lagoon, Lake Leake, Tooms Lake, Woods Lake, Four Springs and Great Lake and great lake have provided unsurpassed fishing for the third spring in a row, and high water levels augur well for the early summer

Seatrout are a real close-to-CBD option during September for anglers living in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport. This fish was taken spinning from the shore on the River Derwent.

months as well.

Both the River Derwent and Huon River inside the freshwater limits are rewarding anglers with healthy resident, estuary and sea-run trout and Atlantic salmon.

Aa stated previously, Craigbourne Dam is a gem, and only 45km from the Hobart CBD via the township of Richmond. It still produces some nice fish early in the season. The dam is full and the water is semi-murky. Bright flashy lures and flies are best, and spinners will grab the attention of cruising trout.

Great Lake has been producing brown trout to 2kg on the right day. As always, Tasmanian Devil 13g cobra in BR, S12 and 121 and SD producing fish for troll and spin fishers.

Bronte Lagoon has provided anglers with awesome spin fishing recently. Fly anglers have been entertained with some quality tailing activity at first light, while trollers have done well out deep with 13g and 20g Tassie Devils.

My pick again is Lake Leake, with both rainbows and browns taking lures and fly readily in recent weeks. September last year saw some fantastic rainbow trout captured. Fish to 3kg can be expected in this water.

With its second year of high water, Tooms Lake is experiencing a resurgence, with trout to 2.7kg being landed in recent weeks. Fish are madly chasing galaxia, which form a large part of their spring diet, and have been taking 70-90mm lures. Fly fishers have done well fishing a weighted line using Shreks and Woolly Buggers around the edges. Frog activity should start here soon owing to this waters lower near coastal altitude in the eastern tiers. Have fun and stay safe this month.