Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Issue 097 2012 April

Issue 97 April - May 2012

Tassie’s e m a G t s e B Fishing Season Ever!

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Game Fishing Reports and Tips

Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027

Trout

Lake Australia Lake Mackintosh Lake King William Gunns Lake Little Lake - and more

Australian Salmon

An in Depth Report

Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championship Results

Nick Duigan seems happy with his 63 kilogram southern bluefin tuna. Game fishing from page 8.

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8

12

16

Australian Salmon – Research and History — Gio Braidotti 4 Tasmania’s Top Trout — Shane Flude

6

Game Fishing Heats Up — Daniel Paull

8

The Best Game Fishing in Years — John Orchard

12

Gunns and Little Lakes — Peter Broomhall

16

Lake King William — Todd Lambert

20

Jan’s Flies — Jan Spencer

23

Late Season Trout — Craig Rist

25

Lake Mackintosh — Craig Rist

28

Inland Fisheries Service News

32

Marine Fishery News

34

XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships – Report

36

Reviews 40 Fishing, boating and accommodation services directory

46

My Say I read once that ‘No man who catches a big fish walks home through the alley.’ Of course they don’t – they want to tell everyone about it. But ask where ‘exactly’ and how they caught it and it all becomes a bit vague.

That seems to apply to everything from marlin to bluefin, trout and I even experienced it recently when asking about a nice catch of garfish. ‘Local knowledge’ the man told me ‘you have to have local knowledge’ and then he wandered off.

Anyway I don’t mind too much, but trying to put together a magazine sometimes can be hard when that is what I am told. People are welcome to their secret spots and secret lures, but they will become known one day soon.

Stripey trumpeter reefs are a good one that people don’t like to reveal either, but with modern GPS and awesome sounders they are all becoming known as well.

Back to the big fish and the alley though. The game fishing season

Tasmania is experiencing at the moment is as good as it has ever been. There have been more marlin hooked, lost and landed than I can ever remember. Plenty of XS albacore have been landed and bluefin are numerous. The bigger SBT seem to come in May and hopefully they will hang on well into June.

If you have a good day - tell your mates where and how, because it might be a while before we get another game season like this.

Better still email me a photo and report and I’ll put it on our website www. tasfish.com — It is a great place to do some bragging and it is read by thousands.

The trout season has been tough for many – especially so for trout anglers who fish the rivers. Some have been devastated by cormorants, but they will move on.

Todd likes the Black and Gold Flapper and so does this brownie from Lake King William.

We still have plenty of good fishing left over April and rainbow waters in May. I love the calm days, and if we get a warm one there is some action.

Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News

Published by Michael Stevens PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250.

Fax: 6331 1278 Email; mike@tasfish.com Phone: 0418 129 949 Stevens Publishing, ABN 79 095 217 299

All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027

For subscriptions go to www.tasfish.com or phone 0418 129 949

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Fishing News - Page 3

Australian Salmon A travelling life Gio Braidotti

Rebounding stocks of Eastern Australian Salmon along the eastern coast and a revealing study into the salmon’s life history have prompted Fisheries NSW to refine the balance between conservation, sport and industry.

The original restriction was introduced in 2001 when Eastern Australian Salmon was declared a recreational-only species north of Barrenjoey Head, forcing trap fishers in the north to truck bait in from southern NSW. Over the years the restriction became increasingly unpopular and contentious as salmon numbers appeared to be increasing.

esearch findings from an FRDC-funded project have resulted in Fisheries NSW relaxing a 10year restriction on the commercial take of Eastern Australian Salmon along the NSW coast, north of Barrenjoey Head.

“Eastern Australian Salmon are a highly visible species: they are big fish that swim in large schools, which feed heavily on baitfish near the surface,” says NSW Fisheries researcher John Stewart, who headed the FRDC study.

R

The revised management code for northern NSW replaced a daily bycatch limit of 100 kilograms and permits allowing fishers to retain Eastern Australian Salmon as bait, with a 224-tonne-a-year commercial fishery as of 1 December 2011.

The species (Arripis trutta) is harvested commercially primarily for use as trap bait to catch more lucrative species, such as snapper, crabs and rocklobster, off the eastern coast of Australia.

So dominant is this end use that fishers’ bait requirements were used to determine the 224-tonne catch limit in northern NSW. The species is also highly sought after by recreational fishers for its strength and fighting spirit, and although perfectly edible, is not considered a premium table fish.

Commercial fishers currently harvest about 2000 tonnes of Eastern Australian Salmon annually from Tasmania to northern NSW, where the species is found.

“That meant fishers noticed that stocks seemed to be increasing in abundance and migrating further north, right up into southern Queensland, which historically is unusual.”

Over three years to 2011, John Stewart led a collaborative, cross-jurisdictional team of researchers from NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. The aim was to provide robust data to support sciencebased management decisions.

This included information about age, spawning activity, stock structure and stomach contents obtained when the team dissected 5000 fish, mainly donated by fishers along the eastern coast.

One finding likely to influence ongoing management practices relates to the geographical distribution of the fish as they mature.

The study found juveniles mainly in Tasmanian waters. Only after a few years do maturing fish migrate northward. Ultimately, the oldest and biggest spawning fish are located off northern NSW. Their eggs and larvae are then carried southward, to southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania by the East Australian Current (EAC).

“We are very confident with these results,” John Stewart says. “It was a comprehensive study looking at fish across their distribution and included biological studies. We saw no fish at all mature in Tasmania. It is not until they move north that they undergo sexual maturity.”

Julian Hughes analyses the otolith chemistry composition of Eastern Australian Salmon at the Cronulla Fisheries Research Unit.

Fishing News - Page 4

The oldest fish surveyed – aged by counting rings in the otolith (ear-bone) in the same manner as tree rings are counted – was 12 years old.

“This fascinating life history and distribution could explain why stock levels have rebounded in the past decade,” John Stewart says. “During the 1990s there was a reduction in the amount of Eastern Australian Salmon harvested in Tasmania, driven by reduced demand for rocklobster bait. In turn, that could have allowed more juveniles to migrate northward.”

Diet also was found to change as the fish matured. Young fish were found to feed on small crustaceans and fish. As they matured, their diet centred primarily on species considered bait fish.

“One of the drivers for the research were concerns – primarily from the recreational sector – that large schools of Eastern Australian Salmon were eating vast quantities of juvenile seafood species important to recreational fishers – baby whiting, bream, and Mulloway,” John Stewart says.

“That is something else we examined.

“Upon checking the stomach contents of 5000 fish, we found mainly bait fish – sardines, anchovies and Whitebait. We did find the odd juvenile seafood species, but they were a small fraction of their diet.”

Another important study component, especially from the FRDC’s perspective, looked at stock structure. This was to determine whether salmon on the east coast behave as a single population that mixes and breeds freely or whether they form separate sub-populations.

John Stewart says that this matters for a fishery that crosses state boundaries since ‘single stock populations’ require different management strategies, in particular more cooperation among states.

Two methods were used to obtain an answer. One involved reanalysing tagging data collected since the 1960s using the new biological understanding of the species. The other involved advanced chemical composition studies of the otolith bone, which provided information about the water chemistry of a fish’s habitat and, therefore, whether different fish mixed or stayed isolated.

These protocols found that Eastern Australian Salmon behave like a single stock. A separate FRDC project is currently exploring best-practice options for cross-jurisdictional stock management.

“It’s a nice outcome when conservation and the interests of recreational and commercial fishers balances,” John Stewart says. “Plus, now there is better information about the life history of the animal available to all stakeholders. That means we can

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get the balance right between the need for the spawning adults in the northern reaches and the developing juveniles in the south as we refine recommendations into the future.”

That sentiment is shared by John Harrison of the Professional Fisherman’s Association. He says the findings demonstrate that marine resource can be sustainably shared by everybody, including commercial interests.

“This is a sensible decision based upon science and nothing less,” John Harrison says. “Ongoing monitoring will take place to ensure that catch limits are fair, equitable and sustainable, with a review triggered when the commercial catch reaches 80 per cent of the 224-tonne limit.”

He thinks that is unlikely to happen soon given the decreased demand in southern NSW following the closure of a fish-processing factory.

“With about 300 to 400 tonnes less salmon caught in the state, it is unlikely that we will see an overall increase in salmon catches, despite the lifting of restrictions on commercial fishers.”

Overall, he applauds NSW Fisheries for the decision. “We also no longer have the bizarre situation of fish swimming past home ports of fishers who are unable to catch the fish for bait use.”

The study was co-funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust.

This article has been reproduced with kind premission from FISH - The Fisheries Research Development Corporation magazine and the author Gia Braidotti.

FRDC Research Code 2009/021 More information: John Stewart, john. stewart@industry.nsw.gov.au; John Harrison, jharrison@pfai.com.au

9 years

A. Otoliths in the fish before extraction, B. Whole otolith, C. Otolith being sectioned prior to ageing, D. Sectioned otolith showing yearly rings.

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Tasmania’s Top Trout

B

efore you charge into this article expecting to read about the best trout in Tasmania I should warn you that it relates to the highest ones not the fattest.

It is also fraught with danger to write about something that may not be totally correct as there are still a few remote tarns that I haven’t got to yet and probably never will. There are also some higher places I have found to be devoid of trout that some sneaky specimens may now have swam up into.

Having said all this it is my belief that the highest water in Tasmania to contain brown trout is an unnamed water at around 1290m south west of Turrana Heights. We have named it Lake Australia. It is a headwater tarn on one of several streams that flow into the western side of Pillans Lake.

So drag out the Pillans 1:25000 map and follow the stream that runs up through Pencil Pine Tarn to a water roughly shaped like Australia. Now read on about how to get there and what to expect on the way. Maybe it is not for this season, but why not put it on the list for later in the year.

Access to the general area can be made from three directions and are the most common routes onto the plateau.

The first and closest to Lake Australia is via the Little Fisher Falls track. A scenic drive to Lake Rowallan on the Mersey Forest Road and a few turns later onto some gravel roads will see you on a now overgrown logging road just short of the Little Fisher River. Its

Six pounder from a small tarn near Pencil Pine only about 6ks up onto the plateau where the track peters out at Long Tarns. 2ks to your north east lies Lake Australia.

Next route is via Blue Peaks starting from Lake Mckenzie. Its about a 10 k

walk with the only real hill being the daunting Turrana Heights at the end.

From the saddle on Turrana Heights Lake Australia and nearby waters can be easily seen as can the majority of waters in the western lakes. If you ever drag yourself up the hill away from the fishing on a sunny day it is well worth the effort.

The last access I will describe in detail as there is fishing the whole way. Starting point is Pillans Lake near hut number four which is where the tortuous Pillans/Julians vehicle track culminates. From here you can fish the entire creek system up to Lake Australia as there are some superb spots along the way. The creek in question flows into Pillans a few hundred metres north east of the hut, entering into a convoluted bay. There are always some fish in this area so it pays to put in some time here before starting.

A good work and great result.

Fishing News - Page 6

The creek itself is only worth fishing on the larger pools as most will contain one or two small brownies.

Fish up to two pound are rare in the creek but average about this size in the first major water about a kilometre upstream. The long skinny outflow neck area and the creek inflow are the best spots. There are large areas of very shallow water around this small tarn which just don’t hold fish. The next 3ks up to Pencil Pine Tarn feature

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a number of small tarns along the creek. Most feature some deep holes and all hold fish. On a good day there should a rising a compliant brownie in each. Size is still only up to 2 pound.

Best spots on all these instream tarns is where the creek flows in.

Pencil Pine Tarn is the first and only named water on this creek system.

It’s a magnificent place and one of the first areas I visited and explored in the Western Lakes. The camp site under the Pencil Pines on the north east corner is simply superb and is great spot to base yourself when fishing this area. A complete lap of the tarn is recommended. You should see about 6 fish up to 3 pound. The other two named feature waters in the area are Lakes Gwendy and Lexie, both about 20 minutes away. Both lakes are deep but again well worth the effort. Expect fish up 4 pound. There are no real hot spots on either lake, you need to lap them both. Within 2ks of Pencil Pine Tarn are some simply brilliant waters holding some of the biggest fish I have seen in the western lakes. Do not walk past seemingly tiny waters, if there is even the smallest gutter connection to the main creek or lakes then they are worth a careful look. Catch and release here goes without saying. I am sworn to secrecy as to exact locations and a quick count of waters within this distance reveals about 50 so my

secrets should be safe for a while. For me the thrill of the Western Lakes has always been in the exploration and discovery.

Leaving Pencil Pine Tarn behind and travelling further upstream the creek soon becomes one long tarn at it winds its way up the valley behind Turrana Heights. This is a great section to fish with easy walking along the mainly grassy banks. There are some deeper trenches and holes and plenty of shallow water to polaroid.

This long tarn holds good fish up to about 3 pound. All bays and necks need exploring. The creek becomes quite steep at the end of this small valley and features two more small, very deep tarns just short of our destinations. Both always seem to hold at least one trout and if they are not rising cast out near the inflows anyway. From here it is only a hop skip and jump to Lake Australia, nicely nestled on the rear slopes of Turrana.

Lake Australia is about 300ms by 200ms. There are some nice elevated rocky shores along the northern shores which provide the best polaroiding opportunities as the sun is always behind you on this bank. The rest of the lake is easy to walk around. It is reasonably shallow with some deeper water offshore that cannot quite be fully seen. A large part of the lake is gravel or sand and the fish stand out well. It is hard to estimate fish numbers but a complete lap should reveal 5 or 6 so perhaps the lake contains up to double that number. They range up to about 4 pounds and it was a fish this size on an early visit that remains my most memorable. I just happened to see a tiny rise beside a large rock and a decent trout swim in underneath. I crept up and carefully threw out a very short cast with one hand whilst holding the video camera in the other. As the

View from Turrana Heights. fly slowly drifted in near the rock on the second cast I was rewarded with what still remains as one of my best bits of trout footage as he rose and ever so gently sipped it down. It is probably why whether I see a fish in the area or not I always cast out near this rock as I past.

that the steep inflow prevents trout travelling any further as I have never seen any above. Running a close second in top trout is the nearby Daisy Lakes at just a few metres lower and third would probably be the upper reaches of the Nile River on Ben Lomond.

So this is as far up as the trout go.

There is another nice looking water a very short distance further upstream which has a number of smaller waters flowing into it, however it appears

The creek system which features Lake Australia is a delight to fish and explore. It could all be done in one huge day but warrants several days if the fickle Tassie weather allows.

Clear sunny skies are needed for best results but if clouds prevail then blind casting into the many inflows along this system should yield some results.

Time now to get out that map and head up top and if you find somewhere higher please let me know.

