Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Issue 152 February 2023

TASMANIAN FISHING

Big Snapper Tips

Bream on Cranka Crabs

Bent Minnows - What are they?

Lake Dulverton - is it worth it?

Are Mayflies Disappearing?

Little Pine

$5.95

Damon Sherriff with a good Tassie Snapper.

All Tasmanian

will be aware of the dire straits fishery managers and scientists say our sand flathead fishery is in. This does not aplly to tiger flathead, which are generally found in deeper water.

We will look at the flathead fishery in detail in the next issue. Interestingly I recently sat in a meeting where a senior fishery manager said he was embarrased our marine fishery had been allowed to deteriorate to such a low level. He was talking about abalone, rock lobster, calamari and now flathead. Some of these resources are predominately commercial fisheries, some mainly recreational fisheries.

However let’s look at that cover shot for a momentand celebrate some fisheries that are doing quite well: snapper, King George whiting, Southern Bluefin tuna, kingfish and gurnard. What? ‘gurnard’ I am hearing you laugh. More on that shortly, but let’s look at snapper first.

The North Coast of Tasmania seems to be going through a pretty hot time and snapper have gone from an occasional catch, to a targeted catch with the bigger models very keenly caught. I have never chased the bigger fish, but have started to catch some small to medium version around the Tamar River.

Damon Sherriff has been turning up the big ones for years now and the cover shot is another of many he has caught. There are a few tips to follow in his

story, and certainly as fish finder/sonar has improved and reduced in price it has become easy to find good snapper ground, mark it and revisit any time.

The North Coast has been on fire though as we go to press with this issue, with Southern Bluefin tuna, being caught by most who put in a little effort from - especially between Wynyard and Low Head. Burnie and Devonport fishers have had a bonanza and they must be overjoyed.

St Helens was once the Game Fishing Capital of Tasmania, but we could bestow that title on a few towns now. The NW coast has very keen game fishers and now instead of towing a big boat to the East Coast it has become an afternoon ‘after work’ session to catch a Jumbo. And add the kingfish into the mix and some bottom bashing for snapper and KGW and Bass Strait is looking pretty wonderful.

Gurnard though - what is that about? It seems from my observations we will be encouraged by fishery managers to start looking at other species to target and keep to eat easily caught fish other than sand flathead. Flathead have been the staple fish caught by holiday makers, and I suspect many people’s first ever fish caught would be a sandy.

Gurnard is possibly the most discarded/returned fish and many see it as a blight of a good day, but a few fishery scientists have told me of the boom in

gurnard as the size of flathead diminish. They are easy to catch - which we all know, but despite me tackling them only a few times to eat I am unconvinced.

I don’t think they have ever been a commercial species and the recover rate of flesh is pretty low. If you do take and eat gurnard I would love to hear from you. Shoot me an email to the address below.

In recent times for me though I do not go flathead fishing and if I do catch a few they go back. Mostly I just keep a feed of fresh fish and these have been King George whiting in the main. The Tamar has been a revelation and has become a great fishery for KGW. It is pretty common too to now bag a few small pinkie snapper as well, but I don’t keep these.

Did you know an average 350mm KGW weighs 278 grams, but at 450mm it is more than double at 628 grams and 550mm almost double again at 1200 grams. So if you are looking to maximise your return think about that. I love whiting and tried to eat two large fillets recently. They nearly beat me so I had to forgoe the salad.

I well remember recreational marine fishery manager, John Smith’ constantly saying ‘put the little ones back, so we have fish for the future’.

Mike Stevens

Bent Minnows

For bigger fish

Scotto James

If using bent minnows is new to you, the first thing that’s good to know is that these things work. They catch and attract larger than average browns because they can be a relatively big lure with an aggressive action that’s regularly too imposing for smaller fish. And whilst their action and shape are unique, the area they can effectively exploit within the column remains mostly under-utilised within hard body lure genres. This is a lure that does its best work from the surface to a foot or so under the surface, with this depth being open to subtle manipulation. Lure forms like bents and other presentations devoid of a pre-governed velocityinduced action need to be fished or angled, while the manufacturer’s specs allow for depth and movement, providing adequate manipulation from the angler incites the lure to move enticingly. So a bent minnow in one set of hands is unlikely to move the same in the hands of another. They can’t be slow-rolled. Fishing bents is an acquired skill and one that hopefully leads to a specific skill set particular to this lure alone. And within this lies the enjoyment, excitement and exhilaration of using bents. Their action probably remains unpredictable to the fish because there’s a level

of unpredictability for the user too. In short, they’re a buzz to fish with and the first time a big brown trout detonates all over one, the picture procured in one’s mind is not easily forgotten.

Getting started

The first thing to do is to find some bent minnows in the 86-90mm range. A smaller one in the 76 mm range is available and no doubt has trout applications, however, it might be worth concentrating on the bigger units for the moment as they’re the ones being used. These are the size that has worked on trout. Far bigger models are forging a reputation on species like flathead, whilst many bream anglers may be carrying appropriate bents anyway. A visit to your local tackle shop may or may not solve the problem. It’s not a widely used lure type in general terms and not all outlets carry them. Some research online may help offer up some solutions and some info on brands and pricing. Offerings start from as little as a cent from some online outlets through to more staple brands like OSP that run in the mid-30 dollar range. This lure has accounted for some of the fish pictured herein. Other brands like D&A

Lures produce bents at well under half that and have accounted for many fine fish. Boutique operators like Dave Kimber at ‘Breabaits’ offer handmade versions that have been eaten and supporting local lure builders is always a good thing. Starting with lures with a proven track record may be advantageous. It would probably be naive to think all lures this shape and size will work the same.

Techniques

Bent minnows in the size discussed above come in both floating and sinking versions. Whilst sinking bents are far easier to use at the beginning, it’s worth considering why and where the lure style is being used. The floating version is deadly in shallow water and on top of and through patches of grasses and weeds. This takes place at the very top of the column and the floating versions allow for brief pauses where the lure will be close to stationary or slowly rising. Meanwhile, the sinking version will sink on pauses and they’re more likely to get hung up on the underwater structure to be fished through. Regarding the 50cm to sevenmetre depth range, about a million aggressive lures are

An eight pound plus brown.

proven in this space. If there’s a time for reinventing the wheel, this isn’t it. One of the first issues that may be encountered fishing floating bents is their inconsistency to do as they’re asked. Some retrieves will stay on the surface for too long, some will break the surface during retrieval and some will do both. This is a very simple technical issue that should be rectified by a couple of turns of the reel handle after the lure hits the water. This should get the lure under the surface. Starting with jabs or walk-the-dog-style movements will encourage inconsistencies. Whilst walk-the-dog type retrievals will work once the lure is under the water, it is far from the most effective way to use them. It’s a starting point at best.

The lure is designed to dart from side to side (for want of a better description). It is shaped and weighted to do that and has no bib. Every nuance of the rod tip will encourage the lure to do slightly different

things. And because the exact direction of the lure laying in the water is rarely seen, the presentation can react differently to the same stimuli delivered by the angler. If we can’t guess its literal movement with some precision, what hope has the fish got? Its movement is best described as erratic, but it is only as erratic as it is asked to be. What we can do is control the power going through the lure and how many times we want it to dart. This is why a walk-the-dog style retrieves is a starting point only. Movement can be far more precise than that, as can the time frame between the lures darting style of action from one direction to the other. Speed will further accentuate lure movement and how aggressively you wish to fish the lure. Pauses encourage strikes at times and they will also see fish spook or lose interest. There’s no rule book on retrieves that will work on any given day. Write your own.

Gearing up

Gear, especially rods, is an individual choice and I’m using different rods than most folks and that’s better addressed in a separate article. Suffice it to say if they weren’t doing a better job than conventional or more popular length rods they wouldn’t be being used. In brief, Messiah Fishing’s fast-actioned 9’6” 2-4 kilo does a superlative job and attains casting distances many people could only dream about. Their 10’ 5” 2-4 kilo is a tad softer (not much) and less effective on this particular lure style, although it would be a first choice for most other lures for trout fishing in lakes. This observation does open the door for some thoughts

regarding action. Softer rods commonly used on trout like 1-2 kg sticks around 7 feet or soft to moderate 1-3kg rods will probably be less effective. This is primarily due to their recoil time when pushing power through the lure. The physics of the rod means the lure will still be moving to where it wants to be as the rod continues to straighten between movements/jabs. The next movement of the rod will come while the lure is still gathering speed on its current trajectory and can cause the lure to disorientate and blow out through the surface. Faster rods achieve this almost instantly and are more user-friendly. In saying that, most conventional trout-purposed rods and actions will get you started and certainly work well enough to present the lure well and catch big fish. The observations above may be a tad technical but that shouldn’t decrease their relevance.

