Early season with Tasmanian lures — Michal Rybka

EARLY SEASON TROUT TIPS

TASMANIAN LURES THAT WORK Michal Rybka

Although the beginning of the trout season is upon us here in Tasmania, temperatures are still very cold around the entire state. As many would know, it is also not uncommon to encounter snowfalls during fishing trips, especially early in the season. The Central Highland lakes are a popular destination for many anglers, but so too are the many lowland rivers and streams found throughout the state. So, it is time to rug up in some thermals and neoprene waders and get out there for a fish!

Cold water and no insect hatches mean that trout won’t actively feed on the surface of the water. While dry flies have limited effectiveness at this time of the year, wet flies, stripped on sinking lines will certainly work to produce the first fish of the season for many anglers. I have indeed caught many fish this way using large ‘zonker’ style flies. A couple of seasons ago, I tied a really scruffy ‘zonker’ style fly from materials found around the home. It consisted of rabbit fur, brown dog fur and quail hackle. When wet, all of those natural materials blended really nicely and gave the appearance of a lake galaxias. It was no surprise that the brown trout loved it, but my fishing buddy, Ando, hated it!

Like many of you, I love my fly fishing; however, hardbodies and soft plastics do still make up a large portion of my fishing, especially early in the season. The reason for this is simply because lures of this type are very effective and easy to use. They can also be rigged a lot faster than, for example, a fly rod with a team of 3 sinking wets. And of course, soft plastics have the added advantage of scent and a life-like appearance when rigged and fished properly. With this in mind, here are a few tips on what Tasmanian lure works and and how to use them on opening weekend.

Such cold water in the Highland Lakes means that trout will still be sluggish, taking their time in chasing your offerings. It is a well-known that trout do behave differently in cold water. With the absence of insects on the water’s surface, it’s only reasonable to expect that trout will feed closer to the bottom, where most of the food will be. As a result, my best tip for any angler chasing lake trout early in the season is to simply fish deep and slow. Your lure, fly or soft plastic should be presented slowly and as close to the bottom as you can get it. This simple tactic gives the trout plenty of time to see your offering. The trout will also often need sufficient time to examine whatever you put in front of them before committing to a take.

At this time of year, common trout food sources in many Tasmanian Highland lakes include galaxias, shrimp and snails. Weed beds provide food and shelter for all three of these trout food sources. Galaxias are also commonly found around rocky shorelines and outcrops of the lakes that support them.

If you choose to fish deep and slow, and your boat is equipped with a sounder, you should be looking for some deeper weed beds. Work your hardbody or soft plastic very slowly just above the weeds. Since the weed beds hold the natural food sources mentioned earlier, trout will not be far away.

If you are chasing galaxias-feeding trout, then try your luck around the rocky shorelines or outcrops of a lake. Try to target areas where the wind has been (or is) blowing into the shoreline. A good indicator on a calmer day is a build-up of white foam around the shore that was subjected to earlier winds. The pounding action of waves against rocks will often kill or stun galaxias. This presents trout with an easy opportunity to ‘mop up’. It is also an easy opportunity for anglers to catch those trout!

Strike Tiger 3” minnow in black n gold, stealth tiger and mint jelly. Strike Tiger 2” t-tail in black n gold, stealth tiger and mint jelly. Strike Tiger 2” bug in black n gold, black caviar, copper berry and bubblegum.

Hard body lures

Hawk 60 mm sniper minnow in killer wasp, gold/ black orange belly, rainbow trout and spotted fury. Cranka 59 mm minnow in golden trout, rusty gold, jolly tail and fire trout.

Rivers and Streams

Popular trout fishing rivers in Tassie include the South Esk River, the North Esk River, the Macquarie River, the Meander River, the St Patrick’s River, the Mersey River, the Tyenna River, the Huon River and the Derwent River, just to mention a few. Being down a bit lower in elevation, means that temperatures at these locations at the start of the season will generally be warmer. Trout are often more active in these areas, and therefore river fishing is a great way to start the season for many anglers. While temperatures might be warmer, flooding and discoloured water can be a problem at this time of the season. If this is the case, my best tip for anyone would be to go ‘old school’ and use a set rod with bait. Traditional baits such as earth worms and wattle grubs have a natural scent that trout can easily find in such flooded conditions. This tactic works especially well when water levels flood over grass banks and cause earth worms to come out into the water.

However, if your river or stream of choice is flowing relatively cleanly, then a hardbody or soft plastic might be an even better option. When fishing waters like this with any type of lure, I always look for anything that may break the current flow. Trout love to lie in slack water, waiting for the opportunity for food to travel past. It is also a way for them to conserve energy because they do not having to continuously swim hard against the current. I look for obvious things like protruding rocks or boulders, or even logs. These features provide good current breaks. In my experience, the deeper pools at the end of such breaks often hold larger fish. My recommendation is to fish them deep and slow, just as you would in a lake. Rivers are worthy of your attention.

You should also consider what might be breaking the current flow under the water. The trick here, given that you can’t see these obstacles, is to try to read the surface of the water for any clues. This takes a bit of experience to master. I find that underwater obstacles are much easier to see if you have a good pair of polarized sunglasses. ‘Tonic’ and ‘Spotters’ are two good Australian brands that I use. Although not cheap, they are a wise investment for the serious angler.

Strike Tiger 3” minnow in black n gold, stealth tiger and mint jelly (in rivers).

Strike Tiger 2” t-tail in black n gold, stealth tiger and mint jelly (in rivers).

Strike Tiger 2” bug in black n gold, black caviar, copper berry (in rivers).

Strike Tiger 1” nymph in black n gold, black caviar, olive pepper, mint jelly, stealth tiger, copper berry (in small streams).

Hard body lures

Hawk 60 mm sniper minnow in killer wasp, gold/ black orange belly, rainbow trout and spotted fury (in rivers).

Hawk 35 mm chunk in black n gold, ayu and fire tiger (in small streams).

Cranka 59 mm minnow in golden trout, rusty gold, jolly tail and fire trout (in rivers).

Cranka 35 mm crank in flash prawn, smoked prawn and glass ayu (in small streams).

Conclusion

In this article I have mentioned the main Tasmanian brands that work with the tips that I have given. As many of you know, there are many other interstate and overseas brands that also work very well on our trout in Tasmania. In my experience, finding something that represents the humble trout’s food source is always a good approach to take.

A lot of the hardbody lures I have mentioned can very closely represent native galaxias in lake environments. Soft plastic minnows and t-tails should also not be overlooked. They have the added benefit of scent, which hardbodies lack. However, regardless of the differences, both types of lures, when coupled with a slow ‘flat’ or slow ‘erratic’ retrieve, will attract the attention of any trout that is actively looking for such natural food sources. I recommend that you seek out some weed beds and go deeper with your offerings to find more fish.

If you are hitting the rivers and streams, find the areas that break the current flow. And remember, finding those deeper holes will improve your chances of catching something bigger! Although large lures do work on smaller fish, try to downsize your hardbodies and plastics to match the smaller size of the trout found in such environments.

As a final note, if the trout aren’t interested in your offerings, slow your retrieve right down. This is an easy tactic that some anglers often forget to use. You don’t have to constantly wind that reel to be successful! If you are using a soft plastic, don’t be afraid to just let it sit there for a while. You can achieve similar results by using a suspending hardbody lure. And as always, if nothing works on the day, mix it up and I am sure that you will soon find something that will give you some success.

Rug up and stay safe out there. See you on the water… Mic Rybka - Strike Tiger Lures Tasmania

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