Shane Flude

Map image supplied by TASMAP Š State of Tasmania

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Fishing News - Page 7

Game Fishing W

hat a fantastic year it has been already!

The eastern side of the state has been producing some extraordinary fishing, including the appearance of some very solid striped marlin and yellowfin tuna. It would seem that the fishing has improved greatly since last year, as more and more big, trophy sized fish have been landed, lost or sighted. One thing I am really impressed with this year, is the size of the yellowfin that have been caught off the one and only game fishing capital of Tasmania, St. Helens! Not too long ago, I was lucky enough to have seen a huge yellowfin swimming beside our boat, the Terminator. Unfortunately though, for us, after a long battle on considerably heavy tackle, the line gave way and the fish was

Heats Up The world’s most expensive fish.

lost. Jamie Harris was on the rod, and I can assure you all right now, it was a very quiet few moments aboard the boat after the fish snapped the line and powered back off into the depths.

Regardless, it was a very encouraging start to our tuna season. With any luck, we will luck onto another ‘jumbo’ sized yellowfin tuna before winter. Another highlight for me was to watch Damien Tucker, fishing aboard the vessel titled ‘BEEFRUNNER’ off St. Helens, land a magnificent striped marlin after a long scrap on heavy gear.

Along with the spectacular aerial display the marlin gave dad and I as we watched intently from our own boat a short distance away, another element that made this battle so special was that Damien had nothing but a gumboot to stick the butt section of the rod into while he fought the fish! Now, how was that for some extreme game fishing? I’d only ever seen one marlin before that, of about the same size, but too see one jumping was pretty special. Maybe next time, we will hook into one!

This year has already been an absolute ripper for marlin, albacore and big yellowfin tuna. There has been a constant tug of war between the two most popular game fishing locations in the state, St. Helens and Eaglehawk Neck. One minute, there will be a marlin or yellowfin caught at the ‘Neck’ and the next there will be a marlin or yellowfin caught at St. Helens! Most of the fish, both marlin and yellowfin have been feeding in considerably shallow water, which is typical of both species, especially here in Tasmania. I’ve spent more time fishing out off St. Helens, so I’m not to sure about Eaglehawk Neck, but most of the fish that have been caught off St. Helens have been found actively feeding in depths between sixty and ninety meters deep. Big albacore have been pretty prominent too, especially around the Tasman Peninsula. They have been pretty touchy around St. Helens, but that should change once the water temperature decreases. Albacore may the regarded as the ‘chicken’ of the sea, for there white flesh and taste, but don’t neglect them, they fight just as hard as any other tuna species, especially when they tip the 20kg mark!

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Fishing News - Page 8

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I can’t say I’ve done much shark fishing this year, mainly due to an operation I had earlier on in the year. However, before said operation, we had a few successful ‘sharking’ trips off both Burnie and Devonport. During the Devonport shark fishing competition in early January, we managed a solid little mako that tipped the 70kg mark from memory, that has been the only shark we’ve taken this year.

She may have only been a small fish, compared

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to how big they can get, but it was great to finally see something over a meter long! There have been plenty of smaller fish around this year, and although they may the best eating sized fish, and they’re much easier to deal with beside the boat, please, only take what you need for a feed! I’ve heard of a few people bowling over five fish per day! Honestly people, how much ‘flake’ do you need?

Again, particularly in Bass Strait, my favourite shark, well favourite fish to be honest, has returned.

The great white shark has graced more than one lucky angler this year. This has been very encouraging to see, especially since nearly every shark that has been spotted, has been an absolute monster! Once again, the Devonport shark fishing competition produced multiple ‘jumbo’ sized white sharks, one of which followed the crew aboard ‘Hammerhead II’ for a very long period of time.

Another great thing to see, especially this year, is the amount of anglers taking the camera to these gigantic fish! I couldn’t think of anything better to hang on my wall, a large, framed photograph of a great white shark with it’s head poking out of the water, preferably chewing on something, wouldn’t you agree?

They may not be really classed as a popular Tasmanian game fish, yet, but the yellowtail kingfish have made a very impressive appearance this year. They have been caught all around the state this so far. While most of the fish haven’t been huge, they have been pretty easy to find and catch, especially on the east coast. If I think about kingfish, I immediately think of Elephant Rock. Elephant Rock has to be one of the most popular places to successfully target kingfish in Tasmania, and it isn’t all that far from the coastline, which makes it accessible to just about everyone, although a boat would be required, obviously. Dad and I had a great little session out there in February, we got stuck into a few very nice little ‘rat’ sized kingfish.

A while ago, catching a kingfish would have been a top priority for nearly every keen offshore angler, but with an ever changing climate, everyone will be able to successfully target these fish with ease, both from a boat and from the shore. Hopefully, with any luck, a few bigger fish will start to show up in greater numbers. A 10kg yellowtail kingfish lurking off the Cam or Emu River? I really can’t wait for that!

I guess every game fishing enthusiast is waiting for one thing now since the water temperature is slowly dropping, the return of our gigantic southern bluefin tuna! What will happen this year I wonder? Hopefully, judging by the way the fishing has been, we are all in for a spectacular ‘jumbo’ bluefin season. Juvenile bluefin tuna are regularly caught down south, there is no doubt about that, but the bigger fish are what most of us are after.

I’m guessing that all the usual locations around the southern end of the state will fire, it will just be the case of being in the right spot at the right time. Usually, the bigger fish will turn up after or during they appear off Portland, on the mainland.

It’s always a good sign when the Victorians start catching the bigger fish, because by then, they are already starting to swim down this way. When they do turn up in Victoria, there would be a good chance in locking onto a good fish on the west coast, you’ve just got to get the weather right! A monster bluefin caught off the west coast? Who will be the lucky, and brave angler to pioneer a new fishery?

I almost forgot, striped tuna, they are actually good fun to catch, just as long as you’re not trying to catch anything else! Dad and I had an awesome time chasing them off St. Helens on light spinning gear a while back. They where everywhere! We were casting small soft plastics into massive schools of them while they were busting up on the surface in about eighty metres of water. If anything, I couldn’t believe there weren’t a few marlin or yellowfin chasing them! They’ve tapered off a little bit now I think, due to the cooler water flowing up from the south, but I think it was more to do with what they were feeding on at the time. There were krill everywhere, and I guess that’s what would have

Striped marlin have been more prevalent than ever this season.

A good sized ‘schoolie’ bluefin.

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Fishing News - Page 9

fired the fish up so much. I wish I had the fly rod with me at the time, that would have been fun!

I guess it’s time to talk about tackle, because at the end of the day, you can’t catch fish without it! Most of the marlin and yellowfin that I have seen this year have taken small to medium sized pushers, but there would be other skirted lures that would work just as well. Colours haven’t been too important, I don’t think, but something with a hint of green, purple or pink would be advisable.

People that have been using heavier gear have been landing there fish, while those using lighter tackle have either been absolutely smoked, or broken off. Any overhead setup with line ranging from 15-37kg should be enough to successfully tackle a raging striped marlin, yellowfin or bluefin tuna. Nothing has changed on the shark fishing scene, a well spread burley trail and a sturdy 24-37kg outfit will do the job. Earlier this year, Paul Hicks landed a 311.6kg mako on 37kg line, so if you can’t land anything on that stuff, you probably won’t land anything at all! You could always step up to the super heavy gear used for ‘grander’ black marlin, but where’s the fun in that?

Tasmania’s East Coast has been delivering it best gamefishing in many years. And it should continue well into June.

So, with that out of the way, I could nearly say that the game fishing scene will continue to fire until the sea surface temperature really starts to drop, but even then, we’ve still got

those big bluefin to look forward to!

There is still plenty of fishing to be done offshore this year, so if you can, get out onto the water and have a crack. Out on the ocean, you never

really know what you may catch, and I’d nearly say that’s the most exciting element to game fishing!

Daniel Paull

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Fishing News - Page 11

The Best Game Fishing John Orchard

For many years is happening now....

or the past eight or nine years, game fishing in Tasmania has predominantly relied upon good numbers of southern bluefin tuna turning up in the south of the state.

St.Helens, which for many years was the Mecca of game fishing slumped to the stage most anglers were heading south to get their “fix” or targeting other species instead.

2012 has seen a dramatic turn around with numerous catches of striped marlin in both the north and south of the eastern side of the state – as well as many more hook ups that have been lost before getting them to the boat. Some of these catches have been by first time anglers who weren’t even trying to catch marlin!!

On top of all this there have been good numbers of yellowfin tuna landed, particularly around Merricks Reef off St.Helens with some great fish up around the 60-80kg mark.

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Sam Nichols showing some form with a good bluefin.

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caught in the weeks leading up to the event, only to disappoint organizers and competitors alike by fishing poorly over the duration of the event itself - and yet the competition was no sooner over and, yes – you guessed it!! - the fish came back on the bite with a vengeance. I guess that’s fishing for you.

Further south, the numbers of albacore being landed over late March has dropped off somewhat, however the size of those being landed has increased with some fish up around the 20-25 kilo mark – not bad for an “Alby”.

Yellowtail kingfish have also been around in greater than normal numbers this season in both the north and the south of the State and in places not normally known for “Kingies”.

In February I came across a large school of big ones smashing the daylights out of Australian salmon just off Tomahawk Island in the north east of the state.

Over March there have been numerous catches of these hard fighting fish taken from Bellerive Bluff and also underneath the Tasman Bridge on both lures and baits.

One particular “Red Letter Day” in the south saw multiple boats hooking kingfish on tuna lures as they trolled past patches of floating kelp – word spread fast and the next day saw a flotilla of boats heading down the Tasman Peninsula to partake in the bonanza only to find there was no kelp and no kingfish to be found – once again, I guess that’s fishing for you.

Kingfish are notorious for taking refuge under anything that floats or in fact any structure. A floating stick, kelp, rope or buoy can all hold kingfish.

Bluefin are the holy grail though for many. They are the most expensive fish in the world and held in the highest regard as sashimi.

From February they have been increasing in numbers by the day and although the size is still predominantly around the 20-30 kilo mark there have been the odd larger fish mixed in amongst them just to keep anglers on their toes when the reels “go off”.

These fish have been widespread with catches regularly being reported from Eaglehawk Neck right around to Whale Head and the Matsyker Group.

With the best bluefin months still in front of us yet, things are looking great for yet another bumper season in the south.

Over the past decades May and June have been some of the best months for large bluefin and it is one of the only fish you can catch in world record size in Tasmania.

Probably the biggest drawback to game fishing has been the shitty south easterly weather that has dogged us a bit over Feb/March.

However when the winds abate or swing back into the west there are some great fish out there just waiting to be caught so clean off the gear, sharpen the hooks on your “Brown Dog” and get out there and make your own luck – they are a bit hard to catch

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Fishing News - Page 13

off the couch in your lounge - and 2012 has so far been the year we have been dreaming of for a very long time!!!

Our (John Orchard) four best tuna lure colours so far this season for bluefin are all Meridians, these are: 1; Meridian Super Donger – referred to by its nickname The Brown Dog: 2; Meridian Stripey: 3; Meridian Orange Runner: 4; Meridian Super Jerk in white – referred to by its nickname Baby Squid.

The first 3 colours have been successful in both the Demon style as well as the Saltshaker style, the 4th one is a small heavily weighted baby squid pattern that has had great success when the fish are a bit touchy and hard to catch – this one can be trolled, cast or if you toothpick the lure it is also great for jigging as you drift.

Best lures from Spot On Hobart are: 1; Black Barts – Tuna Candy and Pelagic Breakfast: 2; Billmark – Prowler 6” and Dougal 6“ 3: Meridian – Dart, Demon (Sz 5) and Saltshaker (Sz 5): 4; Williamson – Tuna Catcher, Dorado Catcher rigged or unrigged: 5; Pakula – Softease in Uzi, Fluzi, Mini Roach and Mini Sprocket sizes.

Best lures from Rodney Howard at Tassie Tackle: Zuker ZF12. The Zuker I would put up against any lure at any time and be confident.

Meridian Demon - Super Donger Sz 4 and 5.

Best lures from Dean at Tamar Marine are: Meridian Demon No 5 - Dolphin fish: Halco Laser Pro 190 - King Brown: Pakula Micro Uzi Crystal: Rapala XR30 - Red Sardine.

John Orchard

Lachie Nichols took a game fishing break to catch this superb striped trumpeter.

Nick Martin hooked up to a big bluefin using a large spin reel.

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Fishing News - Page 14

Nick Martin with a good albacore.

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Fishing News - Page 15

Gunns & Little Lake Home of the Golden Bellied Brown Trout ost fisherman I know have a spot or two that when they go there they get that same sense of feeling that occurs when you arrive back home after a lengthy absence. One area that never fails to generate this nostalgic feeling for me is when I journey out to the two diminutive lakes located roughly north east of Arthurs Lake named Gunns Lake and Little Lake.

M

A chance meeting….

My Gunns and Little Lake odyssey started approximately 20 years ago on a calm and sunny September morning when long time fishing companion Todd Lamprey and I journeyed out to the two shallow natural lagoons on a purely exploratory mission. Todd and I had been in the highlands for a few days already on a multi day trip and we had decided on looking for a location for the days sport that didn’t require a lot of walking to get to.

The preceding days had been spent hiking in the Western Lakes district and Todd and I both really needed to rest tired legs. The evening before at our accommodation base we had consulted an early version of the Tasmanian trout fishing bible, Greg French’s Tasmanian Trout Waters, and after much debate had eventually decided on a 4WD excursion out to the “ponds” as we have now affectionately come to know the twin waters of Gunns and Little.

After an extremely bumpy one and a half hour journey in Todd’s trusty flat tray Landcruiser along the Gunns Marsh road starting from the famed Cowpaddock Bay on Arthurs Lake we had eventually pulled up under the power transmission lines on the western shore of Gunns Lake, the smaller water of the two. Without a lot of expectation we pieced together our fly rods and commenced a search along the pin rush lined shallows on this beautiful pocket sized lake . Much to our delight it only took a few short minutes before a trout reacted to the splash of my woolley worm wet fly hitting the water along an undercut edge. A large bow wave came to the

Fishing News - Page 16

fly and then a savage take and tussle ensued. This fish was not the tiny ½ pounder that we had been expecting after reading Greg’s book, rather it was a 2 ½ pound brown in beautiful condition. The action continued from there that first day with a number of trout landed ranging in size from pounders up to a magnificent golden 5lb specimen taken by Todd which is still the largest trout that we have seen grassed on these lakes in all the years since. To our delight much of the action on that first day was sight fishing to at first tailing and frogging browns in the weedy shallows through to polaroiding regular risers that were eagerly taking hatching midge and then later in the day falling Gum Beetles across the open water. Of course after this great initiation this diminutive pair of lagoons quickly became firmly entrenched at the top of the list of favourite fisheries for Todd and myself.