Regarding the hardware they carry, some brands offer quality trebles and some less so. Quality trebles are worth the money and reap their rewards. Big trout, especially bucks, have big mouths and replacing the standard hooks with slightly bigger ones makes sense and offers more lure body coverage, especially to the gut section. The wider gapes in larger trebles probably enable more jaw hinge hookups and these are worth their weight in gold. No hook set is more secure. Increasing hook size comes with the proviso that it doesn’t inhibit lure action. A quick play with the lure in the water after the refit will tell that story.

Rod tip orientation is most comfortable pointed toward the water and on the angler’s backhand side at about 10.30 through 9.30 on the clock dial, as an

D&A 90mm bent set deeply in trout’s mouth.

A selection of OSP 86mm bents.

A large well conditioned buck.

example. The backhand side or the rod tip pointing to the left of the centre of the rod is held in the right hand and accommodates a modern Australian light spin stick design with up-locking seats and short fore grips. These designs allow the forefinger to lay over the foregrip and rest on the bare blank. This encourages rod movement against the forefinger on the blank and there’s simply no design feature that can transmit a message to the brain faster than this. Australian light spin rod designs lead the world in this field. Directional orientation also allows for rod movement to create lure action and offers a capacity for the rod to load before the drag engages upon a hookup. Rod tips pointed directly at lures will lead to bust-offs using light lines if strikes are violent. These things are easily overlooked but remain important.

Reels in the 2000 to 2500 size range work well on big trout. They carry enough line and can generally keep up with large fish hitting the afterburners during directional changes. Slackline in this situation can lead to heartbreak. Both braided and conventional lines are suitable.

Where to fish

The single best piece of advice that can be given regarding catching large brown trout is to fish where they live. There are countless Tasmanian Lakes that hold fish over four pounds and a little research will provide those answers. Some have fish over ten pounds. There are probably even more waters that hold fish predominantly under three pounds. They will contain a huge head of fish that bents of this size will likely intimidate and not entice. Obviously, there are rivers in Tasmania with very large fish however the capacity of this lure style to effectively deal with the current has not been explored.

This season alone has offered up 11 fish over eight pounds on these lures in the Central Highlands while more conventional and popular branded hard bodies and flies have seen many fish at six pounds and under. It is not a coincidence. But, they’re far more than a Tasmania big fish lure. For travelling fisho’s, Victoria is also producing large fish on bents.

Shane Stevens is a well-known fly fisher who plies his trade in many Victorian waters including Lake Wendouree at Ballarat. Shane fishes lure as well and his captures on OSP 86 Bents have been notable. Those interested can follow Shane online @shanesfishin. Further west in the state, few if any anglers have caught more big trout on bents than Mick Evans of Victorian Inland Charters. Mick runs a highly successful guiding business and has introduced more people to bents and genre techniques than anyone I know. He concentrates a lot of time and effort on big fish waters like Purrembete and Bullen Merri using 90mm bents from D&A lures, which he regards highly.

Summation

Making things work for the sake of saying it can be done isn’t a great way to spend fishing time. It is also not what people that embrace different or new lure types do. Not that there’s anything new about bents. But commonplace acceptance as a big trout weapon has so far eluded them. That said, bents are carving out a reputation as a high-column classic because the opportunity to really exploit this niche area just under the surface probably hasn’t presented itself within the current limitations of popular hardbody bibbed lures. Seizing new opportunities via observation allows for presentations that should work. There can’t be any real surprises that a wounded fish profile of this size will catch big trout. The surprise is they didn’t go mainstream years ago.

Bent minnows work well along bank side structure and over shallow weed beds.

A deep hook up.

You’re an Angler, and no matter how many times you go fishing you’ll want to go again and no matter how many fish you catch (or nearly catch) it will never be enough.

There will be days when the fishing is better than one’s most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home. You’re hooked, along with us.

WE ARE TONIC!

Bream on Cranka Crabs

Tasmanian designed lures fool the fussiest bream

Jonty Krushka

There is no doubt that ever since the Cranka Crab hit the market it has been a breamcatching weapon that countless anglers have welcomed into their arsenal. The most obvious feature of the crab is its extremely lifelike action and appearance. This ultra-realistic design of the crab seems to have the ability to fool even the fussiest of bream and often produces bigger-than-average fish. Another major aspect of the crab’s success is its versatility, whether its rock edges, weed edges, deep drop-offs, natural structure, man-made structure, reef or sand flats the crab has proven itself time and time again. The Cranka crab can be a substitute for a wide range of bream lures. Being able to effectively fish half a metre of water one cast and three metres of water the next without changing lures or swapping rods can be a massive advantage. This is especially true when time is of the essence such as in a tournament scenario.

Areas To Fish The Crab: Flats

In my experience, the crab is often overlooked as a shallow water option but this is where I have had the most success with the lure. When fishing shallow sand flats, I like to fish the crab in a similar style to a crankbait. Once I have found a good-looking area, I’ll make a long cast and let the crab hit the bottom. From here it is simply just four to five slow turns of the handle to get the crab scuttling along the bottom followed by a four to five-second pause. I keep the rod parallel to the water and continue this retrieve all the way in. If I can see fish or know that there are fish in the area, I will sometimes pause the crab for even longer and just shake the rod tip to try and impart a tiny bit of action into the floating claws. I will also use this technique after a bite and the fish almost always come back for another go. This retrieve can also be sped up if

Shallow sandy bays are perfect for fishing crabs.

the fish are feeding aggressively and you want to cover more ground to find schools of fish. These shallow sand flats are present all along the north coast and are common in a lot of the east coast estuaries as well.

Flats with a sparse covering of weed can also be fished with a crab. When fishing weedy flats, I like to target the sandy pockets and work the crab through these areas very slowly. Crabs can also be worked over some weed by slowly drawing the rod tip upwards to lift the crab over the weed instead of dragging it straight through it. Fish will often eat a crab with a little bit of weed on the claws. This is an advantage of the crab in weedy areas over lures such as hardbody minnows and cranks as the swimming action is not inhibited as much by weed. My favourite places to use this technique are the lower reaches of Ansons Bay, Georges Bay and the Swan River.

When fishing the flats, I generally like to cast into the current or wind so that I can fish the crab as slowly as I need to and keep it in the zone for as long as possible without drifting over the area I’m fishing. However, on occasions fish will prefer the crab moving across the current or upstream, this is where having a power pole or stake-out pole can be useful. I’ll usually opt for a 50mm heavy model. Even though these areas are sometimes very shallow using a heavy crab doesn’t impact the action as a natural crab action is crawling along the bottom anyway. A heavy crab can also be an advantage in shallow water where there is a lot of current as it will stop it from rolling onto its back or tumbling as easily. It also aids a little in casting distance. As for choosing the 50mm over the 65mm I have found that fish seem to inhale the 50mm as opposed to sometimes pecking at the 65mm which can result in missed hook-ups or pulling hooks during the fight.

Rocky areas

Crabs are not just restricted to sandy bottoms, they can also be very effectively fished over rock. Although crabs are fished along the bottom the floating claw design makes them quite snag resistant. Having said this, there are areas such as oyster reefs and cunjevoi beds that love to steal crabs. In these really snaggy areas, I like to target the edges where they meet sand or mud. I find this is where the fish tend to be most of the time anyway. Rubbly areas made up of fist-sized rocks are my favourite rock structures to fish crabs over. The Derwent River in particular is home to plenty of these edges. In these areas using a similar retrieve to that used in weedy areas by slowly drawing the rod tip upwards and then winding up the slack as the rod tip is lowered back to parallel can result in fewer hang-ups. Another way to fish rocky areas with fewer snags is to use a 65mm model. I have found the larger size is less prone to falling down and getting lodged in crevices. When fishing the large boulders or single rocks surrounded by sand I like to cast into the eddy on the downstream side and just let the crab sit there for a while. I will often use a shake of the rod tip to impart action whilst keeping the crab in the zone for as long as possible. Another thing to keep in mind when fishing rocky areas is that bream will often pick a crab

off a rock when it is snagged. If you are confident that there are fish in the area and get snagged, sometimes it can pay to just wait for a few seconds before taking the boat or kayak over to unhook it.