This great fishing for good sized browns continued for quite a few seasons with a number of genuine 4lb trout coming to hand each season.

Superb sight fishing opportunities abounded and it was very hard to not go to the “ponds” when we headed for another trip to the highlands.

The fishing in the current era Today Gunns and Little Lake are home to incredibly large populations of Brown Trout. These trout can be taken effectively by all angling methods but it is the superb fly fishing conditions which draw me and many other anglers to the area time and time again.

Even though the lakes themselves are only very small the fishing opportunities presented are many and varied throughout the season and pleasingly most are sight fishing based, which in my opinion is the epitomy of our sport.

Early season features Both lakes have extensive pin rush marsh areas on their western shores which as soon as the water starts to warm in spring time come alive with spawning frogs and of course feeding trout. The chorus of the frogs in springtime is really something to be experienced.

When you open the car door on arrival and hear it you just know that you are in for a good day! The action can be frantic some days when searching casts to the holes in the rushes are commonly met with bow waving trout which absolutely love medium sized wet flys. Patterns such as Fur Flies, Woolley Buggers, Mrs Simpsons and Yetis are taken with a rush. The trout often will react to the splash of the flys entry to the water and charge across metres to grab it when they are really switched onto the frogs. An added bonus is that the marsh

”froggers” tend to be of a larger average size than the open water trout.

Another early season feature is if you are lucky enough to be out there during or immediately after heavy downpours. At this time the lakes will be brimming full and the trout will be right in on the edges hunting all sorts of food flushed out by the rising water. Grubs, frogs, earthworms, spiders and snails are all on the menu. The fishing can be ridiculously easy at these times with large bags of medium sized trout to be expected. The peak of the fishing action can be relatively short though as the levels fall back to normal very quickly after the rain eases. As soon as the levels start to drop out the majority of the trout will retreat back to deeper waters so that they do not get stranded in the unconnected puddles left behind. Missing the peak by only a few short hours can be the difference between frantic sport and nothing.

An interesting feature of Gunns Lake, and also some areas of Little, is the extensive band of open water that exists between the pin rush marsh areas and the shore. When the water levels are moderate to high this area can be full of tailing browns creating exciting sight fishing action. Be aware though that when the levels get too low the same band becomes home to a large population of very small fish which can sidetrack the unwary for quite a while wasting valuable fishing time.

Stonefly and midge hatches occasionally result in short lived rises during the early part of the season but it is the wet fly fishing that is the highlight during these times.

Mayfly hatches The undoubted feature of the late spring, summer through to early autumn months on these waters is the extensive mayfly hatches. Both the large Red and Black spinners abound on these waters and when the spinner is up the trout really react with gusto. Dun hatches are steady and trout can always be found rising to them but it is the adult spinner which creates the spectacular action. On warm sunny days the action can be incredible with trout of all sizes leaping out of the water to take the adult spinners on the wing. I personally have always found the best of the spinner feeding action along the scrub or pin rush lined shores of Little Lake but I am sure that Gunns has just as good a rise also.

If the air temperature is right even on the windiest days a band of lee water can be located somewhere around the perimeter and the spinners will be in the air. Lulls in wind strength will also result in leaping fish right across the lake, just like someone flicking a switch.

As always with trout jumping after insects on the wing they can be incredibly difficult to fool but by searching long enough you will come across

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a trout or three that is sucking the spinners from the surface and these are the ones to target. My favourite pattern for the mayfly feeders is a size 12 or 14 parachute hackled black or red spinner but any general mayfly pattern will suffice. Some of my companions swear by a possum fur emerger through all phases of the hatch and certainly fool their share of trout.

Anglers should be aware that although much of both lakes can be easily waded, especially at moderate to low water levels, there are areas that are very soft and you can become easily bogged down. I have witnessed some unlucky anglers having to crawl out of soft areas. One area to be especially wary is just outside the pin rush marshes lining the western shores of both waters.

Dragons and Damsels

The fish

Another hatch that gets the fish excited out here is the annual dragonfly and damselfly hatch. The damselflys in particular emerge in their millions during the summer months. The trout feed heavily on the nymphal stage of both species but it when they are in their adult form that the truly spectacular feeding occurs. The trout leap out of the water in valiant attempts to take the fly on the wing along the edges of the pin rushes. As with the mayfly feeders described above it can be terribly difficult to tempt the leapers but a well placed fly, generally a big terrestrial pattern like a WMD, Chernobyl Ant or Bruisers Bug, that lands in front of them immediately after the jump will be accepted often enough. Being able to spot the fish in the water is a big advantage here as they will change direction frequently in their attempts to track the adult fly.

Unfortunately in recent seasons the average size of the trout in both lakes has dropped away dramatically to the point where a genuine 2lb fish is cause for celebration. What they lack for though in size they certainly make up for in numbers, condition and exquisite beauty. Fish from these lakes normally exhibit magnificent colours with a peppering of black spots and superb golden flanks and bellies. As indicated in the preceding paragraphs the trout from the marsh areas tend to be slightly larger on average than the open water fish.

Polaroiding Little Lake in particular has extensive areas that provide excellent conditions for wade polaroiding .

The large sandy bottom bays at the northern and southern extremities of the lake are the features and by wading across these areas on bright sunny days you are bound to see good numbers of trout. The smaller average size of the browns in recent years can sometimes prove to problematic in spotting them at times but anglers adept at polaroiding should not have too many issues. Gum Beetle and Jassid falls as well as the Mayfly hatches get the trout cruising across the shallows and provide some memorable fishing. Standard fly patterns, such as Red Tags and Foam Beetles as well as large terrestrial patterns like WMD’s or Bruisers Bugs work well here.

Both lakes have extensive iseotes weed beds and trout are always to be found in this vicinity. The fish in these areas, if not rising to insects on the surface are usually feeding on the large population of amphipods that call these weed mounds home.

Once again they can be difficult to spot but as soon as you get your eyes” tuned in” you will do okay.

Small bead head nymphs or lightly weighted scud patterns work well on these fish, if they are not looking up.

Trout can also be fished up at any stage of the season by just wading downwind and searching the water with either dry or wet flys.

you could be fooled into thinking a flock of sheep had invaded the flats. The wombats are commonly so intent on feeding you can walk right up to them without them becoming aware of your presence.

Wallabies, Brush Tailed Possums, Echidnas, Tassie Devils, Quolls and majestic Wedge Tailed Eagles are also frequently spotted going about their business in the lake surrounds. The lakes themselves are home to a large population of platypus which seem to be almost double the size of their lowland cousins.

Another frequent visitor to the marsh and lake shores is a robust population of tiger snakes. Also drawn by the large amphibian population he is not so welcomed by some but watching a large undisturbed tiger snake hunting his prey makes always makes fascinating viewing.

Gunns and Little Lakes are certainly areas where keeping a fish or two to eat is encouraged. Due to the large percentage of crustaceans in the fish’s diet the flesh is generally a lovely red/orange colour and is very tasty.

Another bonus is that a large proportion of the trout landed are just perfectly sized to fit the frying pan.

While the 4 and 5lbers from a decade or two ago are but memories I live in hope of a recurrence. Like most waters the average size is cyclical and hopefully a strong year class of larger fish will come through soon. (Some older angling friends still talk about the double figure fish that were available in these waters way back!!)

The wildlife Another drawcard to the area is the array of native wildlife that abounds. Sandy furred wombats are frequent visitors to the marsh areas.

These guys are drawn out of the surrounding scrub by the succulent marshgrass flats. At times the numbers are so great

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Fishing News - Page 17

Fishing News - Page 18

A beautiful damselfly - photographed at Little Lake by Peter Broomhall.

Access and Camping Gunns and Little Lakes are accessed by Gunns Marsh road. This track starts from Cowpaddock Bay on Arthurs and traverses around to Tumbledown Bay. This section of track is usually in reasonable condition, albeit “potholey” at times, and is good enough for a sturdy 2WD vehicle. After crossing the Tumbledown Creek bridge the track condition takes a turn for the worse and becomes very rocky for a few kilometres. This section will generally stop all but the highest clearance 2WD vehicles and is really only suitable for 4WD’s.

The lakes are located approximately 6 kilometres further north along this track after leaving Tumbledown Bridge. The first water encountered is Gunns Lake (often mistakenly called Little, as this is the smaller water by far).

Most anglers, especially the ones daytripping, leave their vehicles here under the power lines and fish their way down to Little Lake (or just stay on at Gunns if the action is solid as has occurred on more than one occasion!!). Vehicular tracks across to Little Lake exist around both sides of Gunns Lake but both are extremely rocky and also have extensive boggy sections to trap the unwary. These tracks should only be attempted after lengthy dry periods. Unfortunately these tracks in the past have been badly affected by an element among us that seem to love to get in and tear them up as much as possible.

Idyllic campsites exist at Little Lake in the vicinity of the hut on the NW shore and on the point that juts out on the northern shore. Note that the hut itself should only be expected to provide an emergency shelter and is very rough indeed.

Unfortunately as mentioned with the 4WD tracks some of the camping spots on these lakes have been routinely junked by an unruly element with mounds of rubbish and broken glass left behind.

I urge all visitors to respect these areas as if their own. If we continue to disrespect then we will surely lose access!!

Fishing the sandflats at Little Lake.

Prospects for the remainder of the 2011/2012 season Both Gunns and Little Lakes are robust fisheries right throughout the trout fishing season. In late March and thoughout April the trout will start to school up in preparation for spawning. These spawning aggregations can be effectively targeted with both wet and dry flys and create exciting fishing opportunities.

The easiest way that I have found in recent times to find the aggregations is to look for large disturbances on the water surface, particularly if the water levels are low after a long hot summer. The fish are easy to spook at these times however and even a bird flying over can set off a chain reaction akin to a school of feeding blackback salmon in the salt. Even though the fish are schooled they still feed aggressively.

Late season staples are also trout feeding on falls of Gum Beetles and Jassids. If these insects are on the water the trout will respond to well presented dry flies.

Summary Gunns and Little Lake are fisheries well worth a visit for anglers with all degrees of skill ranging from the absolute beginner to the very experienced. For those new to the sport the “ponds” will generally provide plenty of opportunities to spot, cast to and hopefully hookup to a hard fighting brown trout . For the experienced flyfishers the technical aspect of the fishing, especially around the mayfly hatch will satisfy even the most hardened of pros.

Once again I urge all visitors to respect the area. Leave only footprints behind when you leave and this beautiful little pair of lakes will provide sport for generations to come.

Peter Broomhall

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Fishing News - Page 19

Long live the King

Lake King William Todd Lambert he opening of the 2011/ 2012 trout fishing season had many anglers excited, rainfall had consistently inundated the state for months prior, and our inland catchments realised levels not witnessed for many years. That being said, the overall condition of many fish landed in the central highlands disappointed anglers, Arthurs Lake and Great Lake being two of the biggest offenders when it came to not “reaching expectations”.

T

One Central Plateau fishery that seems to have bucked the trend this season was Lake King William, where if anything, the average size and condition of its inhabitants has increased quite dramatically.

Todd Lambert, John Cleary and Mike Stevens recently took a trip up there to see if the rumours were true.

Background.

Lake King William was created in 1950 when a 70 metre dam was built across the Derwent River, a quick look at the Inland Fisheries fact sheet also states that a further 6 metres was added to its height in 1966, increasing the storage capacity of the lake.

Although it was stocked initially with 100,000 yearling rainbow trout and subsequent stockings continued for a short while thereafter, it was the brown trout already present in the many feeder catchments such as the Upper Derwent, Navarre River, Middle River, Rufus Rivulet and Guelph River that ended up as the dominant species within this fishery.

Because of the many waters flowing into this lake, its natural recruitment level is extremely high which explains why this water has the highest catch rate of any water in the Central Plateau region, (almost 4 fish per angler, per day).The bag limit at King William is also very generous with a daily allowance of twenty fish, per person, per day. The fish size is not large, but they are in great condition and good fun to catch by all methods.

How to get there.

Lake King William (Butlers Gorge end) can be accessed via the Lyell Highway (A10) in approximately 2 hours if you’re coming from Hobart. The best way to travel to King William from Launceston would be via the Marlborough Rd that runs between Miena and Bronte, this trip takes Fishing News - Page 20

Lure fishing the rocky shores is very successful. approximately 2 hours 40 minutes and access would be via the Derwent Bridge end of the lake.

Whichever end of the state you are heading from, a 7 am start from home would have you on the water by 10 am giving you plenty of time to explore some of what this fantastic lake has to offer.

Angling Methods Please note: all legal angling methods are allowed “on the majority” of Lake King William, but as the Western Shore from Long Bay to Guelph River is within the Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, this area is restricted to the use of artificial lures and fly-fishing only.

Trolling This method is without doubt the best way to catch big bags of trout within this fishery.

The sheer population of aggressive inhabitants residing here ensures that anglers covering enough water on the day will witness consistent action.

Although you could use lead lines with success in the deeper regions of the lake, flat lining around the edges is just as productive.

Quality Tasmanian made cobra wobblers such as Wigstons and Sting lures would no doubt serve you well here; suggested colours would be green and gold and black and gold.

Bailey Zanetto, Trevor Howard and Jack Shennan.

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Lake Adela

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Lake Arlette

Lake Eva Lake Vincent

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First Bay

• Slatters Peak

STATE FOREST

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BASIN

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Guelph Narrows

GUELPH

To Hobart

Lake Sally Jane

Derw

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Lake Anne

Lake Rufus Long Banana Lake

Bay

www.tasmap.tas.gov.au Map image supplied by TASMAP © State of Tasmania

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Fishing News - Page 21

A thinner diameter leader of no more than six pound breaking strain would also help with your catch rate given the waters clarity.

Soft Plastics Light jig heads cast towards the shoreline or amongst trees and drop offs will produce big bags and whilst a boat is definitely an advantage, anglers walking the edges will also do well but will find the silty mud left by receding water levels a bit of a turn off in places. The more rocky shores thogh are a delight to fish from the shore.

Lake King William fish love to hit the tails of soft plastics, resulting in many missed opportunities; a good option is to shorten the length of the lure, bringing the hook further back towards the tail end.

Recommended plastics are Yep Black n gold flappers and Berkley Black n gold t tails.

Once again, leaders should be light and the use of 2 to 4 pound breaking strain line will result in more action.

Fly Fishing Small wets, beetle patterns, jassid patterns, dun patterns, I don’t think it matters as the fish here just don’t seem fussy. Three flies fished Loch Style or the humble nymph hung under a dry will also do the trick. If it’s on the water, they will come up to it, if it’s stripped past them aggressively, they will also grab it. That applies to both wets and dries. So when your static dries aren’t working give them a good pull - the action might surprise you. This water also lends itself to fantastic wind lane fishing and polarioding given the right conditions. Its weedy shores are excellent for tailing fish, especially if the lake is rising.

As stated in the introduction of this article, the size and quality of Lake King William fish has improved markedly this year, no doubt due to the continued higher water levels that came with increased rainfall.

In seasons past the average size of fish caught from this water ranged between half a pound to 1.5 pounds in weight, this year the average weight is between 1.5 pound to 2 pounds and their quality is outstanding.

Lake King William is water where, once visited, will keep you coming back time and time again.

Now is the time to see it at its finest.

All legal angling methods are allowed on King William.

Todd Lambert

When cleaned they are also great eating with the “very deep orange coloured flesh”, Central Highland trout are renowned for.

As our season draws towards its conclusion, this lake has something to offer the dry fly angler right up until the very end of the season, I think, as it is showed little sign of slowing down on our recent visit.

We witnessed duns, smut and jassids enticing fish to the top, time and time again.

Overview As this Lake is subject to rapid fluctuations in water levels, it rarely looks the same on each occasion you visit. The best areas for fishing are the northern end of the lake and at the Guelph basin.

If you wish to camp, there are ample spots around Lake King William where you can pitch a tent or alternatively, if you seek accommodation, nearby Tarraleah Lodge, or the Derwent Bridge Chalets can service your needs.

Plenty of small, but healthy fish are available - using all methods from fly to bait.

Fishing News - Page 22

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Jan’s Jan Spencer

Tasmania recently hosted the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships. I found hundreds of new beaut fly patterns for me to see and think about.

There were a multitude of buzzers, nymphs and some particularly good sedge patterns for competition fishers. The English, Scottish and Irish traditional wet flies are great and others that were noticeable were the cormorants, frazzled dabblers, English hoppers by the hundreds, nomads, boobies, blobs and there were a few snobs around as well.

In the last couple of weeks I was privileged to fish Millbrook Lakes in Victoria. These lakes are large dams with rainbow and brown trout in them. The lakes I fished all had superb week beds so one can imagine the insect life was thriving.

Good dun and spinner populations. Dragon and damsel flies in abundance, and because the weather at the time was cool, I mostly fished a wet fly, and that was a cormorant, which is my favourite wet of the moment.

The cormorant flies I was shown at the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships were in various colours for different home waters. The cormorant fly can be tied in various tail and body colours and different materials. All that I observed had black marabou as the wing material also these patterns had jungle cock or turkey biots as a cheeks.

Flies The Tassie Settler Cormorant Hook – heavy shank size 10-12 Light gauge lead wire full length of shank Thread – black Rib – medium copper wire Body – peacock herl Wing – black marabou Hackle – one orange hen feather Cheek – one jungle cock eye each side

So getting back to Millbrook Lakes, I finished a cormorant of my own design in colours and it came up trumps taking many good fish up to six pounds. I fished this fly mostly as a weighted point fly with various dropper flies around four feet (120cm) apart so retrieving with a figure of eight for two-thirds of the cast then start to lift, this will change direction of the fly or flies and will induce a take if there is a fish in pursuit.

1. Wind lead wire around the full length of the hook shank.

Run some varnish of wire to keep in place. Break away excess wire.

Most of my cormorants are weighted with lead wire the full length of the shank which will make the fly travel straight. Tied with traditional black wing, I have added an orange hackle.

3. Place copper rib in and tie down firmly. Now take a couple of strands of peacock herl, tie in at the butt end. Wind

Method

2. From the eye end wind thread full length of shank then come forward over lead wire and then back to hook bend.

This will stop the wire from rolling around the shank.

forward, finish back from the eye a little. Wind the rib forward over the herl, the rib will help stop the herl from tearing away when attacked by a fish.

4. Take a bunch of marabou one and a half times the hook shank, tie back from the eye. Cut away any excess marabou.

5. Take an orange hen hackle and tie in firmly. Cut excess stem away, make two turns with the hen hackle, tie down and cut feather tip out.

6. Tie one jungle cock feather on each side of fly as cheek , form a nice little head whip, finish and varnish.

So you have my cormorant. The reason for adding a hen feather not a cock is that the hen has much more movement being on the softer side. This will move nicely with the marabou wing.

I guess this is it for the season of 2011-12. My season has been a very up and down one but that’s fishing so I wait in anticipation of next season.

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Fishing News - Page 23

Inland Fisheries Service

Trout Weekend

Liawenee, Great Lake 22 and 23 May 2010 Sat 19 21 & Sun 22 Saturday Sunday 202011 May 2012 10am-3pm daily ADMISSION IS FREE Come and see hundreds of brown trout on their annual spawning migration in the Central Highlands of Tasmania • Watch wild trout being stripped of eggs for culture • Catch a trout for dinner from the kid’s fishout pond To Deloraine

• Visit trade exhibits including boats and fishing equipment • Enjoy refreshments, competitions and give-aways • View displays about fisheries management

Doctors Point

To Launceston

GREAT

Liawenee

B51

LAKE

B11

• See live freshwater fish aquaria • Talk to trout fishing experts • Take a helicopter ride

Miena

Shannon Lagoon

To Bothwell

For more infor mation call 1300 463 474 or visit tment of Depar www.ifs.tas.gov.au Pr imar y Industr ies and Water Fishing News - Page 24

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BL10409

To Bronte Park

Late Trout Last chance at the western lakes Craig Rist

hen people refer to the Western Lakes they are talking about a vast area of the central plateau that contains hundreds if not thousands of lakes. This area is made up of the central plateau conservation area and the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. This area and its fishing is truly unique in the world. The crystal clear waters and the ability to sight fish predominantly brown trout,

W

at close range, amongst a unique landscape, is something that inspires many people to go to great lengths to explore and fish this region. Interestingly, the Western Lakes is not a place where you would go to catch a lot of fish in Tasmania. This is a place where less is more, with the ability to catch a large number of fish per day being gladly replaced with the chance of only catching a few quality fish. This

is a place where there is a lake over every hill and where you get that rare opportunity to count the spots on a wild brown trout as it slowly swims past your feet.

A

s the brown trout season nears its end in the month of April, the productive life cycle of the adult mayfly, that draws so many fish to within metres of the shoreline, is also coming to an end.

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Fishing News - Page 25

The days are becoming shorter and the sun is now much lower in the sky, but in the month of April you can still get those blue sky days where you can polariod every corner of these lakes.

One of the great things about the Western Lakes is that you have the choice of fishing lakes that have a large population of fish in the two to four pound range, which increases your chances of actually seeing a fish throughout the day, or seeking out one of those trophy lakes, where if you’re lucky, you may just get a shot at a fish over six pounds.

Dry Fly Opportunities At this time of of year fish, will continue to respond to a dry fly. With jassids, stone flies, grasshoppers, beatles and the odd mayfly still present. Fish respond well to dry flies that represent some of these larger insects. Flies such as WMD Hopper, small Chernobyl Ant, Bruisers bug (see TFBN issue 96) and my Craigs Hair Chernobyl, are a good choice. There are many other variations available, but one thing they all have in common is that they all sit low in the water and have those buggy rubber legs.

Smaller, more traditional dry flies such as the Red Tag, small jassid patterns, mayfly spinners and the list could go on, will all take fish at this time of year.

Dry fly fishing and sight fishing in the Western Lakes often go hand in hand. Even on those dull overcast days it is still possible see into the water with the aid of polaroid sunglasses. On days like this, your vision is often limited to within a couple of metres out from the shoreline, with the exception of the view you get from a high elevation or looking into the shadow of a tree, large rock, high bank or mountains.

With any form of sight fishing, a stealthy approach is needed. Simply jumping up onto the highest rock before you have had a chance to scan the foreground will often result in spooking any fish in the area. I say this with confidence, as I, like many others, have learned this the hard way. Seeing fish is one thing, the hard part is often converting your limited opportunities into a fish taking your fly.

There is one of my late season day trips, that stands out from all others and that was with Peter Broomhall fishing the Chudleigh Lakes. Our day, or you could say night, started at 4:30 am in the morning from the Lake McKenzie dam wall. With our head lamps we could see the water level in the lake had risen from the recent rains and from the sound of the Fisher River off in the distance, crossing this river onto the Explorer track was not going to be as simple as jumping across a few rocks when it’s running low. We arrived at the River and shone our headlamps over the water to see all of the usual exposed rocks fully submerged.

So in the dark, we removed our shoes, socks and trousers to make the slippery and painful crossing, wedging our feet in between the large rocks to stay upright. We should have known then, that today was going to be a tough one. We covered a lot of water that day, walking approximately 35 km or more and only seeing four fish between us, despite a reasonable polaroiding day. Admittedly, we did bypass many of the more populated lakes to allow enough time to seek out some potential trophy waters. Even so, we did manage to convert two out of the 4 fish we saw. With one around the five pound mark, taken on a size 16 Jassid and the other slightly larger fish on a WMD Hopper.

Our day finished with both of us tired, and sore walking the last hour of the blue peaks track in the dark. This day, often reminds me of just how hard and unforgiving the fishing can be back here and that you have to make every opportunity, count.

Wet Fly Opportunities When the weather turns bad, or those fish just refuse to take a dry fly, a wet fly is often the answer to what could otherwise be a fish-less day. A small size 12 or 14 Montana Nymph is often one of my “go to” flies at this time of year. These highly visible flies are a great option when it comes to close range Fishing News - Page 26

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sight fishing situations when you need to see your fly and the approaching fish. Being able to keep track of your fly as it slowly sinks in front of a fish can be a big advantage as this allows you to see the exact moment when that fish has eaten your fly and not something else nearby that may cause you to lift the rod prematurely.

When you’re in a situation, where you can’t see your fly during an inert presentation, for whatever reason, watching your leader for any signs of it drawing away is a very good indication that the fish has taken your fly and it is time to strike. Other signs to look out for will be the sight of a fish opening and closing its mouth, which is often identified by a white flash as you see the white interior of a fish’s mouth.

When the white flash disappears that’s the time to set the hook. When all else fails you can always start to slowly raise your rod or begin to retrieve the fly and strike when you feel any resistance.

Fishing the Western Lakes this late in the season is not for everyone. The days are short and they are starting to cool off. But for those who just love being out in this environment, as I do, the last month of the season can be very rewarding if you allow yourself to change with the season and align your expectations with that time of year.

These Western Lake Browns will often take on a magnificent prespawn coloration with deep golden brown flanks, that will make a beautiful photo, to remember a great season.

Craig Rist

Large wet flies, such as woolly buggers and fur flies, are also effective at this time of year when fish are on the lookout for a large protein hit by way of a small fish and are often territorial as they begin to pair up in readiness to spawn. Flies such as my EWB (Emerging Woolly Bugger) that represents a dying baitfish at the surface, can be a lot of fun to use as you get yet another chance to see a fish take a fly at the surface. The EWB is also useful when you see a fish hunting small Galaxias (small baitfish) and their exact location after their last disturbance is not always known. This is where the EWB can be used to set an ambush in the area a fish is hunting these small baitfish, just like floating an emerging nymph amongst fish feeding on a dun hatch. The EWB can be brought to life with a small twitch, which is often all that is needed for a fish to respond from many metres away.

The trout in the Western Lakes are no different to any other trout, in that they need food and shelter to survive. In these lakes, trout will often shelter under the very rocks and undercut banks we fish from. Fish sheltering under these undercut banks are very sensitive to the pressure waves given off as you walk along shores such as this. A careful approach while casting your leader and fly over these banks, well back from the shoreline is a great way to present a fly to a fish that may be holding or swimming along these undercuts.

Large rocks that provide an overhanging ledge or allow a fish to take refuge under them, are always worth sinking a nymph or large wet fly down to their level, to see if anyone is home. The large rocks out wide in the deep water are also worth an exploratory cast, allowing the fly to sink well down before initiating a slow or fast retrieve.

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Fishing News - Page 27

Magic Mackintosh of the Mersey Lake Craig Rist

West Jewel L

ake Mackintosh is your typical deep tannin stained West Coast Lake that was dammed in the 1980s to create the Mackintosh Power station.

The lake has flooded up into native forest, limiting much of the shore access to the boat ramp area at the Mackintosh dam. To explore the full potential of this lake, you need a boat to access every corner.

The lake is home to both brown and rainbow trout with it opening at the beginning of the brown trout season and finishing at the end of the rainbow trout season. The lake has a bag limit of 12 fish per person per day. To access the lake you need only drive to the town of Tullah via the Murchison highway and follow the signs.

Wind lanes Deep West Coast Lakes such as this can be quite daunting when it comes to fly fishing, but like many lakes that have been formed in deep mountainous valleys they can be home to some spectacular wind lane fishing. In a lake like this, wind lanes play a major role in accumulating insects that have either hatched or blown into the water. It is often said that if you find the food you will find fish and in deep lakes, such as this, wind lanes can narrow down your search for trout food considerably. Again, a boat can be an essential tool to find wind lanes that have gathered up enough food to bring trout to the surface to feed.

Wind lane fishing usually starts at dawn when there is just enough light to see the tiny midge that have hatched overnight and during the morning.

More often than not, it is the sigh of rising fish in these wind lanes that will signal the presence of these tiny insects. Midge will also hatch late in the afternoon and into the night giving you yet another opportunity to find fish feeding at the surface.

When it comes to deciding which flies to use, a small Chernobyl Ant is my first choice followed by a small size 14 green nymph. The Chernobyl is fished like any other dry fly. While the nymph is allowed to sink ahead of a feeding fish and then stripped back up in front of the fish, to mimic a nymph rising to the surface.

A Day Trip in May Last year with the official brown trout season already closed for most lakes in Tasmania, Jim Schofield and I decided to see what Lake Mackintosh had to offer during the month of May. An early start is almost mandatory for Jim and I and today would be no exception. We left home in the early hours of the morning, with the hope of finding rising and tailing trout out in the middle of the lake at first light. When we arrived at the lake it was overcast and there was a light northerly wind blowing down the lake. The boat was launched and we began to scan the lake for wind lanes. A decision was made to make our way towards the northern end of the lake where the lake narrows and is full of freestanding dead trees. As the lake narrows the surrounding hills shelter the lake from the wind. With no wind the water here was flat calm. A light foam line had formed, snaking its way through the stand of dead trees silhouetted against the orange glow of the sunrise.

Off in the distance we could see the gentle rise formations of fish feeding along this foam line. The sight of fish rising was all the encouragement we needed to stop the big motor and drop in the bow mounted Minn Kota electric outboard. Because this part of the lake was sheltered from the wind, the fish were feeding in both directions, unlike a true wind lane situation where they will usually feed into the wind.