Man-made structure

Man-made structures such as wharves and bridges are also great places to target bream on crabs. When fishing wharves a lot will depend on the current in the area. With little water movement, I will fish my way around the jetty casting in underneath next to each pylon and letting the crab sink to the bottom. Once it hits the bottom, I will retrieve it a metre or two and then wind it back in and cast again. When there is a lot of flow, there are two main tactics I like to use. One is to fish the eddies on the downstream side of the pylons and the other is to position the kayak or boat upstream, cast short of the structure and let the crab waft back in underneath with the bail arm open. Once it has hit the bottom I will let it sit for a while, retrieve it a couple of metres and wind in to start over.

I like to fish bridge pylons in a similar way to large rock boulders. I’ll position myself downstream and cast into the eddies. I will also cast up alongside the pylons and fish the crab back along the bottom all the way. Generally for this style of fishing, I will use a heavy 50mm crab or even a crab with added weight however in some circumstances when the fish are holding higher in the water column a light crab may be worth a try. The slower sink rate is closer to that of a real crab and hangs in the fish’s face longer which can sometimes trigger a bite on tough days. When targeting particularly large fish in the gnarly country a 65mm crab can give you an advantage. The larger hook size allows you to put more pressure on fish when fishing heavier lines to get them away from the structure without the risk of straightening hooks. Although Tassie doesn’t boast a massive number of man-made structures compared to some mainland systems the Derwent River is one place I have had great success with crabs fishing around wharves.

Jonty with a brace of fantastic crab caught bream.

Deeper areas

All of the techniques mentioned above can also be applied to deeper areas. Sometimes when fishing in deeper water or areas of high current I like to add additional weight to the crab. I will normally do this by attaching a 1/8th or 1/12th ounce TT snakelockz weight to the back of the crab. To get these to sit upright when attached the wire clip on the snakelockz can be bent 90 degrees or the split ring on the crab can be removed and the weight attached directly to the tow point on the crab. One of my favourite deeper areas to fish crabs is where the weed meets sand/mud in about 2.5-3.5 metres. Fishing a crab parallel to this weed line in a similar way to fishing a grab over the flats will often work a treat. This technique is particularly effective in little Swanport, the Swan River and Ansons Bay.

Gear for fishing crabs

The gear I use for fishing crabs in almost all scenarios is the same. My preferred rod is a 6’8” 2-4 lb BKCustom rod with a skeleton split grip. This rod is light, sensitive and comfortable, making it ideal for long days on the water. I match this up with a 2500-size spin reel. A good quality reel with a smooth drag is definitely worth the extra money. A sticky or rough drag can cause the small trebles to pull out during the fight if the fish is only just hooked in the outside of the lip. The reel I use most often is a daiwa Certate. My reels are spooled up with a three-kilogram braid. I have recently been using the Sunline Xplasma Asagai which I have been very impressed with. For a reasonably priced braid it casts well, ties knots well is easy to manage and rarely tangles. I then attach a leader via an FG knot. For most scenarios, I will use a 2.5kg leader of around 4-6 metres in length. A long leader provides a bit of stretch to help absorb the fish’s headshakes but retains some of the sensitivity and castability of the braid. I have recently started using the same outfit but with 2.5kg straight through and this also works well in some circumstances. For leader material, my go-to is Sunline Shooter FC Sniper Invisible. I have also recently used

the new Daiwa Xlink which has been good so far. I find the 2.5kg leader a good all-rounder and a good starting point but there will always be situations that require going lighter or heavier.

Pretty much the only time I will use a different outfit is when fishing for large fish around structures such as oysters or mussel-covered wharves. In this scenario, I will opt for a heavier outfit such as a 6-14 lb rod, matched up with a 2500-3000 size reel with an 8-16 lb braid and an 8-10 lb leader.

Choosing a crab

When it comes to choosing a crab to tie on I generally stick to a few colours that give me the most confidence. There is a heap of great colours that all work but my three favourites are brown, olive and spotted. When choosing between these three I will often try and “match the hatch” of the crabs found in the area I’m fishing. A good way to do this check is to place a fish in your live well for a while and

examine the contents left on the bottom. This will often contain a few crab legs and claws and will enable you to determine what colour crabs the bream is feeding on. Systems can even differ from one end to the other, for example in the Derwent I like using a spotted crab in the lower reaches but change to a brown when heading upstream. The choice of size and whether additional weight could help, will all depend on the area you are fishing and the method you are using. I also like to use scent on crabs. I find on days when the fish are particularly spooky and spend a long time looking at the crab a bit of scent can go a long way. The scent I use most often is Squidgies S-factor. Another important thing to carry is a pair of split ring pliers and some spare claws. Bream and big bream in particular love to crunch down hard on the claws and can often bend them up quite a bit. Once bent up the hooks are more likely to break even if you can manage to straighten them up a bit. I will normally swap them out if they get a bit chewed up, especially when targeting large fish.

Not only is the Cranka Crab a proven tournamentwinning lure for some of the best anglers in Australia but it is also a great option for people starting out chasing bream on lures. Fishing a crab can be as technical or as simple as you like and is a very reliable and addictive way to target bigger than average bream. No matter what type of structure you are fishing or where in the state you are targeting bream it is always worth having a couple of Cranka Crabs in the tackle box.

Big Tassie bream absolutely crunch Cranka crabs.

Gear selection for crab fishing in Tasmania.

Lake Dulverton

Is there even any water in it?

Grant Wilson

Boom to bust

Lake Dulverton? is there even any water in it? is the most common phrase when you mention you have been fishing on the lake that the historic town of Oatlands was built around.

Often described as the heart of the Midlands, the midway point between Hobart and Launceston or where the Cascade drinkers end and the Boags drinkers start. One thing is for certain, its lake has water and trout that pull like the steam train that once rode its shore. Lake Dulverton, much like the town of Oatlands has a fascinating history. From bushrangers to bushfires, from feasts into famine and windmills to whiskey distilleries, the largest town in the Southern Midlands has seen it all. In fact, Oatlands was once in the running to be declared the capital of Tasmania. With its vast farmland and a large number of nearby sawlogs, it was thought the area could feed and build the state. But it was lacking one crucial thing most capitals need, a deep-water dock. The state was still very dependent on ships from England to supplement the colony, so Hobart got the honours.

Up until the 80s Lake Dulverton was a hive of activity, the lake’s recreational calendar was bursting at the seams with events. Power boats tearing up the course, Mirror dinghys sailing to the next marker and teams of rowers powering through their strokes on the way to the finish line. Throw in a few water skiers, kids swimming in the shallows and cows up to their udders feeding on the aquatic plants. It’s hard to believe room for a fisher was possible, let alone the ten-pound plus trout that were frequently caught there. Then it all just evaporated, literally. Years of drought in the early 80s saw the lake decline until it was a dust bowl, a brown flat moonscape. The boats had been replaced by the odd bored teen on their dirt bike, and the fat playful cows were replaced with sad hungry sheep walking the hard pan looking for anything to eat. The once legendary trophy trout were just memories and stories of the good ol’ days. Sadly, Oatlands has the same story, without all those tourists coming weekend after weekend. Getting their fuel, food and fishing supplies, eating at the bakery, and

The Nursing Mothers raft in Australia Day raft race on Lake Dulverton in the 1980s.

buying local produce. The money dried up. Throw in the highway bypass and it looked dim for the once bustling village. I was born in the late 80s and until I was in my last years at the local school, I had only ever seen the odd puddle in the “lake” if they told us a meteor had landed there growing up that would have made more sense than this large body of water they talked about. The town had a very tough time through the ’90s and ’00s. It had fallen off the tourist radar, there were few jobs available for young people leaving school and if it wasn’t for the pool, kids would have very little to look forward to. I didn’t think too highly of the village in those years, I felt it had little to offer a farm boy and I guess I’d given up on the place. I’m a bit older now and a lot wiser, and with two young kids who I can see a wonderful future for in the new and improved Oatlands. Plus, the chance to bag a trophy is well and truly back on the radar.