These calm conditions required Jim and I to work as a team, with one of us on the Minn Kota and the other ready to make the cast. Jim started to pull line Map image supplied by TASMAP Š State of Tasmania

Fishing News - Page 28

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from his reel as I took control of the Minn Kota to position the boat to within an easy cast in front of the approaching fish. Jim had already tied on a small Chernobyl Ant, which is one of his favorite flies to use while fishing wind lanes. As we came within casting range, Jim fired out a cast ahead of the last rise. We both paused in anticipation to see if this fish would to be interested in something more substantial than the tiny midge it was feeding on. To our disappointment the fish boiled under his fly as it turned away and continued to feed on.

This fish looked like it could have been a small rainbow, small or not; any fish taken on a dry fly at this time of year was going to be a bonus.

We quickly moved onto the next fish and Jim presented the small Chernobyl, yet again.

This time, the fish rose up and took the fly. Jim lifted his rod to set the hook only to have his fly line come hurtling back towards him when the hook failed to connect. When this happens, sometimes a little bit of doubt can start to creep into your mind. Did I strike too soon or did the fish take and immediately reject the fly. I think it’s best not to think too hard about this and to continue fishing with confidence in yourself and the fly until an unfavorable trend starts to emerge.

Lake Mackintosh is full of fish holding structure.

Fish refuse or slash at flies for many reasons and I think presentation is one of the major factors to consider first. When it comes to timing the strike, if you think you were a little quick, just give the next fish a little more time before setting the hook. Besides, if you’re already on a run of missed strikes, you have nothing to lose.

On the next fish, Jim’s luck was about to change, as his perseverance was rewarded with a solid hook up. These small rainbows were fat and strong and put up a great fight for their size, which made targeting these fish, a lot of fun. With Jim’s fish safely in the net it was now my turn to have a cast and like Jim I was also using a small size 10 Chernobyl type fly in one of my favorite colour combination of orange and black. Jim had already located the next fish and was already moving the boat into position to give me the best possible presentation with the fish moving towards the boat.

In these calm conditions the midge on the water are often spread out over a large area and the fish will often change direction to find the largest concentration of midge. This can make it quite challenging to present a fly ahead of the fish. Cast too close and you can put a fish down, lead the fish by too much and it may change direction missing your fly altogether.

This was exactly what this fish was doing to me. I had several casts but each one failed to find the right path. The fish eventually spooked on a cast that landed too close. Jim turned the boat towards the next fish that was rising steadily and the game continued.

Perseverance paid off for me also, as this next fish had no hesitation in taking my fly. I lifted, and the line came up tight against a fish that immediately charged down into the depths of the lake. I could see the fly line starting to arch up out of the depths towards the surface.

I didn’t have to wait long to see if this fish was a brown or a rainbow as it jumped clear of the water showing of its pink band down the length of its body. It soon tired and was led into the net. Jim and I continued to swap roles until the fish finally stopped feeding.

Late Season Wet Fly Fishing When the excitement of wind lane fishing has finished or is non-existent. These big tannin stained lakes may not feel like they have much to offer the fly fisher, but there are options to sight fish and to search out fish holding structure with a wet fly. You only need

Mackintosh holds some big fish, and the author will be back searching. to think about the limitations associated with fly fishing, such as only having a floating line for example, to guide you to likely areas on the lake that you can fish with the depth of your leader. When you think about it, many shorelines in a lake such as this have at least one or two meters of shallow water close in against the shore that could be fished with a conventional floating line. Which can give you plenty of opportunities to polaroid these edges

or to search any likely fish holding structures such as submerged trees and the edge of the deep drop-offs with a wet fly. Obviously, at this time of year, brown trout are going to be congregating in the bays around the river mouths. With this in mind, Jim and I continued north to fish amongst the standing and fallen timber in the shallower bays around the rivers entering the lake. By now, the sun was shining through broken clouds allowing us to

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Fishing News - Page 29

changing into a sight fishing situation at close range. As the its mouth closed over the fly, I immediately set the hook into a brown trout of around two pounds. We fished on, taking two more browns in the same way, along with several grabs that didn’t connect. Before we called it a day, I tied on a weighted Woolly Bugger and sank it down into the old riverbed, out in the middle of the bay. I had a grab and then a solid hook up followed until the fight was cut short when the hook pulled free. With the day almost gone, we decided to call it a day while there was still enough light to find our way back to the boat ramp.

Conclusion For me, Lake Mackintosh has left me wanting more, with the exciting potential of landing a really good rainbow out in those wind lanes and the very real possibility of catching a brown trout over six pounds will certainly bring me back for another look.

Craig Rist

polaroid these bays for fish and fish holding structure. The water depth ranged from between one and three metres. For that reason, I had changed my fly line to a clear intermediate sinking line, while Jim continued to use his floating line. We both reverted back to our early-season wet flies, with the ever reliable Woolly Bugger and fur flies being tied onto our leaders.

Jim positioned the boat up wind to start the drift. The Minn Kota was once again lowered into the water, in readiness to navigate the boat around the many submerged logs and standing trees that were in our path. On our drift, we covered any likely fish holding structure, while changing our retrieves from a slow figure eight to a fast strip

in an attempt to get some sort of response. I had a fish follow my black Woolly Bugger right to the boat during a slow retrieve but refused to eat. Soon after, another fish did exactly the same thing. I decided to start the next retrieve slow and gradually increase the speed as the fly neared the boat.

Several probing casts later I had a fish hot on the tail of my fly, as I steadily increased the speed of my retrieve. With the fish only a few centimetres away from the fly, I stopped the fly dead in its tracks, hoping to force this fish into making a instinctive decision to eat the fly. Within a split second the fly had disappeared into its mouth.

This is always amazing to see, as a blind searching cast suddenly

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Fishing News - Page 31 30/03/12 9:00 AM

Inland Fisheries News Prepared by Sarah Graham, March 2012 he 2012-13 Angling Season is drawing to a close but there’s still some great fishing for anglers between now and the end of the brown trout season on Sunday 29 April. In fact, some of the best season’s fishing is in Autumn with more settled weather In the highlands and late beetle hatches.

This will continue through May when rainbow waters should provide an extra month’s quality fishing and then there are a bunch of waters, which remain open all year. So there’s always somewhere to go trout fishing in Tasmania at any time of the year.

T

This year the fishery has been blessed with high water levels persisting across most lakes for the whole year. This has provided exceptional angling opportunities not seen for many years. The outlook is good going into winter and similar conditions are expected for next season. With sustained high water levels, lakes such as Tooms, Arthurs and Leake are expected to improve considerably.

Trout Weekend, Liawenee, Great Lake on 19-20 May The popular Inland Fisheries Trout Weekend is on again this May. This is a fabulous showcase of Tasmania’s wild trout fishery with the key attraction being hundreds of wild brown trout on their annual spawning run from Great Lake in the Liawenee Canal.

The IFS harvests eggs from these wild trout, which are grown into fry and fingerling, and used to restock and supplement the trout fishery. This activity of harvesting and restocking has been going on for nearly 150 years, since trout were first introduced to Tasmania in 1864. The legacy is Tasmania’s wild trout fishery and the Liawenee Trout Weekend is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate it.

welcome to ask questions of Service staff about fishery management. You can enjoy refreshments, entertainment, competitions and give-aways, or you can buy something special, including a Trout Fish Tasmania souvenir beanie or mug.

Don’t miss this showcase of Tasmania’s wild trout fishery. It’s a must for angling enthusiasts but suitable for the whole family, and it’s all for free.

Make it a day out with the family or a weekend away, and don’t forget Great Lake is open for fishing.

The event is held at the Inland Fisheries Service Field Station, Liawenee, Great Lake and runs from 10 am to 3 pm on both days. It takes about one and a half hours to drive to Liawenee from Launceston or Hobart via the Highland Lakes Road.

The weather is very changeable in the highlands, and normally cold, so it is important to dress warmly.

For more information, call the Inland Fisheries Service on (03) 6261 8050 or 1300 INFISH during business hours.

Anglers’ Licence Fees at Work Lake Echo Road Upgrade The road to Large Bay, Lake Echo was upgraded late last year by the Inland Fisheries Service to improve access by all vehicles to the north-western side of the lake.

Lake Echo is a great fishing location and this area of the lake, particularly Surveyors Marsh is known for flooded edge fishing. There is good clear water for polaroiding as fish cruise the margins looking for both aquatic and terrestrial food, and the deep tree lined edges are great for trolling and spinning.

With the consistent stocking over the past few years

Fishing News - Page 32

Anglers should note that the Service was limited in its selection of boat ramp sites due to significant aboriginal heritage values in the area. Hence, the existing location was selected to avoid disturbance to these important values. The Service opted for a steeper than normal access in order to provide anglers with a launching site in this area and safer access to the northern end of the lake. The ramp was concreted to provide a non slip surface to help boating anglers deal with the steep gradient.

Woods Lake Access and Facilities IFS, with the generous support of Hydro Tasmania have recently installed safety advisory signage along the length of the recently upgraded Woods Lake Road.

The signage is designed to improve safety for users of this increasingly popular access road and to assist in reducing cost of maintaining the road by promoting appropriate vehicle speeds.

Positive feedback has been received from many anglers at Woods regarding the new breakwater.

IFS are aware of minor settling and erosion of the southern side which will be repaired and stabilised.

IFS are hopeful that a current application to MAST’s Recreational Boating Fund to concrete the boat ramp will be successful for 2012/13.

Camerons Lagoon

The event is a truly a unique Tasmanian Lake Echo should provide some good fishing for the experience. It has become a tradition for anglers remainder of the season. and their families and is built on the longstanding relationship between fisheries managers and the angling community. The Water Date Species Stock event actually began about 40 Type years ago when anglers began Tooms Lake 5-Jan-12 rainbow trout wild gathering informally at Liawenee during the trout spawning to Tooms Lake 5-Jan-12 rainbow trout wild watch the eggs being harvested Dee Lagoon 5-Jan-12 rainbow trout wild from wild spawners. Inland Fisheries put on a barbeque for Bradys Lake 10-Jan-12 brown trout wild volunteers and onlookers, and Lake Meadowbank 11-Jan-12 Atlantic salmon domestic the weekend has evolved into Bradys Lake 1-Feb-12 brown trout wild a significant public event for the Central Highlands region.

Penstock Lagoon 3-Feb-12 rainbow trout wild While you’re there, you can take a helicopter ride above the Lake or a bus ride along the Canal. You can visit trade exhibits, with boats and fishing gear, and check out the displays with live freshwater fish aquaria.

Kids can catch a trout for free in the kid’s fish-out pond. You can talk to trout fishing and fly tying experts, and you’re

Over the past five years, the Service has been developing access at Lake Echo, which has been considered an under-used fishery. The road to Large Bay which was once a 4WD ‘mud run’ track has been turned into a solid well drained all vehicle road and an ‘all water level’ concrete boat ramp was constructed at the end of the road to allow launching of boats. Boat operators should be aware that this ramp is of steep grade and they must ensure that their vehicles are suitable for launching and recovery.

Due to environmental damage caused by vehicles parking at Camerons Lagoon the IFS has improved the road surface, access and egress and installed rock barrier between car parking and the Lagoon.

Number

Origin

Size (g)

IFS

Genetic Type triploid

3,500 1,500

IFS

diploid

175

2,000

IFS

diploid

175

8,500

IFS

diploid

20

1,559

TASSAL

diploid

1,000

21,500

IFS

diploid

20

10,000

IFS

triploid

3

175

Great Lake

17-Feb-12

rainbow trout

wild

20,000

IFS

diploid

10

Lake Crescent

23-Feb-12

brown trout

wild

3,000

IFS

triploid

20

Craigbourne Dam

13-Mar-12

Atlantic salmon

domestic

155

SALTAS

diploid

7,000

Bradys Lake

20-Mar-12

brown trout

wild

15,000

IFS

diploid

25

Break O Day River

21-Mar-12

brown trout

wild

5,000

IFS

diploid

25

Lake Leake

22-Mar-12

rainbow trout

domestic

8,000

Petuna Aq

triploid

400

Bronte Lagoon

23-Mar-12

rainbow trout

wild

10,000

IFS

diploid

7

Great Lake

28-Mar-12

rainbow trout

wild

20,000

IFS

diploid

10

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Meet MAST staff at AGFEST Boating in Tasmania continues to grow at an astounding rate with the recent “Boatwise” publication being sent to in excess of 50,000 Tasmanian boaties. This means around 10% of the population are involved directly in boating by way of either owning a boat or holding a licence.

With AGFEST expected to be bigger and better than ever before MAST will again be present to answer all those questions you have had stored up for 12 months! What safety gear do I need?, where is the closest launching ramp?, why do I need this?. These are all questions we receive every year and AGFEST is the perfect opportunity to catch up with a number of the experienced MAST staff to discuss your boating needs.

This year MAST has changed the requirements for boating licences.

It is now a necessity to attend a practical training “Boat Safe” course prior to sitting your theory test.

MAST is confident the new licence system will deliver safety benefits to the boating public, those new to boating, who may not have the experience, will be trained by qualified providers using national core competencies.

The MAST site is in the marine precinct at AGFEST is site N39.

The marine precinct is an initiative of MAST in an endeavour to get the industry together in one location.

There will be dealers and others involved in the boating industry, we look forward to meeting and discussing issues that may be of concern.

The new boat launching facility at Bronte Lagoon is first class.

Picnic table for popular fishery Westbury Angling Club have recently installed a picnic table at the Brushy Lagoon Dam Wall.

The table was kindly donated

by Forestry Tasmania and will add to the amenity for anglers at Brushy Lagoon which is a designated family fishery.

Bronte Lagoon boat ramp Work on the construction of a dual lane concrete boat ramp and floating pontoon has been finished at the Bronte Lagoon dam wall site. Funded by MAST’s Recreational Boating Fund this $90K project will deliver one of the best inland facilities in Tasmania for boating anglers.

The project was completed prior to Easter.

Inland Fisheries Stocking in 2012 The IFS stocking program is ramping up in March and April as cooler autumn conditions prevail. Growth rates of brown trout and rainbow trout from the New Norfolk hatchery have been good following improvements to the cooling system last year. The stocking of triploid fish into Penstock Lagoon and Lake Crescent and other selected waters has continued and it is expected that these fish will feature in anglers catches over the next few years. The brown trout spawning run in Liawenee Canal started in March this year which is quite early for recent years, this will hopefully enable the collection of ova in April allowing earlier hatching, more growing time and the opportunity to complete more of the stocking program prior to summer.

For a detailed stocking report on your favourite water go to www.ifs.tas.gov.au

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Fishing News - Page 33

Maximising the Survival of Released Gamefish Post release survival is important because fishers want to be sure that if they release a fish it has the best chance of survival. Many gamefishers have their own method of handling and releasing fish but more scientific facts are needed to find out the key factors affecting the survival of released fish. Also, more fishers need to adopt responsible fish handling techniques.

RECREATIONAL SEA FISHERIES NEWS New Gamefish Research Funded

by Fishwise Little scientific information exists about the gamefish fishery in Tasmania. DPIPWE, the Recreational Fishery Advisory Committee (RecFAC) and fisheries organisations such as Tasmanian Association for Recreational Fishing (TARFish) and the Tasmanian Game Fishing Association (TGFA) have encouraged and supported research proposals to increase our understanding about our game fisheries. This will help maintain access levels and improve the image of our fisheries. As a result, the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS)

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have received Fishwise Community Grants (funded from fishing licence fees) for several gamefish research projects. Some research involves estimating the catch and others examine how released fish survive.

The aim of the research is to discover the best gamefishing practices with a view to developing fisher codes of practice and educational material.

In separate research projects, tuna and mako shark will be caught, electronically tagged and released by replicating recreational fishing techniques and using vessels similar to those used by recreational fishers.

Fish will be tagged with highly sophisticated electronic tags that will transmit data to satellites. Blood samples will be taken to determine stress levels under different capture scenarios. Post release survival will be assessed using combined data from tagging and blood assays and related to different fishing techniques such as fighting and handling and environmental factors such as water temperature.

Management outcomes will focus on fisher education activities, including developing codes of practice to improve the post release survival of makos and tunas. It is also hoped to include ways to reduce the interaction of seals with tuna.

Any assistance by gamefishers would be appreciated by the researchers involved. If you are asked about your fishing catch, please remember that your input, knowledge and experience is important in maintaining a sustainable recreational fishery. Dr Sean Tracey is the primary researcher for southern blue fin tuna and Drs Jayson Semmens and Mr Robert French are the IMAS researchers for mako shark.

Surveys of Southern Blue Fin Tuna and Offshore Fish The Survey of Offshore Recreational Fishing in Tasmania project will provide a detailed assessment of the recreational gamefish, offshore and deepwater fisheries. Estimates of the number of vessels involved, fishing area, catch and release estimates, fishing effort (boat days) for key species such as southern bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, albacore, mako sharks, striped trumpeter and blue eye trevalla will be included.

This survey is using the internationally recognised and scientifically robust diary survey method - details of how this works are on page 6 of the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide 2011-12.

Search over 20,000 at Australia’s No.1 Fishing News - Page 34

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If you come across IMAS scientists seeking further details about catches at gamefishing locations in southern Tasmania, please help them out. This project aims to gain specific information about catch rates and size compositions of fishers catches especially for size composition of bluefin tuna catches. This on site work is important as it will allow the conversion from harvested numbers to harvested biomass, obviously an important

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Management arrangements for pelagic migratory fish, such as southern blue fin tuna are complex. The Commonwealth is responsible for the management of many sharks and tunas but the States currently manage the recreational sector. Australia has international fisheries management obligations and is vulnerable to scrutiny of its gamefishing fishery, due to reports of its vulnerability to overfishing. For some species the recreational catch is unknown, and in the case of southern bluefin tuna recreational catches are not taken into account in the Australian total allowable catch or the fishery assessment. So it is important to find out how many are taken by recreational fishers and whether released fish survive so that we can demonstrate a sustainable fishery.

Be on the Lookout for Tagged Fish IMAS has several tagging programs underway. You may catch a tagged fish such as abalone, rock lobster, shark, striped trumpeter, banded morwong, southern blue fin tuna.

Be on the lookout for tagged fish with either t-bar or acoustic tags.

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For either t-bar and acoustic tags, please record the species, area of capture, fish length, tag number and date of capture then call IMAS on (03) 6227 7280 or email fish. tag@utas.edu.au You may get a reward or prize for information on tag returns.

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Fishing News - Page 35

Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships Tasmania 15-18 February 2012 Report by Joe Riley he Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships is a fly fishing competition which is run on an every second year basis unless the World Championships are being run in a Commonwealth Country in which case they can be run back to back years. In 2009 I was fortunate enough to be part of the Australian Team which fished the Commonwealths on the beautiful Scottish Island of Islay. At this competition

T

Canadians Norm Godding and Morgan Thorpe take a break during a practice session on the Mersey River.

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we managed to edge Canada out of third place in the last session, and earning us a bronze medal and placing third to Scotland and England in that order. The fishing was to small wild brown trout on shallow tannin stained Scottish Lochs in some magnificent country side.

At the celebration dinner, offers were called for to host the 2012 Commonwealth Championships.

An excited conversation was held around the Australian tables about the prospect of Tasmania hosting the event. The issue with these situations is always, it is easy to say we’ll do it, but not always easy to find the workers who will take on the massive workload of organising such an event.

Fortunately for all of us Malcolm Crosse was attending the event as part of the Australian contingent. For those who don’t know Malcolm, these are people who talk, and people who do!

Malcolm is one who does. Malcolm has been responsible for Australian Team management and for the fantastic book Australia’s Best Trout Flies, as well as organising Tasmanian and National Fly Fishing Championships.

Without prompting Malcolm said that he and Kaylene would take on the job, so Australia’s bid was put forward, the other bid was by England. The opportunity for the other anglers to come to Tasmania was keenly discussed, before the vote which was almost unanimous. Even England the other potential host country voted for Tasmania!

In 2010 I was again in the Australian Team which competed in the Commonwealths, this time in Llandrindod Wales. At this event Australia went better than the previous year, and in fact took out the gold medal, again with Scotland and England taking the other podium positions. Again many a discussion was had about the fishing Tasmania would offer and there was much anticipation about February 2012. The stage was set, Australia was going into the 2012 Commonwealth Championships having medalled in the two previous events and carrying the title as the Commonwealth Champions.

Four Tasmanian anglers were named in the Australian Teams for the Commonwealth Championships, Joe Riley, Jonathon Stagg, Craig Carey and Christopher Bassano. Unfortunately due to withdrawal from the upcoming world championships, Jonathon Stagg was made reserve for the Australia Green Team, whilst Craig, Chris and Joe Riley were in the Australia Gold with Emillio Caggiano and Danny Spelic both from NSW. Each team had a captain, being Craig Coltman and Peter Dixon, however due to illness, Peter Dixon took a back seat on this campaign. The group was managed

by Rob Staples who took on all of the logistical matters, another work horse behind the scenes who makes it all possible for the anglers to do their best once competition starts.

Both teams were managed as one unit, complete information share from practice with the ultimate goal of getting both Australian Teams on the podium. While a home ground advantage is generally a very big thing

in fly fishing competitions, due to the organisational skills of Malcolm and his utter belief in fair play, all of the visiting teams were hosted extremely well by Tasmanian competition anglers and were all given unprecedented access to competition waters prior to the event. Generally when attending competitions venues are closed for 2 – 4 weeks prior to the event meaning limited knowledge accumulation on the venues. In Tasmania the lake venues were open until 48hrs before, allowing the visitors to get fully prepared with the assistance of the local guides and competition anglers.

Tactics Practice involved groups going to the various venues, practicing varying techniques in the differing weather to see which techniques and flies were going to perform best. Having previous experience on the venues was, of course a great help, but the changes in weather and the unusual weather leading into the competition were challenging.

South Esk River The South Esk was running low and clear. The good spell of summer weather saw that flows low and constant, with grass hoppers and small black spinners being targeted by the resident fish. Due to the low water, nymphing was not very viable in the well weeded runs. Morning sessions also saw plenty of fish mopping up on caenids and midge on flat water. The grass hoppers proved to be a good option in flowing water and on larger fish, while the smaller fish leaping for black spinners. These spinner feeders proved to be a real challenge, however fishing a very fine tippet 0.10mm and a size 16 black spinner. Downstream with spider patterns also accounted for some fish. Best results on this section for our team were Chris Bassano getting a second place with 5 fish, and myself getting a second with 4 fish in our respective sessions.

Meander River The Meander held a few surprises, the upper sections between Meander Township and Cheshunt Rd were holding lots of fish. These were nearly all brown trout and they were not holding in deeper predictable runs, they were holding in skinny pocket water wherever there was a riffle. In the afternoons they fell consistently to a #16 Black klinkhammer dry fly with an orange post, fished at short range on a long leader. In the morning sessions in this area nymphing through the same water produced results and these tactics produced session wins for Chris Bassano and Craig Carey.

The lower sections of the Meander are typical nymphing water and prior to the competition were expected to be session winning beats. The beats 11 to 16 above Barrett’s Bridge were struggling to produce any numbers, I managed the best result of these beats with 6 fish which earnt a second place in my session to Jonathon Stagg who was in the Gold Team and caught 15 fish in the upper section on beat 2. In my area long leader nymphing with a single brown bead head

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With our move to Franklin on the picturesque Huon River we bring all the experience and fun times of our previous business, Marine Stainless. We invite you to visit us – by car or by boat (you can moor at our adjacent Franklin Marina). We would be delighted to share with you the pristine environment of the Huon along with our extensive knowledge and service.

Fishing Gear We are locally known as the “Bait shop” and situated seven kilometres from Huonville enroute to the famed Pedra Branca. The Huon area is a prime fishing spot for river, estuary and close to offshore pursuits. We stock gear for most anglers needs including large selection of tuna gear, soft plastics, hard bodies and cray pots. Huge trout inhabit the Huon River and it boasts the largest brown trout landed in Tasmania, 28¾lb, caught by Governor Robert Hamilton in 1887.

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Fishing News - Page 37

nymph in various weights in sizes #12 to #14 and gold tungsten beads 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 & 4.0mm, being changed whenever the depth of the water changed.

Little Pine Lagoon: Little Pine was shaping up as the key to the competition. Fishing shore beats on lakes is always a bit pot luck, if you get a good beat you need to nail it and catch a winning number, sometimes though you need to hang in there and simply produce one fish to save the team valuable points avoiding the dreaded blank. The aim was for us all to catch a fish on Little Pine as we knew there would be plenty of blanks. The area that was pegged into beats was the road shore the shacks and around the cricket pitch up into the river arm. Chris Bassano got the team off to a flier winning the session with 5 fish.

The pre competition predictions were correct and in any session no more than 6 anglers out of a group of 16 caught fish. The other anglers in the team all managed a fish each and earned top 5 placing, unfortunately I blanked on the first afternoon and was the only team member to do so. The winning tactic was a floating line, a #14 Claret Sedgehog on top, claret dabbler in the middle and a small soft hackle wet or nymph on the point. Ginked and pulled slowly through the wave or quickly cast to a rise and moved across their path.

Woods Lake: Woods has always produced fish well on sinking lines and woolly buggers. The question with Woods was whether the opportunity presented itself and a dun hatch occurred there was the chance to clean up good numbers of fish quick time when a rise commenced. In practice we caught fish nymphing around the strap weed beds and also caught fish on sinking lines pulling woolly bugger patterns in various depths. The nymph fishing was somewhat limited as the boat need to be in near to shore and around drowned trees and was not viable in any strength of wind. When competition came around

the woolly bugger and sinking line option was generally the best tactic. Chris Bassano and Danny Spelic won their sessions with 4 fish each. I caught 4 fish in the first session but only managed a 4th place as there was a 5fish and three catches of four fish of which mine were the smallest. The tactic was staying out from the trees in 2.8 to 3 meters of water, using a type 3 line when it was calm and a type 5 line when the wind picked up. The flies that proved best were Shrek, Magoo and a Gold Humungous.

Arthurs Lake: During practice Arthurs Lake went from being terrible to fantastic on any given session. There were plenty of fish in both the Cow paddock and also in the Lilly Ponds, however they would not necessarily cooperate in any given session.

Fish were also coming to numerous tactics, from a floating line with a muddler and hoppers, nymphing, small wets and woolly buggers on sinking lines. Arthurs really is a unique fishery in this regard and is a stand out for wild brown trout fishing anywhere in the world. Retrieves also proved to be important, when Vern Barby and I were practicing one afternoon he quickly boated 4 fish to my one on a fast retrieve with a pause in the middle then an aggressive lift of the flies before hanging them. This was with Vern using a DI6 sinking line, 6 inches per second sink rate. I was using a standard pull pause retrieve and did not get anywhere near the same attention to the flies that Vern was getting. When competition time came around Craig Carey used Woolly Buggers, Shrek and Humungous to win his session. Chris Bassano and Joe Riley both got third places again using the same flies and sinking lines.

There were some stand out catches, Michael LOWE from Scotland caught 10 fish to win a session, and he fished the Lily Ponds using a DI3 sinking line slowly pulling 2 x Claret Dabblers and a damsel nymph on the point. Michael said that the damsel nymph didn’t really get a result, the two claret dabblers were getting constant attention and accounted for all 10 of his browns for the session.

In the end the Australia Gold Team won by 33 points, this was after a scare on the last day when we had two unexpected blanks. The result came about from a genuine effort by both of the Australian teams working cooperatively to achieve a result. The second Australian team got 4th place and only missed a team medal by one blank session, which was literally one fish in a hard session.

Local knowledge obviously played its part, however that only lasted the first day as the other teams soon adapted to the fishing and started to achieve some very good results.

The Commonwealth Championships in Tasmania was an outstanding event and raised the bar for the organisation of future events and also the quality of fishing and support that was offered to the visiting anglers.

Fishing News - Page 38

Top: The Commonwealth Championships is not limited to men. Ladies teams from South Africa and Scotland competed.

Bottom: The Republic of Kiribati - a country renowned for bonefish sent a team, and whilst none of the team had ever caught a trout before coming to Tasmania they did not disgrace themselves. In fact they caught 13 trout and won the Friendship Trophy.

Team results 1: AUSTRALIA GOLD 2: ENGLAND 3: NORTHER IRELAND 4: AUSTRALIA GREEN Individual results 1: CHRISTOPHER BASSANO - Australia Gold 2: CAMPBELL BAIRD - Northern Island 3: JOHN TYZACK - England Full results can be found at www.tasfish.com Joe Riley

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Individual Gold Medal Winner Christopher Bassano.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 39

New Minn Kota i-Pilot

“We predominantly use our Offshore 6500 for live baiting kingfish and have also used it for more than 150 hours of jigging. It is spooled with 80lb braid and has landed more than 500 individual kingfish this year, and it still shows no signs of tiring.

I’m intrigued as to how many years it could take us to wear out this reel.”