Dust off the rods

The lakes full, there’s a café on every block, art galleries on every corner, a distillery with Brushtail Possum on the menu and of course the massive windmill. Only one in the Southern Hemisphere I’m told, couple that with the largest collection of Georgian sandstone buildings in Australia and it’s little wonder Oatlands is going through an absolute boom. Ok, enough teasing, let’s talk about these trout. IFS has stocked the lake every year since 2010 with rainbows, browns and one large stocking of brook trout. The brookies did ok, and people still talk about the ones they caught. Many were very good size fish at the time. One look at lake Dulverton and it’s easy to see why trout can grow so big here. Weeds, and lots of them. Fish are given a true smorgasbord of food. Starting the day with a healthy serving of frogs and tadpoles to kick the metabolism into gear, washing them down

with damsel nymphs and mud eyes galore. Lunch is a bit more civilised, meandering through the weeds and sipping all manner of freshly hatched insects off the surface. A light meal before a nap on the lakebed in prep for the evening feast. The juvenile redfin perch drift nervously in the shallows waiting for the sun to lower, for when it does the big brown trout come out to feast. It’s not uncommon to witness half a dozen large predators chasing redfin perch all at once in a hole the size of your living room. It’s quite the show.

Bagging a Big one

Bait

For the bait fisher, it’s straightforward, a grub or mud eye on a running sinker will do the trick. Worms after a decent rain would be a good option but being a shallow weedy lake fish them high in the water column under the smallest most indiscreet float you

Gerald “The Cormorant” Metcalfe.

Cattle feeding in Lake Dulverton. Train line on the edge of the lake.

IFS have stocked the lake. There’s plenty of food in the weedbeds.

can. Powerbait on a running sinker, floating a foot or so off the bottom will bring the rainbows unstuck. But remember catch and release isn’t an option with these methods.

Spinning

With the high weed load and only small holes to actively fish, spinners are at a disadvantage on Lake Dulverton. Small, unweighted soft plastics like a leech or mud eye imitation with the least amount of hook showing would be a good place to start. Floating small bib minnows cast to the edge of the weeds and retrieved slowly should keep you out of the snags and draw out a fish.

Fly

Without a doubt, the fly fisher will get the best results. Head to the foreshore at the Northern end of the lake and on any given evening you will spot Kevin from the antique shop hassling the fish with an old rod that has come through his store. Maybe you will hop out of your tent at the lake’s campgrounds early one morning to find Gerald in his terry towelling hat hooked up to yet another six-plus pound brown trout. Walk along the track a bit and Adrian might be there with his boys maintaining their favourite fishing hole. Throwing out a handmade weed cutter into the lake, dragging it along the bottom to slice the ribbon weed so they can practice their newfound love of fly

fishing. But the most likely scenario, and the one I find myself in. We will be standing in a group talking all things fishing and maybe making the odd cast in between stories.

I mentioned earlier that the trout pull like a steam train, these fish haven’t been hungry since the day they were released and have explosive energy by the barrel. All the locals now fish with 10-pound straight leaders. A large trout in an open lake can be difficult enough to contain. Hop in the ring with a heavyweight brown, weeds that don’t break on all four sides and a few prefight nerves. You will be left sobbing in the corner with a swollen eye and deflated ego. Don’t say you weren’t warned. As far as flies go there is no hard and fast method. Fur flies or a Mrs Simpson to imitate a frog, unweighted streamers to match a juvenile redfin like a Magoo with orange thread head, glass minnow or sunset fly. My go-to has become the slow-sinking fuzzle bugger in black, created by the late Muz Wilson. Any number of unweighted nymphs or wets will get the job done. They are used to eating whatever is in front of them, so make it your fly. If you like to fish dry then any caddis variant of an evening should do the trick, but you will need to use flies on the larger size of the scale, so they still present naturally on a heavier tippet.

Redfin Perch

The redfin perch does not get a lot of love in Tasmania, at the top of the scale sits things like bluefin tuna, mako and trout. Somewhere in the middle is bastard trumpeter and cod. But right at the bottom, there is a special place for the most hated species. Gurnard is the fish you end up with when you think you have a 50cm flathead. The Long Spined Sea Urchin, kids should be given rubber mallets and a snorkel and paid a bounty for every urchin they smash. Finally, the redfin perch. How is it that a three-inch fish can eat a two-inch six-dollar wattle grub and completely ruin your day? They just can. IFS ask that if you catch one you humanely dispatch it, most people are very obliging. But it’s not only the trout growing large in Lake Dulverton, a threepound perch would make any angler chuffed.

Call in for a cuppa

Next time you’re on the highway and pulling your hair out because of the never-ending road works, turn into Oatlands. The better half will be more than happy to wander the shops and art galleries, all while you grab yourself a possum shank and get down to the foreshore to witness that not only is there water in the lake, it holds a few fish too.

Heavy tippet is required to land the strong fish.

A weed cutter in action.

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Little Pine Lagoon

Targeting browns around the edges

Lubin Pfeiffer

Little pine lagoon in Tasmania’s central highlands is one of Australia’s best land-based fly fishing lakes. It boasts an incredible head of wild brown trout and is very accessible with grassy banks and easy wading. Over the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to experience just how good ‘The Pine’ can be from the shore and thought I would share some of my tips and techniques so hopefully, you can go and experience some of the absolutely fantastic fishing on offer!

Where To Fish

Once you arrive at the lake, there are a few places to start looking for fish. There are car parking spots at the ‘Shacks’ which is at the northern end of the lake. This is the first entrance you will pass as you come from the Great Lake end of the road. From the shacks carpark, you have access to both the right-hand side of the Pine which from the islands out front, right around to the other side of the river bay is non-boating and dedicated to shore-based angling only. If you walk towards the left, there is a long run of deep undercut banks with small bays right around to the break wall at the other boat ramp. This area is home to some large brown trout that love to cruise very close to the edge, especially during dawn and dusk periods. Heading further along the road towards Bronte Park, you will pass the entrance to the

main boat ramp. This is a great area also with access to the Eastern shore all the way to the dam wall. This area is easy wading and has patches of penny weed dotted along the shore for a fair way out and the brown trout just love to cruise through this as they search for food. Again, the banks are grassy so you can easily walk the edge while looking for likely areas to cast a fly. Further down the road is the last parking spot on the lake at the base of the dam wall, The area gives you access to the ‘Untouchables’ shoreline and the Senators rock area which are regular producers of both tailing fish close to the edge and also mayfly feeding fish.

Gear For Fishing The Lake

I like to keep things pretty simple when searching the shore of Little Pine Lagoon simply because I think it is much easier to cover more water when you’re not weighed down with heaps of gear. The fish are pretty predictable with what they will eat also, so needing a stack of flies and lines is simply not necessary. That said, you will want a couple of options to get the job done depending on what time of day you are there and the conditions you are faced with at that time. A good set of chest-length breathable waders is a must because being able to wade out some distance will give you the best chance at landing a fish. Not only by covering more

water or getting out to where the fish may be rising during a hatch but also by dealing with the wind that is often blowing across the lake. I like to wear a vest that has some tippet, flies, dry fly floatant and a spare fly line in there so I can change something if I need to or re-rig if I happen to get broken off by a fish (it certainly does happen with the quality fish in the lake). If you’re fishing during the day, then a quality pair of polaroid sunglasses is a must. I cannot emphasise more that good sunglasses will catch you more fish. Sometimes you might see a shape cruising just under the surface, or a fish that follows in but doesn’t leave a boil and sunglasses are the only way you’ll know and be able to present a fly to these fish. I’ve been using Tonic’s with a green mirror lens and also the copper photochromatic lens both of which open up a whole other area of the lake cutting the glare being able to see well into the water.