The name Minn Kota has been synonymous with top quality electric motors for over 75 years. The Minn Kota i-Pilot has revolutionised the way many anglers fish all over the world. The back room boys at Minn Kota have not rested on their laurels and have gone one better, making the world’s best electric motor even better for 2012.

The Fin-Nor Offshore 6500s have also been doing the hard yards for more than two years on board the charter boats of Craig McGill’s Fishabout Tours in Sydney.

McGill said, “We’ve been using the Offshore 6500s on our Fishabout charters since 2009. They have been used for live baiting, trolling and casting lures for kingfish, bonito, jewfish, Australian salmon and cobia. It’s an incredible effort for a spin reel to handle that much constant charter fishing, rough treatment and day-to-day exposure to the elements.

It doesn’t take us long to find any shortcomings in reels and we’re amazed by our Offshore 6500s having withstood the punishment for two years and still be performing so close to their original condition.”

The V2 (Version 2) of the i-Pilot has just been released with its NEW ergonomically redesigned remote control. The NEW i-Pilot remote features a 20% larger LCD screen, high-visibility laseretched buttons and an easy-access external battery compartment. It is compact, watertight and easy to use. This NEW remote gives you instant feedback on active functions, speed, prop on/off status, battery power and GPS signal strength.

The 385 Big Boy has a range of features, with front and rear bench seats and bench seat flotation for passenger safety, short side rails and a short bowrail, two transom handles and carpeted floor between seats for greater stability underfoot.

The Big Boy can be optioned up to include a casting platform, bimini and envelope and two rod holders and the hull can be painted in white or colour to really stand out on the water.

The Savage 385 Big Boy has been built for days of fishing fun and adventure and will satisfy the needs of even the fussiest fishermen.

For more information on the 385 Big Boy or any of the other boats in the Savage range please visit the website on www.savageboats.com.au

“A punter couldn’t find better value in a reel that can handle seriously big fish and last the test of time. The drag is outstanding—on par with reels five times the price—and even after two seasons of metre-long kingfish, saltwater dousings and no maintenance, they still perform as good as new,” said McGill.

Yo u a r e n o w a b l e t o a d d an unlimited number of remotes to your i-Pilot GPS trolling system for increased flexibility. The Minn Kota i-Pilot electric motor allows you to fish hands free by using GPS technology to lock onto a fishing spot, record and retrace paths, set cruise control and more. Now the new i-Pilot remote can save up to 6 Spot-Lock locations and features double the Record A Track memory, meaning you get to spend less time positioning the boat and more time fishing; and you can do this from anywhere in your boat using wireless technology and all with GPS accuracy.

The Fin-Nor Offshore spin reel range includes six models from the 4500 to the massive 9500. The body and spool are aluminium and the impressive 11-disc stainless steel and cotton/carbon fibre drag system is capable of 30kg in the sizes 6500 and up. The drive gear, pinion gear and centre shaft are all stainless steel, and the gear ratio is a powerful 4.4:1.

Available at good tackle stores for around $200.

Long-term test results MEDIA RELEASE

New Small but Mighty Savage 385 Big Boy Savage dinghies are built to last for years of fishing enjoyment and with the newly released 385 Big Boy the adventure is sure to continue in this tough little boat.

The 385 Big Boy now features 2mm top and bottom plate sides, which adds an extra element of toughness to the already solid design.

Commercial kingfisherman Drew Mudaliar has reported that his Fin-Nor Offshore Spin 6500 reel has endured a full year of jigging and live baiting for kingfish—more than 200 days at sea, catching more than 500 kingfish with the drag set at 12kg—all without need of a service.

Mudaliar’s commercial fishing operation in Eden, NSW, specifically targets kingfish using live baiting and metal jigging techniques.

Mudaliar said: “This reel has me baffled. I’ve never had a reel fish so hard for a whole year without need of maintenance. The drag is still strong and smooth, just like new.”

“Our level of commercial use has tested every reel we’ve ever used to the point of failure. Some fail soon, others gradually lose performance, but none have withstood the brutal workload as well as this Offshore 6500 spin reel. It is easily the toughest, most durable spin reel we’ve ever used.”

Victoria’s Water Police are now benefitting from the celebrated power and reliability of Mercury’s awesome Verado outboards.

The police are using twin 350 SCi Verado’s behind their three new Zodiac Hurricane RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) so they can catch virtually anything on the water and get to incidents as quickly as possible.

“Even though the weather was a bit rough during testing we hit that target – these are fast boats!”

Fin-Nor Offshore 6500 Field reports on the Fin-Nor Offshore 6500 spin reel have come in after 12 months heavy fishing on board a commercial kingfish operation, plus 24 months fishing on board Sydney’s premier fishing charter business.

Verado 350 SCi power strengthens Victoria’s Water Police

“A key requirement was that the engines needed to drive the RIBs to at least 50 knots (93 km/h),” said David Meehan, Director Government and Commercial products for Mercury.

Visit the Minn Kota for more information www. minnkota.com.au

Fishing News - Page 40

Rated to a maximum 30HP there is more than enough power to cruise along in comfort and Savage’s three year factory warranty gives peace of mind.

Plate sides provide a much sleeker and stylish appearance compared to pressed sides and maintain the strength and durability Savage boats are renowned for.

This small but mighty boat fulfils all expectations and is one of the most popular models in Savage’s Punts and Dinghies range, built to go the distance.

Savage National Account Manager Cameron Wood says the 385 Big Boy is an affordable option for the fishing enthused and is built to the same engineering integrity expected from Australia’s oldest brand in aluminium boats.

“You can’t go past the new 385 Big Boy when it comes to value for money with all the options that customers are looking for combined in an unbeatable package,” Cameron said.

“With a 1.85 metre beam and an overall length of 3.90 metres, the Big Boy has the capacity to carry four people comfortably with enough room left over to store the fishing gear.”

Another major plus was the fact every 6 cylinder Verado outboard comes with SmartCraft® Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) as standard. DTS puts the driver in total command, delivering automotivelike control, instant throttle response and smooth shifting by eliminating the hesitation of traditional mechanical cable systems.

The high-performance 350 SCi Verados feature a 2.6-litre supercharged engine with electronically controlled sequential multi-port fuel injection, four valves per cylinder, double overhead cam design, a charge-air cooler and electronic boost bypass control.

Mercury’s SmartStart technology also means all the police have to do is turn the key and release, and the engines will start automatically.

Victoria’s Water Police coordinate all marine incidents throughout the state, and receive more than 700 calls a year for assistance.

The new Verado-powered RIBs are based at Williamstown and are constantly involved in beach patrols, rescues, boarding and pursuits.

“The engines have done more than 100 hours now and they are going very well,” David said.

There’s plenty of torque to get those big RIBs out of the water and they’re very quiet even when going flat out.”

Mercury supplied the six engines with heavy duty gear-cases to provide the ultimate in durability in a heavy commercial environment.

“Over the years Verado has earned a brilliant reputation for reliability, and clearly that’s very, very important for an organisation like the police,” David said.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

The plasma fusion process allowed Yamaha engineers to gain the greatest displacement from the least amount of mass, producing the best power-toweight ratio in its class. At the same time, it yields a surface that is 60 percent stronger than a steel liner for greater durability. In addition, the sleeveless cylinders result in better heat transfer between the cylinder walls, which means cooling is more efficient for long term durability.

In the 250 horsepower class no production V6 outboard, four-stroke or two-stroke, is lighter. The VMAX SHO models achieve this through the use of the latest lightweight composite materials in the cowling and engine pan as well as a lighter exhaust system, lower unit and alternator.

The other big advantage competitive fishermen are finding is the fuel economy of the VMAX SHO. As you would expect from a four stroke outboard, it burns about 12 percent less fuel on average than 3.3L Yamaha HPDI two stroke, Yamaha’s previous offering in this high performance category.

Yamaha VMAX SHO arrives Yamaha is excited to announce the arrival of the much anticipated VMAX SHO, a four stroke engine designed specifically for the high performance fishing boat market, into Australia for the first time.

The Yamaha VMAX SHO is now available through Yamaha’s nation wide network of authorised dealerships.

Dubbed a game changer in the US, the VMAX SHO has set the market alight, outperforming direct injected two stroke competitors in an environment where four stroke engines were once believed to be too heavy and lacking grunt.

This range of outboards comprises of 250, 225 and 200 horsepower versions and is available in a long shaft (20 inch) only. The VMAX SHO shares its 4.2 litre power head with Yamaha’s 4.2L offshore range of outboards. The use of plasma fused sleeveless cylinders in these engines instead of conventional steel sleeves sets Yamaha VMAX SHO apart from all other high performance outboard motors on the market today.

While specifically designed for high performance fishing boats the VMAX SHO also presents as a great power option for other flat water applications such as social ski boats. With awesome performance and a visually sharp design the Yamaha VMAX SHO is head turning engine as well as a game changer.

The VMAX SHO is covered by a 2 + 1 year manufacturers warranty for recreational use.

The recommended retail price of the Yamaha VMAX SHO is as follows: F250CETL/12

$29 999 inc GST

F225DETL/12

$27 332 inc GST

F200DETL/12

$24 507 inc GST

For more information visit the Yamaha website or your Yamaha dealer.

OptiMax – save up to $2,000* The truth is simple – Mercury Marine’s OptiMax outboards excel when it comes to acceleration, top speed and fuel economy.

So when you have all that, PLUS an unbeatable sales offer, now is the time to buy!

From 14th March to 30th April 2012, participating Mercury Marine dealers across Australia and New Zealand will be offering savings of up to $2,000* which make OptiMax outboards simply unbeatable value and that’s the Truth.

“The best way to judge if you’re getting value when you buy an outboard is to compare its performance against its rivals,” said Mercury Marine’s Outboard Director, Nicholas Webb.

“We’ve tested OptiMax engines head-to-head against other direct-injected outboards and OptiMax wins hands down. The cold hard facts are all there on our website.

“Now we’ve added some healthy savings into the mix – this offer ticks every box there is.”

With features like two-stage direct injection fuel system, ultra-reliable components and “smart” electronics, OptiMax outboards give you the confidence to go as far as you like.

Savage Packages In-Stock NOW

Savage 495 Bay Cruiser – Savage Trailer – 75hp Evinrude ETEC - $32,990

Savage 455 Bay Cruiser Savage Trailer – 50hp Evinrude ETEC - $26,690

Savage 435 Bay Cruiser – Savage Trailer – 40hp Honda 4 Stroke - $22,970

Savage 415 Bay Cruiser – Savage Trailer – 25hp Evinrude ETEC - $16,980

Enquire now about our FULL range of dinghies and engine options available

Savage 385 Big Boy - Savage Trailer - $5,785

Savage 455 Safari - Savage Trailer - $7,756

Established in 1898 Savage has solidified their reputation for designing and building practical boats that last for generations of boating enjoyment.

With everything from compact 3 metre Punts to familyfriendly 5.5 metre Bowriders, there is bound to be a Savage aluminium boat to suit your needs and budget, with more than 25 models in the range.

Being solidly built and durable, they are the economical and no-fuss way to get into boating and with no expensive extras, Savage aluminium boats are great value and contain all the essentials you need for a great day on the water.

102 Eastlands Drive, Ulverstone, Tas 7315 Ph: 6425 2238 info@deeganmarine.com.au www.deeganmarine.com.au www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 41

Ross F1 Fly Reels

Compare OptiMax to Evinrude?

Better acceleration – Mercury Marine R&D Dept. test conducted May 2007 on a Lund Fisherman 1800. Accelerating from 0-32 km/h (0-20mph) the Mercury OptiMax 150hp was 11% quicker than and the Evinrude E-TEC 150hp.

Better top speed – Mercury Marine R&D Dept. test conducted Jan 2010 on a Triton TR-18 Pro 18’ Bass Boat. The OptiMax 150hp Pro XS recorded a top speed 94.4 km/h (58.7mph). The E-TEC 150hp HO managed a top speed of 87.2 km/h (54.2mph).

Better fuel economy – Cruising at 46.6km/h (29mph), the OptiMax 150hp Pro XS recorded 2.72 km/l (6.4mpg). The E-TEC 150hp HO recorded 2.38 km/l (5.6mpg). * Savings Offer available on selected OptiMax Models from 75 to 250hp purchased from participating dealers only from March 14th to April 30th 2012. Offer is subjected to stock availability and all the engines must be 2010 build onward and delivered installed and registered by no later than June 30th, 2012.

Offer is available to recreational use customers only and offer is not subject to any further promotional offers or rebates. For full program details and more performance test data visit www.mercurymarine.com. au

After more than two years of design, development and testing, we are pleased to introduce the Ross™ F1™ - a large arbor series that is destined to revolutionize modern fly reel design. The Ross™ F1™ is a complete departure from conventional thinking and incorporates the most innovative features found in any fly reel.

The drag system utilizes eight independent contact points to produce the smoothest and most dependable drag system on the market today. Two square inches of carbon fiber drag surface results in unsurpassed stopping power and heat dissipation. The spool fits on a carbon fiber stabilizer with two fully sealed stainless steel ball bearings that provide precision fit and smooth rotation. The Ross™ F1™ employs a Ross original clutch bearing that is fully sealed and enables retrieve conversion without removing the bearing- an industry first! The extensive use of carbon fiber in the drag system, spool stabilizer, handle and spool release produce system strength and rigidity, while at the same time reducing overall weight. Ten separate o-rings completely seal the system, making it totally impervious to the drag-changing effects of water. The Ross™ F1™ employs a

Self S erv Guide icing to the Storm rider r an on ou r web ge Save $ site. $$

STORM RIDER

EXPLORER Designed For The Serious Fisherman • Totally waterproof – all seams sealed • Super warm quilted lining • Includes free waterproof pants PFD TYPE 1-150N STORM RIDER

Yoke + FREE LED TORCH

constant-torque drag knob with a 56:1 mechanical advantage; resulting in uniform drag knob rotation and infinite drag adjustment.

Frame and spool: 6061-T6 proprietary aluminum alloy. Fully machined with one piece frame, one piece spool - manufactured on automated CNC machining centers.

Anodized for the perfect balance of hardness and color Fresh and salt water in 2wt. - 9wt in Black, Nickel Silver and Guide Finish. LIFETIME WARRANTY $649 THRU $899. For your stockist contact Mayfly Tackle on (03) 9899 0034.