A good wet weather jacket and warm clothes are also a must as the weather can change pretty quickly on the Pine and the last thing you want is to get freezing cold when you are a long walk from the car. You will also fish much more effectively when you are comfortable. The good thing about a vest is that the jacket can be kept in the back pocket if you are not wearing it but it’s there for when you need it. Fishing from the shore

Little Pine has some amazing evening rises.

I like a 9ft 6wt rod. I’ve used both 9ft and 10ft rods extensively but prefer the 9ft for shore-based fishing, of course, this is just personal preference and both will get the job done well. I take one reel with me which has a weight forward floating line on it and on the end of the floating line I have a braided loop attached. I take a spare spool that has a fast intermediate line on it. A fast intermediate line will sink at about 1.5 inches per second and is a great choice for streamer fishing from the shore. I also like to have some 3X tapered leaders with 2mm micro rings attached for dry fly fishing. If you’ve never used micro rings before I strongly suggest you check them out as it will make your tapered leaders last ten times longer than tying your tippet on the standard way. My tippet for the lake is usually 0.20mm fluorocarbon but I will also take some 0.18mm or 0.23mm depending on what the weather is doing. When it’s super calm you may need to go lighter but if it is super windy and the water has some colour to it then going heavier is a good option.

What Flies For The Pine

I keep my fly selection very simple for the lake as I usually don’t change too much during the fishing session. There are so many fish in the lake that if you have a fish that you can see that is refusing your fly, there will be another ten close by that you can move on to. For my dawn and dusk fishing, I like to use a Claret Body Para Dun in size 12. This represents the mayfly that hatches on the lake very well. I tie them with both a natural CDC post and also a high vis pink post just so I have a couple of options depending on the light at the time. When it’s bright, I’ll go the natural post, but if at any time I’m finding it hard to pick up where my fly is, I’ll change to the pink posted one which is much easier to see when the light is bad. I’ll also take some unweighted claret nymphs in size 12, and also a few Claret Dabblers in size 12. When it comes to streamers, I like to take a small selection of both bright and more natural colours. Some favourites being a Shrek, Magoo, blob and gold sparker. I’ll have the Shrek’s and Magoo’s with both gold

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Both bright and natural coloured streamers are effective.

A simple selection of dries that will get eaten.

and orange beads. Another great streamer is a black straggle bugger which I like to tie with a silver bead. All of these flies are in size 12 and I always try to tie my tails pretty long so they have lots of movement in the water. As anyone reading this that fly fishes regularly would know, there are literally thousands of flies you could use that would work on the pine. This is just the small selection of ones that provide regular success for me.

How I fish The Lake

There are a couple of ways I will fish the Pine from the shore depending on what time of day I am there and what the weather is doing at the time. The biggest piece of advice I can give as far as where you should start to look for fish is to pay attention to which shore the wind has been blowing on to.

There is no other lake that a foamy shore is more important to take notice of! So with that in mind, I always try and fish where the wind has been blowing into as this is where a large portion of the food will be and the fish will be looking for it. If it is early or late in the day, I will fish a single dry fly attached to a three-metre tapered leader with around one metre of tippet on the end very close to the edge on a floating line. Fanning short casts within three metres of the bank blindly covering the water. Sometimes casts within 100mm of the edge of the lake will produce fish as a lot of the banks along the lake are undercut and will be more than half a metre deep which is plenty deep enough for a big brown trout to cruise along. I usually let the fly sit for 30 seconds or more before taking a few steps and recasting in a slightly different spot. I’m always looking for rising fish to cover while doing this but blindly searching this way has produced a stack of big browns for me wading the edge. This technique I have found is most effective during low light periods or when there is a hatch on the lake.

If the wind is up and it is during the middle of the day, I prefer to fish a couple of streamers, either on an intermediate or floating line. This is where waders are a must because you want to be casting back towards the edge of the lake and not out into it. As I said, the browns will be hunting along the foamy edge. So when I am fishing streamers, again, I will always fish whatever bank has the wind blowing on to it.

You want to position yourself a comfortable cast from the bank and then fan your casts as you take a few steps to the side after finishing the retrieve. Effective retrieves can be anything from the standard mediumpaced straight-pull to very fast and also rolly poly. You never quite know what the fish may want on the day so keep mixing it up until you find out what it is. I’ll use straight leader made up of 0.20mm fluorocarbon about four metres long, with about two and a half metres to my first dropper and then about one and a half metres to my point fly. I say ‘about this long because there is no

real set length you need to stick to and often working out what you find most comfortable to cast is better than following someones else’s exact formula. The use of a braided loop on both your intermediate and floating lines means that you can easily swap this leader between the lines.

If it is shallow and calm, I’ll fish a floater, but if the wind is really blowing and the water has some depth, I’ll always opt for the intermediate. For streamer fishing, I like to have one bright fly on the top dropper, either a blob or sparkler and then the more natural pattern on the point. That way you can get the fishes attention with the bright one and then seal the deal with the natural one. Don’t be fooled though, you will catch heaps of fish with bright sparkly flies on the Pine. The biggest thing for me that I may do differently

to Little Pine regulars is I try to cover as much water as possible to find feeding fish.

What really amazes me about Little Pine Lagoon is its consistency to produce quality brown trout year after year. There is never a trip I go to Tassie without spending some time wading the edges of the lake and hopefully, after reading this article you will go and find out for yourself just how good the fishing can be!

The perfect shore to prospect with dries early and late in the day.

Little Pine trout are easily accessible to anglers fishing from the shore.

Tailing Troutand Fishless Days

Logan Reid

You’ve just looked up the weather on your favourite app for tomorrow morning, and with excitement you see that the conditions for the first couple hours of light will be perfect for tailing trout. You set up your five-weight fly rod with a floating line and a 4 metre leader, tie on a fly you have confidence in, and then put it in the car ready for what tomorrow brings. Then try and get a good night’s sleep for the planned early start.

The alarm goes off at 4 am and you’re hoping that two things will be play out. One: the conditions will be good, like the forecast and fish will be moving around in the shallows. Two; you hope two hours of sleep will do you for the long day of fishing ahead. It’s now time to get out of bed, switch the jug on to make yourself a coffee or hot chocolate and turn the car on to warm up. After you’ve made your warm drink in a thermos you hop into the car and head off to the edge of the lake. The time is 4:45 am and you can see the first bit of light, you walk down to the water, which is only a

short 50-metre wander, and there right in front of you, you see your first trout! You unhook your dry fly and present it nicely to the fish. The fish starts moving towards your fly and the adrenaline starts to kick in. The fish is right underneath your fly and you’re ready to strike and set the hook. But the fish continues past your fly so you re-present to the fish and it swims under your fly a second time. It might just be that fish that doesn’t want the dry so you move on to another fish only a few metres down the bank and present your fly again but the same outcome occurs.

Okay, it’s time to try something different. You tie on a small unweighted wet and the next fish you see you cast half a metre in front and half a metre across from the fish and give the fly a little bit of movement. The fish sees your fly and immediately reacts and bow waves to your fly. Here we go we’re about to get a take. The fish comes right over to your fly and just sits behind it for a while before refusing your fly leaving you wondering why he bow waved it in the first place.

A little disappointed but not discouraged, you look for another fish. You’ll have five more opportunities before the sun comes up and shuts the tailers down. You get the same reactions to your fly by the most of the trout. Apart from the last fish, this fish bow waves to your fly and takes it! The adrenaline makes you do a marlin-worthy hook set and the fly comes right out of the fish’s mouth. That was your last chance of the morning, bugger!!

Fly choice for tailing trout

For tailing trout, I like to use a small unweighted wet fly in about a size 10 hook. The reason I like a wet is that I believe the fish is more likely to see it when it is tailing and looking at the bottom of the lake. Another reason is you often get some pretty cool takes with fish bow waving towards your fly. My go-to wet flies are Fur Flies, small black Woolly Buggers and also Mr Simpsons, they both have a slow sink rate which hovers in a fish’s face and won’t sink to the bottom. Sometimes

Tailing trout are often big and full of fight.