Used motors/boats for sale Mercury 5hp $1,200 Johnson 40hp $2,000 Yamaha 115hp, 4s $12,900 Stabicraft 529/Mackay Trailer/Evinrude 90hp $39,990 Pride Panther/Trailer/Yamaha 115hp $6,990 Mariner 3.8 dinghy/Trailer/Yamaha 15hp $3,990 Seadoo 155 GTX (Jetski only) $14,000 Seadoo RXP/Tasman Trailer $13,900 Seadoo HX/Dunbier Trailer $2,500 Savage Scorpion MKII/Brooker Trailer/ Merc 60hp/Evinrude 9.9hp $7,490 De Havilland/Dunbier trailer/Yamaha 40hp $8,900 Haines Hunter V146R/Dunbier Trailer/ Suzuki 75hp/Suzuki 5hp $9,900 Quintrex Fishabout/Dunbier Trailer/ Yamaha 60hp $9,900 Stacer 449 TS Nomad/Telwater Trailer / Mariner 40hp $15,990 Streaker 5.2/Numa Trailer/Yamaha 90hp $19,500 Quintrex 430 Hornet/Mackay Trailer / Honda 40hp $19,900 Pride Barron/Dunbier Trailer/Merc 140hp $19,500 Kingfisher Caprice Fisherman/Dunbier Trailer/Suzuki 115hp $19,990 Savage Centurion/Dunbier Trailer/ Mercury 75hp $21,990 Seajay Viper/Dunbier Trailer/Yamaha 80hp $27,500 Whittley 1800/Mackay Trailer / Mercruiser $27,900 Stacer 519 Searunner/Telwater trailer/ Honda 75hp/Honda 5hp $34,500 Haines Signature/Mackay Trailer/ Mercruiser $34,990 Caribbean Adventurer/Dunbier Trailer/ Honda 135hp $41,000 Stacer 559 Cape Runner/Telwater Trailer/ Honda 90hp $42,900 Caribbean Reef Runner/Mackay Trailer/ Yamaha 150hp 4s $57,900

Maynes Marine

6 Effingham St, Moonah Tas 7009 Ph: 6214 9999

E AT

ABL AVAIL

Electrics for sale

OOD ALL G , FISHING

ING BOAT ANDLERY & CH RES STO

NEW STORM RIDER RANGE AVAILABLE | STORM RIDER JACKETS FROM $250 RRP

www.pfdaust ralia.com.au

PFD AUSTRALIA Fishing News - Page 42

www.tasfish.com - Get knowledge - Get the fish.

24 Capital Drive, Grovedale VICthe 3216

Minn-Kota, Riptide, 55lb, 54‘’, 12v, bow, salt, co-pilot, autopilot and foot pedal, New $1,700, $1,200 MotorGuide, Wireless, 55lb, 48‘’, 12v, bow, fresh, wireless hand remote, New $1,300, $900 Minn-Kota, PowerDrive, 55lb, 48‘’, 12v, bow, fresh, foot pedal, New $980, $700 Minn-Kota, Riptide, 55lb, 36‘’, 12v, transom, salt, New $930, $650 Minn-Kota, Riptide, 55lb, 42‘’, 12v, transom, salt, New $930, $650 Minn-Kota, Endura, 55lb, 42‘’, 12v, transom, fresh, New $480, $350 Minn-Kota, Endura, 30lb, 30‘’, 12v, transom, fresh, New $210, $140

Phone Mike Stevens 0418 129 949

Port Sorell Marine 7 Club Drive Shearwater, Port Sorell Phone: 03 6428 7124

Channel Marine Services Lot 10 Gemalla Road, Margate Phone: 03 6267 1456

C.J. Marine Pty Ltd 8 Legana Park Drive, Legana Phone 03 63302277

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 43

WIRELESS GPS TROLLING SYSTEM

Learn more

minnkota.com.au

THE NAVIGATION

REVOLUTION

i-Pilot Wins 1st Place

Don’t waste another minute positioning your boat. i-Pilot uses GPS technology to control your trolling motor for you so you can focus on fishing. It can lock onto a productive fishing spot and keep you there, remember a successful path, optimize your bait presentation with cruise control, and more. All with wireless control, GPS accuracy and the mission of making you better at what you love to do: catch fish.

OVER

Watch Minn Kota® i-Pilot in action

Distributed exclusively by

boatinglifestyleadventure bla.com.au

i-Pilot accessory is available for Riptide ® ST, Riptide ® SP, PowerDriveTM V2 bow-mount trolling motors. (2007 on)

LOCAL STOCKISTS FRANKLIN

HOBART

LAUNCESTON

SOUTH LAUNCESTON

Lewis Marine

Franklin Marine

273 Kennedy Drive, Cambridge P: 03 6248 3222

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Peter Johnston Ship Chandlers

Tamar Marine

CH Smith Marine

6-8 West Tamar Road, Launceston P: 03 6331 6188

319 Wellington Street, South Launceston P: 03 6344 1166

Fishing News - Page ipilot 44 Apr.indd 01_12_Tas Fish News_MK

1

21 Morrison Street, Hobart P: 03 6234 5422

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

01_12_ipilot_MK_FW_Apr

CAMBRIDGE

30/03/12 9:04 AM

If you are building or renovating Rapidbuilt will ensure it’s easy and the best value for money you will find Building Deciding to build your own home or investment property can be a daunting experience, however with the right advice it doesn’t need to be that way. At Rapidbuilt we are here to help every step of the way with as much guidance and advice as you need.

2 BR KIT FROM $42,468 Living area: 76.2 m2 2 bedroom Verandah area: 29.2 m2 Frontage: 10.8 m Total floor area: 105.8 m2 Kit prices Stage 1 (to lockup) $42,468 Stage 3 (with everything including full kitchen and bathroom) $61,050

Don’t think of our kits as kit homes. You can choose from one of our standard plans or we can manufacture to your own design.

Rapidbuilt offers you the ability to change any design to suit your lifestyle and budget.

Our building system enables you to have the home that you have always wanted, the way that you had imagined it. Designed to be built on a concrete slab or if you prefer a bearer and joist construction with an optional floor kit, our homes are suitable for the majority of sites. Rapidbuilt plans are easy to adapt and modify so that you end up with a home that suits you, your family, your lifestyle, your block and your pocket. tensile You can choose either High high tensile Steel or timber framing.

When steel or timber framing. When Steel, Rapidbuilt Rapidbuilt use use building in steel, only high tensile 100% Australian TRUECORE steel so that we can provide you with the BlueScope Steel warranty of 50 years on your frame. Peace of mind comes from knowing you have a frame that has strength, stability and has been certified by a structural engineer. Our frames are fabricated into readily assembled sections. They are notched and bent to allow intersection of the components and punched to provide holes for electrical wiring and plumbing services. All of this makes construction for you quick and very easy.

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We have many plans on display in our two offices - in Launceston and Devonport, along with many of our standard products that you will find in your home.

Renovating Renovating Thiscan canbebea atroubled troubledtime timefor formany, many,but but This Rapidbuilt,once onceagain, again,makes makesit iteasier easierfor for Rapidbuilt, you.

We have a huge range of supply kitchens, you. We have available Custom Built kitchens, laundries,showers, showers,vanities, vanities,taps, taps,mirrors, mirrors,toilets, laundries, toilets,towel heated towel rails,insulated, double insulated heated rails, double panel lift doors, panel lift doors and more. doors and more. arecovered coveredbybyour ourexclusive exclusivewarranty. warranty.

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www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 45

Fishing and Boating Directory Advertise here for $77. Contact Mike Stevens 0418 129949

NEW MAXUS 15hp

2 stroke, 2 year warranty, for under $2000 Devonport Boat ‘n’ Tackle 13a Forbes Street, Devonport Phone: 6424 7172

Boat trailer wheel and tyre Dunbier and early Holden pattern

Outboards / Sterndrives / Service and Repairs www.seancosseymarine.com.au

around $90ea

62 Hopkins St, Moonah 6228 0274

Aluman Engineering BURNIE MARINE

Vandieman Seaman boats Proplate custom boats Boat repairs Propellor repairs Mark Tapsell 424 Hobart Road, L’ton Ph 6343 3341

g Sea

Stay in a luxury art deco 3 bedroom cottage Atmospheric Highlander Arms tavern on the doorstep 3 course meal provided each night Catch your own salmon in Tarraleah lake and learn how to prepare it with expert chef 18 lakes within 30 minutes drive

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wine & whisky tasting

Call in for all your fishing tackle including full range rods, reels, lures, landing nets and bait. Also life jackets plus diving gear and stuff for all water sports.

Scott, 53 King Street Scottsdale.Ph. 63522357 Julie-Anne, 41 Quail Street St Helens. Ph. 63761390

Top Service – Top Price Fishing News - Page 46

guided fishing trips

• Over 30 years experience on all types of motors • Approved insurance repairer to boats and motors • Propellor rebuild and refurbishing • Repairs of all types - including skegs etc.

• Contact: Cyril Stevens Phone 6431 3082

Fishin

World class fishing in the heart of the central highlands

cosy wood fires

Services

great pub

The Tamar’s fishing authority For the very best advice on fishing the Tamar River and surrounding area call in and see Sarah and Damon Sherriff.

For the best range of fishing tackle and watersport gear in the Tamar Valley.

Open:

son

Launceston’s Only Authorised

Dealer and Service Centre

8 Legana Park Drive Legana Industrial Estate, Ph: 6330 2277 Email: chris@cjmarineandkarts.com

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Gone Fishing Charters

9 - 5.30 weekdays 9 - 1 Saturday

44 Macquarie St George Town Ph: 6382 2373

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

• East coast estuary and bay • Bream, salmon, garfish, flathead, mullet and squid • Specialising in BIG BREAM • Soft plastics, lures, flies and bait • 5.8 metre sportfishing boat.

Gone Fishing Charters St Helens Michael Haley 0419 353 041 mhaleycharters@bigpond.com www.breamfishing.com.au

Fishing and Boating Directory

Experience: You Advertise here for $77. Contact Mike Stevens 0418 129949 obviously need strong paddling skills including a reliable brace and Eskimo roll, and a good handle on how sea conditions are influenced by the wind, tides and currents. Offshore from the Tasman Peninsula is not a place for novice kayakers.

OKUMA TITUS GOLD 15S $330.00 Safety gear: A 20S $350.00 marine VHF radio is especially handy, and I routinely car r y an EPIRB, flares, whistle, SHIMANO TLD50 FULL ROLLER 24KG ROD paddle float, strobe light $575.00 (for my own epileptic marine disco), map, compass and a GPS. I barely ever use them, but its comforting to know they are all there.

Fishing gear: A handline is much cheaper SHIMANO TYRONU S 50 than a rod and reel and ROLLER TIP 37KG ROD seems to work fine for $779.95 this type of game fishing A dream fulfilled and thankful to be on hard ground again.

BULK MONO LINE providing you have a PRICE PER METRE Handline trolling for bluefin from a kayak is not easy, but is way to securely attach it, 10KG $0.04 achievable as the author shows.

15KG $0.06 and plenty of line (I use 24KG $0.08 Endurance: You might need to stockpile some patience, about 300m of 37 kilo mono). Don’t forget your gloves. Include 37KG $0.10 a couple of lures that swim well at kayaking speeds, ideally fitted since the reality is you’ll be slow and with only one lure out STORMY SEAS YES!! WE CAN with long heavy mono traces. A gaff, knife and club to pacify your chances are low compared to other boats. But when MARINA WET SPOOL YOUR the fish are all potentially useful. You’ll need plenty of water your time finally arrives.... its hard to imagine any other WEATHER SET REELS FOR YOU fishing experience coming close. Best of luck out there. and high energy food to keep paddling for hours. $39.90 Bluefin tuna from a kayak, it is indeed possible.

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It is no exaggeration to say the Tasman Peninsula is truly remarkable with possibly the best sport fishing, highest sea cliffs, outstanding diving in giant underwater kelp forests, renowned fine food producers, Australia’s leading convict site and some of country’s best bush walks.

Situated at Eaglehawk Neck, and just one hour from Hobart, The Lufra provides relaxed affordable accommodation close to Port Arthur and natural attractions and is ideally located as the base for you to enjoy many activities, sitting as it does at the narrow isthmus which connects the Forestier and Tasman Peninsulas. Visit the Lufra and you’ll share more than a stunning view because the area abounds in many attractions — both natural and made-made — all within easy driving or walking distance.

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Nearby you can also indulge in sports and pastimes like deep sea fishing, surfing, and bushwalking, or TASMAP’s Central Tasmania Map and Angling Notes visit other nearby attractions like wildlife parks and is an invaluable guide to the world class trout fishing in the $59 pp twin share incl. wineries.

HALCO LAZER PRO 190 thousands of lakes and tarns located throughout the region. .90 $18 The Lufra Hotel offers comfortable accommodation continental breakfast or in a range of rooms and self-catering units as well as a It covers most of the Central Plateau, shows all of the lakes, $65 pp with hotrooms” breakfast. limited number of “fishermen’s at very affordable how to get there along with launching facilities, accommodation, camping and caravan areas, fuel supplies and RAP services.

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Our licensed restaurant and bistro the prime fishing lakes. The notes are packed with valuable CBD Location restaurant are complemented by a games/recreation information on regulations, fish types and the KILL ER VIBE 160 best fishing Affordable Rates $22.90 room, ·TV/lounge area with open fireplace, café/coffee locations and methods. shop and two bars. · Conference Rooms It is available online, along with TASMAP’s Australian aviation pioneer tourism entrepreneur · FREE Parking · and FREE Movies DEMON IDIA full range of maps, books and historicMER charts, at:N.95 Sir Reginald Ansett is reputed to have described the Lufra $39 · FREE Fitness Hotel as “the hotel with theRoom best view in the world.” No wonder· there has been an accommodation house on Wireless Broadband 6-8 WEST TAMAR ROAD, LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA 7250 the same site for more thanon 150 years.

Maps may also be purchased from Service Tasmania PHONE (03) 6331 6188 FAX (03) 63342681 · Three Steps GeorgeThe Lufra Hotel Phoneoutlets & Mailand Orders TASMAP agents statewide. welcomed We accept...

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HO Toll free 1800 639 532 (03) 6250 3262 MON TO FRI 8AM TO 5.30 PM SAT MORNING 8AM TO 12.30PM www.lufrahotel.com or info@lufrahotel.com Depar tment of CLOSED SUN. & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

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Pr imar y Industr ies and Water WWW.TASFISH.COM - Over 850 stories online. Get the knowledge–get the fish.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 11

Fishing News - Page 47

Issue 97 April - May 2012

Tassie’s Best Game Fishing Season Ever!

Game Fishing

Reports and Tips

Trout

Lake Australia Lake Mackintosh Lake King William Gunns Lake Little Lake - and more

$5

Australian Salmon

An in Depth Report

Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championship Results

WWW.TASFISH.COM - 1000 FISHING STORIES

Nick Duigan seems happy with his 63 kilogram southern bluefin tuna. Game fishing from page 8.

Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027