I’ll use a single dry fly or a dry dropper rig for tailing trout. When fish are not in the mood to chase flies, a dry dropper is a great way to sit a nymph in front of a fish and get a take that way. If you have a lot of weed growth where you are fishing and a wet fly or a nymph is getting stuck on the bottom then using a single dry fly is often the go. Good dry flies are Red Tags, small black beetles and Shaving Brushes or emergers.

Line, Leader and Tippet

The fly line I have been using for a while now is the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Infinity line. This line is good for both long casting and fishing short. To this, I’ll add a 9-foot tapered leader (2.5 metres) and off the end of that I’ll add about another metre of 6-pound tippet. All up my leader and tippet system will be about three and a half metres in length meaning that my fly line is a long way from the spooky tailing trout.

Rod and Reel

For tailing trout, I like a lighter rod, something like a four or five-weight fly rod, but a six-weight is fine too. Lately, the rod I have been using for this is the Pisces Turbo in a 5-weight. It’s a nice rod that has a powerful fast action that can punch into the wind if needed but is also able to present a fly lightly without

making too much disturbance on the water for those still and calm mornings. The type of reel really isn’t that important as all they are is a line holder. You just need something with a smooth drag to not break off fish when they run after you set the hook in shallow water. The reel I am using at the moment is the Orvis ClearWater Large Arbor II reel. The smooth drag is the reason I like this particular reel but as I said before the main part of a reel is just a line holder. Other reels that are suited for tailing trout and are budget friendly are the Flylab EXO fly reel, ECHO ION fly reel and the Sage spectrum C series fly reel.

Adding Movement

Every day on the water is different. Some days fish will want movement added to the fly, some days all they need is a static fly. You won’t know what they want until you try something. A static dry fly is often a good way to start as having the fly just sitting there is unlikely to spook a fish. But sometimes a static fly won’t be noticed by a fish tailing and feeding heavily amongst the grass. Sometimes giving your dry a skate across the water when the fish is within a metre of your fly is enough to get him to turn his head up as he notices the disturbance above him. Though probably my favourite way to target a tailing trout is with a small unweighted wet fly cast a metre across from the fish and a metre in front of a sighted moving fish and then retrieved with a figure eight in a fishes feeding line. I believe that having a fly subsurface means that it’s easier for a fish to see it, also it’s very exciting to see a fish bow wave over to your fly after it has noticed it!

Tracking A Tailing Trout

I find that the best way to catch a tailing trout is to cast in front of him and strip a small wet fly in front of him. But how do you know which way the fish is travelling in? You will need to watch a fish and observe him. Is he moving in a straight line or zigzagging? Is he moving from right to left or left to right? These are important things to find out to make a plan and maximise your chances of fooling a fish.

Enjoying Time On The Water

If you’re not enjoying your time on the water then what are you there for? Look, catching fish is great but it doesn’t always happen. So make the best out of your day on the water and remember to enjoy it. The true test of a fisherman is to see how many fishing trips you

can go on without catching a fish and not giving up. I had a two-month dry period last season where I just couldn’t catch a fish. I could find fish and get touches but I could put it all together, but that’s fishing. These days are important though, it’s when you learn the most! Those days on the water will leave you wondering why the fish were so tough and you’ll try to work them out in your head for next time.

Finn McDowell with an awesome early morning trout that ate a dry.

Rising trout will get the heart racing.

Logan with an early morning edge feeder.

Howler Snapper

Tips on Targeting Big Snapper

Damon Sherriff

Well, we are halfway through the Tasmanian snapper season! There have been a lot of mixed reports around the state. The Tamar River which is the state’s best big snapper estuary has been a bit quiet for quality fish for the second year running, while the state’s Northeast and Northwest have been fishing extremely well with both areas reporting fish of nearly 10kg. It’s really great to see these fish from a couple of years back which measured 80 to 85 cm now measuring 85 to 92 cm. I think the next upcoming years will be incredibly good, very similar to the years experienced back in the 1990s and early 2000s when there were quite a few fish over 10kg landed each season in Tasmania.

According to Victorian Fisheries, this age class of fish was spawned back around 2001 so they will be fish going on 22 years old. Although not fully grown, they are not far off. So for the next few years, we are going to have some very serious fish swimming about in our bays and estuaries. During recent seasons there has been a real lack of these big adult fish, so it will be great to see if they can get through the gauntlet of recreational fishermen and commercial shark fishermen. So far, my season has been pretty similar to last, lots of small to medium fish mainly between 50 to 70 cm; and a couple of really nice fish, one measuring 90 cm and 8.91 kg. I worked out it was the longest snapper I have caught

since 2010 so I am very stoked! It will be interesting what age the fish is but I would not be surprised if it is one of the snappers that was spawned back in 2001 seasons, which was a bumper spawning season for Snapper in Victoria and possibly Tasmania as well.

It’s been interesting to watch these fish grow very slowly and get bigger and bigger each season. I remember back in the 2004 season, we had a huge influx of small pinkies in the Tamar River. My friend and I caught hundreds of them, they were like piranhas nibbling at our baits intended for big snapper, they used to drive us mad. Well, these are the big fish we are catching now. But now they are around 90 cm. Hopefully the next few years we will see a few around one metre being landed.

The big 90 cm howler.

Well here is a bit of a story of how it all happened December 2022.

I headed out of my home port and town, Bridport one breezy sunny afternoon to fish the evening in the shallows. The week before I hooked what I thought was a big snapper among a school of smaller fish. I was very busy dealing with the small school fish, they were going gangbusters, I have no idea how many I landed and released, but it was a lot.

Out of the blue one of my 8-foot live fibre snapper rods buckled over and howled off at a blistering rate, I grabbed the little Abu 6500 rocket. I knew straight away this fish was way bigger than the fish I had just been catching which were between two and four and a half kilograms. This was a really good one! It crossed my mind it could be high teens, which would have been totally awesome! After a short dogged fight, I got the big red under the boat. I could not see it, but then everything went loose. I was devastated as I have put in some very serious time for a chance at a fish like this. My first thought was a couta had bitten at my swivel, which I have had happen before, I wound in a loose line. I couldn’t understand! I had been bitten off. I have never had this happen before in all my years. The big snapper had bitten through the 24 kg mono leader. I was so upset but I got myself together and retied my rig, baited up and recast in the same spot. It was the only rod I had in the water because of the hot bite of smaller fish. My bait hit the bottom. I sat there for less than a minute and the same rod buckled over and howled off again! I could not believe it, another chance!!! I played the fish gently and carefully. I was paranoid about being bitten off again. After a hard stubborn fight, I landed my first big snapper for the season, she weighed in at 7.53 kg and 84 cm. I was very happy.

Good preparation can result in fish like this.

Later that evening I spoke to a friend from Victoria, who had been fishing recently in a location renowned for big snapper and he had the same thing happen three times over. He put it down to the fish having sharper teeth than normal; he said maybe they have been eating a different diet, and he was using 20kg, mono leader. I explained to him what had happened, and I suspected the snapper that bit me off was a bigger fish again than the 7.53 kg female.

So I headed out again mid-afternoon and caught some fresh calamari for bait. I anchored up just before dark. It didn’t take long to get some action from the little fish again, they kept me very busy till well after

dark. There were a couple of respectable ones among them, up to five kilograms, but most were around two to three kilograms. It was about 10.30 pm and the bite had slowed up with the tide. I finally got three rods back in the water, when I had a double hook-up. I grabbed the rod closest to me. I quickly rang my youngest son Sam on Messenger and put it on video so he and his girlfriend Bianca could watch the double hook-up.

The rod on the other side of the boat was howling off, so I swapped rods thinking it was a far bigger fish. I was right!!! The fish hit top gear and ran 60 metres of mono off my Abu at a blistering pace. He arched around, heading for deeper water. I said to Sam and Bianca, this is a really good one! I got the snapper back to the boat. It was doing short dogged lunges. I would get a couple of winds and it would take it back. I knew in the back of my mind this fish was special, maybe similar to the size of fish they were catching in Western Port at the time, somewhere nudging nine kilograms. I got colour!

The fish was very long under the moonlight, I said to Sam, it’s 90 cm! He agreed through the iPhone. I decided to take this fish for taxidermy, for I have not done one for myself for quite a few years. I got my little trusty gaff ready and gaffed the big girl. I gave out a yell of happiness as I lifted it over the side. Sam and Bianca were both saying, “Put it on the brag mat!”

I said I had better wind in the other rod first. I wound in the other rod and another 60 cm snapper came aboard. I quickly released him and went

back to measuring the big one. She went right on 90cm and weighed in on certified scales at 8.91 kg. This was the biggest fish I have landed since 2010. I can’t wait to have it hanging on my wall.

Bait - the important part!

To be consistent at catching really big snappers there are a few tricks of the trade you have to master. When snappers get over seven kilograms, anglers call them big snapper. They really are a different beast from a pinkie or school fish. They require more preparation, more planning, more hours and more patience. They don’t come along every day as small fish do.

One of the most important things you can do to improve your chances is become a master at catching fresh bait, small fish will take frozen second-class bait readily but big fish are fussier and fresh bait is a trick of the trade. I tried and targeted what was on offer during the season. I change my bait as the season progresses. I start with probably one of my favourite baits southern calamari, mainly because of the abundance of them early season. They are great bait fresh, but not as effective frozen. They are tough and sea lice resistant which makes them great for fishing at night on a sandy bottom. You can get quite a few baits out of even a small calamari. For a big calamari, you can get up to 15 baits out off. So you don’t need heaps of them for a decent session.

To target them, you need to find an area that either has a seagrass or ribbon weed seabed. You don’t want the area to be too deep. I normally fish for calamari under five metres, but sometimes they will be deeper over the reef. If they are in a deeper area you will need to fish them on a dropper rig with a sinker but under five metres, a squid jig is normally all that is required. The technique is to cast the squid jig out the back of the boat and slowly drift over the seabed where the calamari will be. In late winter or early spring, they lay

Perfect fresh squid bait for snapper. Looks like this you’re in for a good session. Releasing a big Tassie red.

Early mornings are usually productive.

their eggs on the seabed, the female calamari is surrounded by many male squids protecting her and her eggs. They are normally aggressive and will take a squid readily when found around their eggs. If you can mark the area where their eggs are found with either a landmark or GPS, you can normally catch all you need very quickly. It’s also quite enjoyable fishing on light gear. I love catching them, it is sometimes more fun than the snapper trip itself. Sometimes calamari are colour sensitive and a certain colour is all they will take, so have a few different colours on hand.

Southern Calamari do not like freshwater so upper reaches of estuaries and river mouths are sometimes not great areas to target them. You can also catch your bait land-based in certain areas. Some jetties, marinas and wharves have good numbers of calamari around them at certain times of the year. The best way to find information around your area is to go to your local tackle store and ask, they should be more than happy to tell you and maybe sell you a squid jig or two.

We have still got a few months of the best part of the snapper season left, so if you have not been or have not caught a nice one before, now is probably your best chance of catching a big 90 cm snapper in the last 20 years. So make the most of it, get out there, and have some fishing fun!

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When all the hard work comes together and a fish of a lifetime hits the net!

Lake Field barramundi pulled out of the lily pads

Towards the end of 2022, through a good mate of mine, I was offered an opportunity too good to refuse. To fly up to Seisia (the tip of Cape York, QLD) and join him on his journey back to Tasmania. The plan was to fish the whole way home. Flights were booked and I departed Hobart at the end of October. I was repeatedly warned about the heat up there at that time of year but still managed to underestimate it. Stepping off the plane at the Bamaga runway, it took all of about 2 minutes to be completely drenched in sweat. Being the lead-up to the wet season meant humidity was through the roof and the temps were 35-40 degrees celsius every day. The contrast in weather compared to where I had just come from was a shock to the system.

However, we had fish to catch. We loaded my gear into the car and headed to the accommodation and started rigging up. With the Jardine River only being a short 30-minute drive away, we hooked the little tinny up and hit the road. No more than two hours after arriving up the Cape and we were already on the water. Greeted by one of the nicest looking rivers I’ve ever seen, crystal clear water flowing over sand, surrounded by lilies, overhanging trees and all sorts of wildlife I was keen to start fishing! Before we had even made our first cast we had already seen several saratoga and a number of archerfish cruising around.

The next few hours would provide some of the most enjoyable topwater sight-fishing I have experienced. My lure of choice was the Nomad Riptide Fatso 95. Casting

around any fishy-looking zones and retrieving the lure with a basic walk-the-dog style action saw ‘toga after ‘toga exploding on it as if they had never encountered anglers before. One of the best things about fishing in such a remote part of the country! Everything about these fish from the visual aspect of chasing them to their prehistoric looks and the locations they lived in quickly saw them rocket up the list of my favourite fish.

During my time up the Cape, we were lucky enough to be presented with a couple of weather windows to get offshore and chase some pelagic and reef species. My mate Bill had been working for Cape York Adventures over the dry season and his boss Dave was kind enough to let us use one of his boats. My first taste of offshore fishing in Cape York was a jigging session and to say

Big jack under the full moon

A respectable golden trevally caught vibing

Big fingermark on the jig Black jewfish, these things can pull!

Jungle perch live in some epic country but they don’t come easy.

we had an epic session would be an understatement. Just about every drop resulted in a hookup and the best part about being up North is that it really is a lucky dip with the variety of fish you can encounter up there. We certainly ticked a few off the list despite the sharks robbing me of a few. The lures I had the most success with were the Nomad Buffalo 120g Jig, Nomad 130mm Vertrex Max Vibe and the 5-inch Holt Productions Swimprawn. These three lures accounted for everything from coral trout to nannygai, fingermark, jewfish, various trevally species and more!

We also got to experience some of the exciting topwater fishing for pelagics around the reef edges. Throwing poppers and stick baits around we got to witness some crazy air strikes from Spanish mackerel, pack attacks from GTs and longtail tuna bust-ups. Unfortunately, the only big GTs we hooked were violently mauled by packs of sharks within seconds of hookup and only some smaller models made it to the boat.

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After our time in Seisia came to an end, we packed the car and headed for Weipa. From Weipa, we drove an hour up the coast to the Pennefather River where we set up camp on the beach for a couple of days with some friends we made in Seisia. This turned out to be a crazy little river system and we experienced some awesome sight fishing on the sand flats at the mouth of the river. Using our light gear and throwing around small crab, prawn and baitfish imitations we caught countless numbers of golden trevally, queenfish, giant

Lesser

known reef fish. The paddletail. A no take species.

herring and even a few extras thrown in from coral trout to mackerel and cobia. Despite not being quite as big as some of the fish we encountered offshore, chasing these fish around in 1-3m of water and watching them hunt your lure down was every bit as fun. We even crossed paths with a big school of permit one afternoon and managed to get connected to quite a large specimen on a Holt Productions Swimcrab but after a short-lived battle, the hook unfortunately pulled!

Not far from where we had set up camp on the beach, there was a little land-locked pond that was loaded with saltwater crocs. A cool sight! A little further past that was a rock bar that was accessible on foot. Given that the moon was in its full phase we didn’t want to waste the opportunity so one night after dinner we rigged up some 5-inch plastics and went for a walk to see if we could find a big mangrove jack, a bucket list species for me. I reckon we had only been casting under the moonlit sky for all of 5 minutes when the paddle tail I had been slow rolling got absolutely railed. This thing put up a proper tussle as it try to head back into its cave and if it wasn’t for the 100lb leader I decided to run I dare say I would have lost it. Being cautious of the large lizards around the water’s edge I walked back and dragged this fish up onto the sand. A quick flash of the torch confirmed it was the target species and a solid jack around the mid-’50s was landed! We stuck it out a little while longer and I managed to land my PB saltwater barra. A fish of around 70cm. A quick photo before we slipped her back and then we called it a night.

Throughout the rest of our North Queensland adventure, we checked out and fished a number of cool locations from the picturesque streams flowing through the Daintree to land-locked billabongs in Lake Field National Park and the famous Catwalk in Seventeen Seventy. These locations accounted for some more notable captures and encounters such as getting up close and personal with wild cassowaries, my first

jungle perch, several healthy barras and probably the most exciting being a 104cm topwater queenfish on my little 3k outfit while fishing off a beach opposite a small cafe in Seventeen Seventy. The big queenie smashed my lure off the surface in only a few feet of water and proceeded to empty my whole spool on its first run. Chasing a fish down a beach is not something

I’ve had to do many times but eventually, I got some line back on the spool and after a serious aerial display from this fish I finally got to slide it up onto the sand!

From Seventeen Seventy we decided to beeline a bit further south, heading to Inverell, an inland town found in Northern New South Wales. We set up camp on the side of a little river just outside of town for a few

Northern Saratoga. So much fun!

One of Australia’s finest, the Murray cod.

One of the better table fish. Largemouth nannygai.

days and spent some time chasing one of my favourite freshwater natives in Aus. The iconic Murray cod. The river we were exploring was similar to some of the trout streams down-home such as the Tyenna. Crystal clear water, relatively small pools with plenty of rapids, so it felt a little odd throwing big obnoxious lures such as spinnerbaits in a quiet little stream. However, it didn’t take long before we gained some confidence in our approach when Bill’s lure was slammed by a nice cod less than 100m from where we had set up camp! We spent the next few days exploring this cool river and some of the gorge country below Copeton Dam where we tallied up over 20 of these epic green fish and even got to experience some heart-racing action one night when we waded upriver under the full moon throwing around some noisy topwater presentations. The sound of a cod boofing your lure off the surface in the dark while you’re waist-deep in the water can certainly have you on edge!

When our cod expedition was over we spent a little bit of time in inland Victoria before boarding the spirit where we had some fun chasing wild stream trout on hardbodies and hunting a few foxes, wild dogs and sambar to finish off what I consider to be the trip of a lifetime exploring the east coast of this amazing country we’re lucky enough to live in!

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Are Mayflies Disappearing?

Anglers Alliance Tasmania is concerned

Howard Jones

Anglers Alliance Tasmania (AAT), the overarching body for freshwater Tasmanian angling, is working for your fishery and is receiving numerous reports from respected fishers of longstanding who have grave concerns for the sustainability of our cherished highland waters. Many anglers have observed marked changes in the frequency and abundance of mayfly hatches and the exciting visual flyfishing it brings, on diverse highland waters across Tasmania. Why mayfly? According to our scientific advisors (Entomologists), mayflies are a reliable indicator of water quality and biodiversity. In response, AAT is seeking to shed light on this issue and has initiated a “Collaborative study into environmental and angler impacts on shallow highland waters.”

The intent is to collect information and investigate multiple factors contributing to changes observed by anglers. Targeting our efforts and resources the current emphasis is Penstock Lagoon. An increasingly popular and pressured shallow highland water, with very limited flow through, having existing data available and highlighted by numerous anglers for declining dun numbers, Penstock is seen as an appropriate focus for the study. Hydro Tasmania has made available extensive data from historical water sampling in a suite of highland lakes. The data will be examined for potential relationships between environmental inputs and angler observations.

Hydro has undertaken preliminary scientific analysis by way of water and sediment sampling at Penstock and will undertake enhanced sampling of shallow highland waters as part of routine testing of waters it oversees. To determine angler visitation information

traffic monitoring equipment has been installed at the entrance to the Penstock ramp to gain an accurate picture of peaks and troughs of seasonal boat angling effort.

In collaboration with renowned entomologist John Gooderham from Waterbug Blitz and Ron Thresher who has sampled mayflies from Penstock over many years, AAT coordinated an inaugural citizen science bug sampling at Penstock Lagoon in November. The two experts mentored anglers as they sampled six individual sites around the lagoon and then worked alongside them to identify and collate the macro-invertebrates collected. It is intended to establish ongoing macroinvertebrate sampling days to be conducted by interested anglers. Their findings will be authenticated using Waterbug Blitz protocols available through a phone app, cataloguing the diversity and make-up of the insects at designated sites around the lagoon.

AAT is seeking greater input from anglers who have diaries and historical records of their fishing experiences in our highland waters and are willing to add to the breadth of understanding in this collaborative project. It is hoped to publish a survey to formalise and collate such angler observations.

If you’re keen to share your experience, please send your information to: anglersalliance@gmail.com with ‘Shallow Water Study’ in the subject, or, post to GPO Box 963, Hobart, 7001.

The dam wall at Penstock Lagoon which was a site for the study.

The group of anglers that are investigating mayfly movements in the Highlands.

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Sand

Stock status = Depleted

RECREATIONAL SEA FISHERIES NEWS

Flathead Fishery Update

Flathead are the most popular recreational fisheries species, accounting for 70% of Tasmanian recreational fish catches each year. In fact, around 98% of the statewide sand flathead harvest is by recreational fishers. However, many fishers are noticing that it’s harder to catch a legal-size sand flathead, particularly around the southeast and east coasts.  These observations indicate a fisheries stock under increasing pressure and are reflected in ongoing scientific monitoring by the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS). The IMAS assessment is based on fishery independent sampling and analysing many thousands of sand flathead from many locations around Tasmania.

The status of the fishery

The most recent Scalefish Assessment Report (2020-2021) from IMAS has classified the sand flathead as depleted, with fishery biomass down to 17% in some regions. This is below the internationally recognised level of 20% of unfished biomass that normally triggers urgent management action to rebuild the fishery.

From concerns about the health of the fishery, IMAS commenced a project to monitor it in 2012. Since then, the number of legal-size sand flathead and the average size of sand flathead has continued to decrease. This is because so many fish are being removed soon after reaching legal size. In some areas, around 70% of fish are caught within a year of reaching legal size. Large breeding females are depleted in most areas and are not being replenished.

These trends are the result of unsustainable fishing pressure, particularly from recreational fishers who catch around 98% of the overall statewide catch. As and added concern, there is evidence that fishing is driving a selection pressure on the sand flathead population. Because smaller and slower growing fish tend

to mature earlier than larger, faster growing fish, they get more chances to breed before reaching legal size. Over time, this forces the evolution of smaller, slow-growing flathead. Compared with larger flathead, these fish produce a lot less eggs and their offspring tend to have a reduced chance of survival

Size limit changes and a bag limit reduction in 2015 resulted in a slight improvement in some areas. However, this was not enough to stabilise the sand flathead fishery which is facing prolonged and unsustainable fishing pressure.

The IMAS has assessed the sand flathead fishery as depleted. It is worthwhile noting that Tiger Flathead which are found in more deeper waters are sustainable.

What are we doing about this?

The Flathead for the Future program is now underway to help recover sand flathead stocks. As part of the program, NRE Tas representatives will be out and about in the community to educate fishers about sustainable and responsible fishing. NRE Tas are also hosting a series of interactive events to promote sustainable flathead fishing, including Flathead Discovery Days. So keep an eye out on the fishing.tas.gov. au/flathead web page for an event near you.

Tiger flathead

Stock status = Sustainable

Scan the QR code for more flathead information.

• Flathead Discovery Days - talk flathead science with DR FLATHEAD test your flathead species ID skills on real fish, see dissections, upskill your fish handling and filleting techniques, learn how to fish for and cook other tasty species, and see flathead in their underwater environment. Suitable for all ages and fishing abilities.

• Fishing Clinics - learn how to fish for, identify and handle flathead responsibly.

• Community Patrols - talk to our team at your local boat ramp or jetty and share your experience of flathead fishing in Tasmania.

What can fishers do to help flathead stocks recover?

Other than complying with bag and size limits, there are many ways recreational fishers can fish more responsibly and limit their impact on flathead stocks. These include:

• Only taking what you need for a feed –limit your catch, don’t catch your limit.

• Never retain undersized flathead – not even for bait.

• Using a de-hooker or wet hands when releasing fish to increase the survival rate of released fish

Gone

• Targeting other species such as Australian Salmon, Mackerel to relieve some of the fishing pressure on sand flathead.

• Fish deeper water for Tiger Flathead, which is sustainable.

• Fishing away from popular areas where fishing pressure is greatest.

You can also share your knowledge and experience and help others in the community learn to fish sustainably by becoming a Fishcare volunteer.

Need more information?

• Download the Tasmanian Sea Fishing Guide app

• Go to fishing.tas.gov.au or facebook.com/ FisheriesTasmania

• Phone: 1300 720 647 or 03 6165 3233

• Email: fishing.enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au

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CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY. CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY.