Angling Report of the Southern Tasmanian Licensed Anglers Association
Index Editorial .................................................................... 2 Inland Fisheries Service .......................................... 3 Ministers Report on Inland Fisheries 2002/03....... 3 From the Acting Director....................................... 4 Summary of Inland Fisheries Activities 2002/03 .. 5 Hydro Tasmania Report – Angling for Energy .... 8 MAST Report ......................................................... 10 FACT Report.......................................................... 12 IFAC Report........................................................... 15 STLAA Reports...................................................... 16 STLAA Executive................................................ 16 STLAA Presidents Report ................................... 17 Club Reports ........................................................ 19 Australian Polish Anglers Club ....................... 19 Bothwell Angling Club .................................... 20 Bridgewater Anglers Association .................... 22 Clarence Licensed Anglers Club ..................... 24 Huonville Licensed Anglers Association......... 26 Kingborough Anglers Association................... 27 Lake Pedder Anglers Club ............................... 30 Maydena Anglers Club .................................... 31 New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association ... 32 Tarraleah-Bronte Anglers Club........................ 35 Features & Special Reports................................... 36 Season 2002-2003................................................ 36 Davo’s Spinners ................................................... 38 Fabulous Fergus ................................................... 39 Avoid those Off-Season Blues............................. 41 Navarre River/ Little Navarre .............................. 42 Lake Leake........................................................... 42 Fishing with Wattle Grubs ................................... 48 Creature from the Lagoon.................................... 50 Echo Sounders ..................................................... 51 Tarraleah and Lake St Clair 1941-46................... 56 Hopper Fishing..................................................... 58 Redbanks Fish & Field......................................... 60 Introduction to Trout Flies ................................... 62 Great Lake 1893 to 1910...................................... 66 Puff the Fishing Guide ......................................... 71 Season 2002-2003 Photo Gallery......................... 73 Historic Angling Images ...................................... 82
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Trout 2003 Tasmanian Angling Report of the Southern Tasmanian Licensed Anglers Association is published annually by the association and it’s affiliated Clubs.
Cover Photos: Angling scenes from Season 2002-2003. Clockwise - Arthurs Lake, Lake Burbury, Nelson River, Wayatinah Lagoon
Historic Photos: The historic photo in this years Trout 2003 were kindly supplied by Mr Ray Aitchison. Photo of vase supplied by Jenny Beard
Report Committee: Bill Cornelius Lake Pedder Anglers Ph 0429 851 875 Norm Cribbin Clarence Licensed Anglers Ph 0408 144 587 Leanne Datlen Bothwell Anglers Club Ph 6259 5728 Louis Molnar Bridgewater Anglers Ass. Ph 0419 309 932
Editorial
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eason 2002-2003 is now over and will be consigned to angling memory. For some it will be remembered as a special season when they caught their best fish, enjoyed special times whilst angling or had that magical day all anglers dream about, for others it will be remembered as just an average season. Whatever memories you have about season 2002-2003 it is hoped that this edition of the Angling Report of the Southern Tasmanian Licensed Anglers Association – Trout 2003 will allow you to recall the season with greater clarity. This is the second Angling Report I have been involved with and continues the long tradition of Reports presenting the efforts and views of Club’s and Angler’s that make up the Southern Tasmanian Licensed Anglers Association. The input for this years report has once again been outstanding and I commend all those who have contributed articles, photographs, comments and critic. Special thanks must go the Report Committee who spent many hours arranging advertising sponsors, following up on reports and collecting the articles that appear within Trout 2003. Finally I would ask you to support our advertising sponsors. Without their assistance it would not be possible to publish this annual report. So next time you are making use of any of our advertising sponsors services thank them for supporting Trout 2003. Norm Cribbin
Coming to the net by Ashley Kent
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Inland Fisheries Service Ministers Report on Inland Fisheries 2002/03
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The Service has also completed some major stockings in an effort to revitalise some of our fisheries.
ince becoming Minister I have taken a very pro active approach towards making decisions which I see as best for the fishery. I have also attempted to develop the Inland Fisheries Service as a dynamic organisation that will manage and develop Tasmania’s freshwater fisheries in a forward looking manner.
This includes; • Lagoon of Islands - 2000 adult brown trout • Bradys Lake - 1000 adult brown trout • Lake Binney - 500 adult brown trout • Tungatinah Lagoon - 500 adult brown trout • Bronte system - 3000 brook trout fingerlings
One of the most significant matters holding back the Service in recent times, has been its continual battle to secure an increase in its base recurrent funding. Recently I successfully gained Treasury support to increase the base funding from $306,000 to $721,700 and to fund the Service’s $300,000 deficit from 2001/02. I am confident that the increase in recurrent base funding will enable the Service to move forward in future years and give it much greater certainty in management decisions.
During the past year, I negotiated with Hydro Tasmania several important achievements - a more sensitive approach to Dee Lagoon developments in order to protect the fishery and more appropriate water levels at Arthurs Lake. Discussions are continuing with regard to the Shannon Lagoon. In addition the Service has provided some first-time funding to the Freshwater Anglers Council of Tasmania to allow that organisation to continue with its role as a peak body for freshwater anglers.
I have determined that the IFS will in future be required to focus on its core activities; recreational fisheries management, native fish management, pest fish management, Salmon Ponds hatchery, Hydro and biological services and corporate services.
I am confident the new directions I have set out for the Inland Fisheries Service will place it at the forefront of freshwater fisheries management and enhance our trout fisheries as one of the best in the world.
My clear vision for the Service has, I believe, enabled it to achieve considerable success in recent times, especially in relation to the preparation of stocking profiles prepared for major fisheries and the release of its Fisheries Action Plan. I am pleased to report that the long awaited completion of the Little Pine Creel Census is being undertaken at the moment and I am looking forward to seeing the results later in the year.
Good angling in the coming season. Bryan Green MINISTER
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From the Acting Director
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his past year has been an energetic time for Inland Fisheries Service and I am pleased to be able to highlight some of the positive achievements for the year: • • • • • • • • •
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Next year will be a challenge for the Service as we come to terms with a new budget position and new direction. The Service will continue working on the Great Lake Fishery Management Plan at the same time producing management plans for other fisheries. Fisheries performance monitoring will be used to assess success of stocking programs and to guide stocking requirements for future years. Additionally improvements will be made to methods of producing, collecting and transporting fish stock and the next stage of the licensing process will be released.
release of the Western Lakes Fishery Management Plan; development works at Salmon Ponds, including a native fish interpretation centre; introduction of the quarterly Recreational Fishing Forum; publication of the monthly Angler News to provide regular information to anglers; completion of a scientific study on the occurrence of hydrocarbons on several fishing lakes; implementation a trout stocking policy to minimise illegal translocation of fish; development of trout stocking profiles for selected waters; release of a Fisheries Action Plan for public comment and subsequent implementation of several proposals; introduction of new legislation to improve enforcement provisions and to meet National Competition Policy requirements; increased the brook trout breeding program through partnerships with Sevrup and Snowy Range fish farms; participation in the Environmental Crime Working Party; successful completion of nine externally funded projects, in the areas of threatened species and environment; ongoing success in containing carp and reducing their numbers; and commenced a fisheries performance monitoring program.
Stocking Brook Trout at Bronte Lagoon
I believe the new direction to be a positive step towards developing a better inland fishery for all Tasmanians and the staff of the Service are committed towards achieving this goal. Thank you to all the Clubs and anglers who have supported the Service’s activities over this past year. John Diggle Acting Director of Inland Fisheries
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Summary of Inland Fisheries Activities 2002/03
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Tungatinah, Binney, Crescent, Lagoon of Islands and Penstock Lagoon as well as the normal annual transfers into the Nineteen Lagoons area and other smaller waters in the Great Lake area along with Pawleena Reservoir and Lake Kara. A smaller number of adult and juvenile brown trout (approximately 1,200) are also to be transferred from overpopulated streams to provide stock for Brushy and Blackmans lagoons.
his past season has been one of the busiest periods for the Service in a number of years, with many initiatives being implemented and several externally funded projects reaching completion. Trout Fishery Management Probably the most significant program completed was the Fishery Management Plan for the Western Lakes. This document was heavily scrutinised by a wide range of stakeholders and was subject to some 14 weeks of public comment. The draft plan for the Great Lake has been reviewed by the Inland Fisheries Advisory Council and will be circulated for public comment shortly. The Service has established a Fishery Performance Assessment program to evaluate a number of fisheries around the State. The program is aimed at building a more robust knowledge base on which to establish fishery management decisions. This program involves the collection of creel data by inspectors, the collection of survey information via a postal questionnaire, review of individual water stocking histories and collection of trout population information from priority waters. This season, surveys were conducted at Lake Lea, Tooms Lake, Bronte Lagoon, Bradys Lake, Arthurs Lake, Little Pine Lagoon, Penstock Lagoon and the Vale River. Lake Mikany and the Coal River have been rescheduled for completion later this year.
Trout with Tagging Gun
Additionally, as a result of an agreement between the IFS and two commercial trout hatcheries (and with some generous offerings), the Service has been able to secure a large number of brook trout for stocking into public waters. Over the past season there have been some 85,000 fry and 12,000 yearling brook trout stocked into lakes Mikany (N W. Tas), Kara, Meadowbank Selina, Plimsol, and Bradys in addition to Bronte, Clarence and Brushy lagoons and Trevallyn Dam. Fisheries Compliance The Fishery Compliance section was strengthened during the season to ten full time employees, with an additional officer being stationed on the North West Coast. Priority areas for enforcement included recurrent problems such as whitebait poaching, threats to spawning fish and the taking of lobsters. The importation of undesirable species was targeted with a number of spot checks carried out on the Spirit of Tasmania ships. Licence checking was also a high priority.
The Service has reviewed the stocking of public waters and subsequently produced the Fisheries Action Plan paper and a series of associated Stocking Profiles. As a consequence of the Fisheries Action Plan, there has been a transfer of some 8,000 adult brown trout to Bradys,
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The past season also saw the completion of the Natural Heritage Trust program aimed at ensuring the protection of the Giant Freshwater Lobster. This program has resulted in the preparation of a management plan for the species. Additionally, there has been a concerted effort to raise the public profile of the species.
Salmon Ponds Fish production at the Salmon Ponds focused on the raising of wild brown trout for public waters, as well as the supply of rainbow trout for the Great Lake fishery. Some 300,000 rainbow trout were stocked into Great Lake last season and it is planned that this number will increase in the coming years. Brown trout fry stocking for public waters remained at previous levels, 250,000 – 300,000 fry.
Other Natural Heritage Trust programs that reached completion were the Redundant Weirs Program and the Blackfish Habitat program. The Redundant Weir program resulted in the removal of several weirs throughout the State as well as establishment of improved fish passage in areas were weirs could not be removed. The Blackfish Habitat program resulted in improved habitat for blackfish and therefore other stream fauna. Advice was also provided to a number of rivercare projects on how to better undertake rehabilitation of degraded streams and improve the habitat of the Tasmanian blackfish. Both programs had important educational roles in raising the profile of these issues.
Late 2002 saw the opening of the new interpretation centre at the Salmon Ponds. The Freshwater Anglers Council of Tasmania, establish the Angling Hall of Fame within the Museum of Trout Fishing. Environment, Conservation and Native Species Management The last season has seen the consolidation of the 1998 recovery plan for threatened native freshwater fish species. This on-going program seeks to mitigate against identified threatening processes and ensure the long term survival of Tasmania’s native freshwater fish. A new five year recovery plan has been produced and includes all eleven species listed under Tasmanian threatened species legislation.
A Fisheries Research and Development Corporation funded project to assess the impacts of hydro dams on eel stocks was completed. This project evaluated various management tools to mitigate the impacts of existing dams on upstream eel stocks.
An illegally introduced population of rainbow trout in Johnsons Lagoon was targeted for eradication. The latest surveys suggest this program has been successful.
In 2002 the final surveys of the Mersey River environmental flow program were completed. This program was set up to identify possible changes to fish populations within the Mersey River following the release of water from Parangana Dam during the summer period. The final report is expected to be completed later this year.
During the past season, the Service secured World Heritage Area funding to assess the distribution and abundance of the endemic Western Paragalaxias. Consequently, the Service conducted a major survey of the Western Lakes and found the species to be more wide spread than previously documented.
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Lake Crescent - With well below average rainfall, the water level in Lake Crescent has remained low. This has however, assisted in limiting opportunities for carp to aggregate.
Commercial Fisheries The Commercial Fisheries Section continued its very important role in administering the aquarium industry, the commercial eel fishery, licensing of private fisheries, fish farms and other commercial areas such a commercial mudeye harvesting. The supply of juvenile eels for restocking for both the commercial industry and natural restock continued. The sale of elvers returned income to the Service to support commercial management functions.
A total of 18 adult female carp have been removed form Lake Crescent this season, indicating that the estimate of less than 50 mature females at the start of the season was fairly conservative.
Pest Fish Management Over the past twelve months the Service has inspected several reports of European Carp around the State. To date, these sightings have prove to be other species such as goldfish. The Service has also re-visited a number of waters (primarily farm dams) to assess previous efforts to control populations of Gambusia and the introduced yabby (Cherax).
Installing Carp Fence Lake Crescent
Surveys conducted over a four-month period (Nov-Feb) to check for juvenile carp indicate no recruitment in the past three seasons.
Bio Consultancy This past season saw the Service's consultancy section operate under vastly reduced funding. This team however, still managed to cover a wide range of work under difficult circumstances. The routine monitoring of water quality within Hydro Tasmania storages was the primary focus, along with the mapping of weed beds in Great Lake and support work to examine the impacts of Basslink on the Lower Gordon River.
Lake Sorell - A total of 649 carp were taken from this water last season, of which only 5 were mature females indicating the existence of only a low number of mature fish. A significant proportion of the year 2000 cohort were also removed. Spawning carp were observed on one occasion within a confined area. This area was treated and subsequent surveys suggested that the this was successful with no juvenile or larval carp found.
Carp Management Program A total of 7694 carp have been removed from Lake Crescent since the start of the program and 1883 have been removed from Lake Sorell. An electrofishing survey of the Clyde River downstream of Lake Crescent, reaffirmed that carp have been contained to lakes Sorell and Crescent.
Over the past three years, prime carp spawning grounds in Duck Bay have been fenced off. This has forced spawning carp into non preferred sites where they are more susceptible to fish down techniques. This approach has been very successful and consequently, the fence has been renewed with a
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the long-term. As a result of the project, the ecological requirements associated with the lakes ecosystems have been defined, and recommendations made regarding acceptable management options for the lake’s environment. All information and recommendations have been integrated into the Water Management planning process that is currently being coordinated by the Department of Primary Industry, Water and Environment.
further 500 metres of marsh in Kemps Bay now fenced. The Service is confident that the measures that are in place to control carp will ultimately result in the re-opening of Lake Crescent when favourable environmental conditions return. Lakes Sorell and Crescent Rehabilitation Project The Lakes Sorell and Crescent Rehabilitation Project finished in late March 2003. This part of the Natural Heritage Trust funded project has been running since autumn 2000. The project has been very successful, achieving all of its objectives and also conducting ongrounds works that will help protect and manage the flora and fauna of lakes for
The formal outputs of the project consist of 10 reports which are available from the Inland Fisheries Service website www.ifs.tas.gov.au Rob Freeman – Inland Fisheries Service
Hydro Tasmania Report – Angling for Energy
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The lake level agreement for Lake Pedder is unique in that it is intended to exclude redfin perch from and entering Lake Pedder from Lake Gordon via McPartlan Canal. The water level in Lake Pedder is maintained at least one metre above that of Lake Gordon, thus forming a flow velocity barrier that prevents redfin from swimming upstream into Pedder. Lake Pedder is an important recreational fishery and is also habitat for the endangered Pedder galaxias, and so it is important that the lake is kept redfin free.
he last 12 months have seen dry conditions put a strain on Hydro storages throughout the Tasmania. Lake levels in the systems long-term drought storages, Lake Gordon and Great Lake are down to 33m and 16m from full respectively. Overall, the system is sitting at approximately 26% of its total storage capacity at the end of May 2003, however, Hydro Tasmania has continued to adhere to the majority of its lake level agreements. These agreements have been formulated in consultation with the Inland Fisheries Service over the last decade, and are intended to maintain the aquatic habitat and fisheries of Little Pine Lagoon, Shannon Lagoon, Penstock Lagoon, Lagoon of Islands, Bronte Lagoon, Arthurs Lake, Woods Lake and Lake Pedder. The agreements for Little Pine Lagoon, Bronte Lagoon and Arthurs Lake are intended to maximise the fishing potential of these impoundments, while the agreements for the remainder are intended to protect aquatic ecosystems.
Water levels in Bronte Lagoon did however drop below the agreed minimum for this lake during mid March, to permit essential works on the Serpentine siphon, but returned to normal during April. Water quality and fish distribution were monitored in the lagoon and its canals during the partial drawdown, and the maintenance operation was completed with minimal disturbance to the fishery.
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Hydro Tasmania has maintained close ties with the Inland Fisheries Service, including collaborative fisheries studies and ongoing liaison relating to various fisheries issues, and intends to maintain this relationship with the IFS into the foreseeable future. The IFS has played an important role in assisting Hydro Tasmania with its Basslink Fish Monitoring Program in the Gordon River. It is predicted that operation of the Gordon Power station will alter following the commissioning of Basslink, with higher flow variability throughout the year. The Basslink Fish Monitoring Program will monitor fish populations in the river both prior to and after the implementation of Basslink.
waterways in the catchment. This was launched in Cataract Gorge on June 5th to coincide with World Environment Day, and is the final product of a 4-year project that has reviewed Hydro Tasmania's water management practices in the catchment. The document outlines the review process that was carried out in the South Esk - Great Lake catchment, the technical studies that were undertaken to investigate issues of concern, and details commitments Hydro Tasmania makes to enhance the environmental sustainability of its water management practices in the catchment. The draft 'Aquatic Environment Management Program' document is now available for public comment, and copies can be obtained by contacting Hydro Tasmania on (03) 6230 5899 or emailing us at environment@hydro.com.au Some of the major commitments of interest to recreational trout anglers are:
Cataract Fish Survey
Ongoing studies assessing the benefits of Hydro Tasmania’s environmental flow release in the Mersey River downstream of Lake Parangana have shown positive results. Since the initiation of environmental releases in 2002, trout spawning has been more successful leading to an increase in juvenile trout numbers. The abundance of aquatic invertebrates has also increased significantly, but it is anticipated that it will take several years for the increased in numbers to be reflected in the adult fish population. Hydro Tasmania's Water Management Review for the South Esk - Great Lake catchment is nearing completion, with the recent launch of a draft 'Aquatic Environment Management Program' for
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A commitment to maintain a minimum lake level of 735.4 m ASL for Woods Lake to protect water quality
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A commitment to construct a reregulation storage downstream of Poatina power station to even out flow fluctuations arising from power station operations
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Where possible, endeavour to maintain a minimum lake level of 949 m ASL for Arthurs Lake once Basslink is completed and subject to water levels in Great Lake being above 1029.8 m SL
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A commitment to increase environmental flows in Cataract Gorge to improve aquatic habitat, water quality and visual aesthetics.
We invite you to comment on this document, or contact us regarding any issues you may have raised during
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earlier periods of consultation. Copies can be obtained by contacting Hydro Tasmania on (03) 6230 5899 or emailing us at environment@hydro.com.au
Now that work is nearing completion in the South Esk - Great Lake catchment, the Water Management Reviews project will turn its attention to the Derwent catchment. The community consultation phase of work is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2003. If you wish to be kept informed of progress with this work, or would like to raise issues of concern related to Hydro Tasmania's management of waterways in this catchment, please contact us at the above address.
Comments can be forwarded to: Environmental Services - Water Management Reviews Hydro Tasmania GPO Box 355 Hobart, TAS 7001.
MAST Report
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The shortage of rain in the past year led to a decline in water levels in Great Lake and in Arthurs Lake. Hydro Tasmania advises that the lake levels at year end are lower than the previous year. Anglers have encountered difficulty in launching on Great Lake due to the siltation at the base of many boat-ramps. Unfortunately this will not improve unless we have winter rains.
n 2002 / 2003 Marine and Safety Tasmania is pleased to announce that there were no fatalities on inland waters. During patrols on the lakes by MAST's North West Recreational Boating Safety Officer, Peter Gibson, it was great to see recreational boaters responding to MAST's safety messages, by carrying all the correct safety equipment on board their vessels and wearing life jackets whilst under power.
MAST has set aside $52,269 in funding for 2003 inland water projects. However, the final selection of projects is dependant upon discussions with Hydro Tasmania as land owner and manager as to which projects should receive priority and funding. MAST and Hydro Tasmania are preparing a five year strategy for all inland water facilities on its land. A priority is to provide better
MAST's recreational boating fund 2002 provided gravel to upgrade facilities at Butlers Gorge (Lake King William, Derwent Bridge (Lake King William, Pumphouse Bay (Arthurs Lake, Lake Echo and Tooms Lake. The UHF Repeater on Barren Tier also received funding for its annual upgrade.
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community based boat-ramps which will be accessible at lower lake levels on Great Lake and Arthurs Lake.
has found it very helpful in enabling us to determine the needs of the recreational boater.
Submissions for 2003 were received to provide an opening through the "Cut" on Arthurs Lake. Hydro Tasmania has requested that MAST undertake an environmental assessment report to assess the impact on aboriginal relics/sites, aquatic issues such as turbidity, water quality and siltation mitigation during rising waters through the "Cut". This report is currently being co-ordinated with all the relevant bodies.
In February 2003, MAST undertook public forum meetings statewide to discuss the introduction of a licence fee over three years. Three options were put forward and it was agreed at each of the five meetings that a three year licence costing $30 ($10 per year) would be introduced as at July 1st, 2003. The additional funding from licenses will supplement the already existing recreational boating fund so that $1.4 million will be spent over the next three years. Funding will also be available for additional services ~ Boatwise, zoning of waterways, safety awareness programs, safety education programs in schools, develop practical handling courses and provide public moorings, totalling $125,000 over the next three years.
MAST has continued with education nights around the State ~ these have been highly successful with nearly 1,000 people attending eight meetings held in Spring and Autumn. The school education program has also continued and this is now being supported with the introduction of a video for every school outlining the curriculum.
Colin Finch A program for a practical tuition course to get your motor boat licence has also been written and trialled. This program is designed to assist those with limited knowledge on handling a motor boat. The course will be available through accredited providers of MAST.
1st Floor, 7-9 Franklin Wharf
Ph Fax
6233 8801 6233 5662
Hobart 7000 Web http://www.mast.tas.gov.au GPO Box 607 Hobart. 7001
In May, MAST once again had a stand at AGFEST. It provided an opportunity for Inland water fishers to meet MAST staff and discuss any issues they may have with regards to legislation, facilities and licenses. The stand was well attended and the response from the public was very positive. In Spring 2002, MAST forwarded a survey to all recreational boaters aimed at facilities used by recreational boaters and the services that MAST provide. The response was excellent and MAST
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FACT Report
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continues to allow trade with countries who wish to sell diseased produce. Salmon from some of these countries have 26 diseases that are not in Tasmania, but there are protocols available to bring this fish into Australia. In fact, it is being sold on the mainland. Tasmania's Politicians have stood firm and our quarantine practices shall remain in place and uncooked salmon shall remain banned from our shores.
mong a myriad of items that have come across the table during the past year, I have selected just a few to present a picture of our performance. Although insurance was not a direct part of our deliberations, it took up an inordinate amount of time of those enduring persons within FACT. These people are also high up in their respective Associations and therefore were able to help each other to find an insurance agency that would give a policy. This has now occurred and members are once more covered.
Last year was the start of the Fishery Management Plans and first of these was the Western Lakes. Many anglers were unhappy with the final result and firmly believe that the IFS and Minister have let them down. Unfortunately the decision will stand many anglers will give up on the process. Others will continue to lobby on behalf of anglers regardless of the actions taken by 'the powers that be'.
Floatplanes on small impoundments have become an issue and the Tooms Lake saga was a wake-up call to all anglers. It seems that the Government are agreed, and this came from the Minister, that floatplanes and helicopters would not be allowed in the World Heritage Areas. As lowland lakes are not considered as part of the "wilderness", floatplane landings will be allowed as part of the push for tourism destinations for rich anglers. This could become the start of a new wave of anglers travel arrangements.
The Great Lake Draft Plan is out and anglers will be pouring over the contents. Unpopular will be the release of rainbows up to 400mm. It is designed to get a large head of rainbow trout in the lake and protect them for spawning purposes. It is envisaged that in the future this size limit will be revisited with the view of lowering the size.
Long on my list of endeavours has been my long held belief that FACT should receive some Government funding. Our new Minister, Bryan Green, has arranged $1,500 to help us with our important work and input to IFS and Government. Working on a shoestring budget is not easy and this money will enable us to engage an Executive Officer to take off some of the load.
There are many other management plans that will come across the desk of angling clubs and it is hoped that you, the club member, will have input through your Association and this will be collated by FACT and a submission will be sent on the majority decision of members. Some of the plans are on small waters and should be fairly easy to decipher. My heart goes out to the Secretaries who will have to collate the info.
It is hoped that this will eventually be raised to $1 per registered club member. Our sincere thanks go to the Minister. The salmon issue will never be finalised whilst we have a Prime Minister who
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Of much more concern is the future if the Inland Fisheries Service. Reading through a copy of their Financial Report it is with great concern that they have recorded a trading loss of some $500,000. Put this on top of the $300,000 deficit for the previous year and it must be believed that the 'Service is in trouble. There are two scenarios to be looked at. One is that the IFS will be taken over by another department and continued to be starved of funds as it is now and the people, the owners of the freshwater fishery, will miss out completely. Two is the loss of staff. If this happens, there will be a major downturn in the amount of work that can be carried out by the IFS and the fishery will suffer even more. Its fine to have a healthy budget and its fine to have healthy tourism, but, if you continually starve that which tourists come to see and utilise, even tourists will cease to become involved. One thing is for sure, if adequate funds are not forthcoming the fishery will suffer a downturn and that will be detrimental to all. Proof of poor funding is in evidence at the Salmon Ponds where heritage buildings are in a disgraceful condition. Painting has been left undone to such an extent that some weather boards on the Museum will be beyond repair if not attended to in the near future. I call on the Government to ensure that our heritage buildings receive the proper attention they deserve and show tourists that we do care for that which our ancestors have made available to us. Anything less would be criminal negligence. After what seems a lifetime, FACT and the Fly Fishing Association have signed off on the area management plan for Little Pine Lagoon. This has been going
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undoubtedly form part of the management plan for lakes Sorell and Crescent. Water levels are the lowest in years and plans to protect these fisheries are badly needed.
on for over three years and is now finally complete. Shack owners, anglers and visitors will sigh with relief when the work is finished. The Tasmanian Angling Hall of Fame is up and running. FACT has now passed it on to the IFS for safekeeping. The Hall of Fame Board retains the capacity to install further inductees. Closing date for submissions each year would occur on the trout's birthday ~ May 4th. New inductees will be announced each November. Thanks are extended to all those persons who submitted a nominee.
Permanency is not guaranteed no matter the position held in life. The resignation of the Governor General was closely followed by the removal of IFS Director, Greg McCrossen. Although the gentlemen concerned were worlds apart, the positions held were equally important in their field. The Minister has decreed a new fishery direction was needed and it did not include the present leader. It will certainly be interesting to view this new focus and to see which direction it takes us, and with whom.
A new round of meetings are being held with forestry on logging issues around lakes and streams. Impact on how we believe riparian zones should be left is our aim. It would be advantageous if this process occurred with the farming fraternity as is the case with those on the Clyde River. The STLAA deserve our thanks for efforts by their members by talking to farmers and irrigators who utilise the waterway. This will
Finally, thanks to all those anglers who put in the 'hard yards' with their Clubs and Associations, if it were not for you, our fishery would be long dead. Peter Richards – FACT President
Caddis Moth by Ashley Kent 2002
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IFAC Report
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boats. Somehow a means to permit greater flexibility in the regulations will have to found to ensure a given lake or waterway is protected in a more rapid manner from over exploitation than that which presently exists; whether the threat be from overfishing or too many boats and inappropriate engines.
istening to the many varied points of view around the table at the Inland Fishery Advisory Council over the past year constantly leaves me in no doubt about the genuine desire of members to ensure the well-being of the fishery. The Council has been involved in major discussion and decisions on pivotal legislation, for example the Western Lakes Management Plan and stocking programmes, while future management plans for Great Lake are an ongoing topic. Discussions in native fish protection and access to waters are constantly on the agenda. Meetings commence at 10.30 a.m. and conclude about 3p.m. Very seldom are individual members absent, and everyone is encouraged to speak their mind. All said and done, it is my belief that the Council is working very well and the Minister takes serious note of our decisions. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Council members, both past and present, for their efforts and support and the IFS for its constructive and friendly involvement in debate, even when we beg to differ. I am in no doubt that the ensuing year will be just as interesting and challenging as the past one for members.
We are constantly reminded about pressures on Penstock. The Friends of Penstock send us full and informative reports on their deliberations. It is my opinion that great damage may be done to this beautiful lake if its management is not addressed in detail. I hope this fishery will not become Tasmania's first "artificial" stock, catch, take and release trout pond. It would be a sad day if Penstock were to be simply stocked with large fish each year to ensure anglers had something to catch during the season. Tasmania's great "wilderness fishery" will gain nothing from such an approach. I am sure IFAC will do all is can to prevent the destruction of such a famous lake. Finally, I ask that all anglers and those people interested in protecting our freshwaters, will consider carefully the draft management plans for Great Lake when they are released. This is a fishery with enormous potential not withstanding the many years of pleasure already experienced by anglers who know this water well. IFAC looks forward to offering advice to the Minister on the management of the lake and its surrounds. The input from anglers and others is crucial to the debate. I thank the Minister for his attendance at two of our meetings and permitting me access on request.
We are all aware of the extraordinary new pressures being placed on our previously tranquil waters. Many lakes are attracting anglers in numbers which were never envisaged even 18 months ago of drought, twin ferries, tourism promotion and a mainland move to promote native fish rather than trout are obvious reasons for the “invasion�. It is totally unrealistic to suppose the pressures will not continue to increase and rules and regulations will have to become deliberately targeted at particular waters to accommodate this influx in numbers of anglers and their
Nigel Forteath – IFAC Chair
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STLAA Reports STLAA Executive
OFFICE BEARERS 2002-2003 POSTAL ADDRESS: GPO Box 159 Hobart 7001 CONTACT POINT: Mr Terry Byard PATRON: Mr Des Cranfield PRESIDENT: Mr Terry Byard VICE PRESIDENT: Vacant SECRETARY: Mr Louis Molnar HONORARY TREASURER: Mr Neil Pinkard FACT DELEGATE: Mr Norm Cribbin EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Messers Terry Byard, Louis Molnar, Neil Pinkard, Norm Cribbin and Bill Cornelius CLUB DELEGATES: Australian Polish Tony Blackwell, Noel Doyle Bothwell Anglers Bob Wilton, Leanne Datlen, Bridgewater Anglers David Goss, Trevor Sutton Clarence Licensed Anglers Norm Cribbin, Neil Pinkard Huonville Anglers Robin Henzler, David Roberts Kingborough Anglers Association Wilfred Knight, Mal Reardon Lake Pedder Anglers Bill Cornelius, Paul Roach Maydena Anglers Club John Barratt New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Duncan Hughes Tarraleah/Bronte Anglers Jenny Beard, Anthony James LIFE MEMBERS: M.O. Wood E.T. Smith A. Maclaine Mrs J. Walker C. Smith R. Cairns
1968 1970 1979 1981 1983 1983
K. Morley D. Lynch R. Ryder C. Bourke L. Ward B. Creed
1983 1983 1983 1985 1987 1992
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P. Lowe R. Aitchison K. Jones D. Cranfield R. Bradshaw
1992 1995 1999 1999 2002
STLAA Presidents Report
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work by our Focus Group which is looking after the Association's interest in the development the Sorell/Crescent Water Management Plan and the rehabilitation of these lakes.
nother season has come and gone and it is time once again to reflect on the fishing and the going's on of the Association. On the fishing front, I didn't get that many chances to wet a line because of carp calling. However, I did get out a few times and the memories of a couple of "rippers" from the western lakes and one in particular from a drift across the lily pads at Arthurs will sustain me over the winter break. On the wider front, it seems that for many it was another season that was; some good patches followed by fairly ordinary periods. Insect hatches were generally spasmodic with sustained dun hatches at the normal hot spots not really happening. It was good to see Tooms Lake again giving up many fine fish to all codes and the ever reliable Arthurs Lake just keeps on producing. It was interesting to note the particularly good numbers of Jassids this season. Lets hope that we may be seeing these more frequently in seasons to come because nothing seems to get the fishing going like Jassids do.
It was very pleasing to see at our last AGM, some more of our members recognised for their contributions to angling. Services to Angling Certificates were presented to Frank Johnston (Bridgewater), Neil Pinkard (Clarence), Wayne Seabrook (Kingborough) and STLAA Life Membership was awarded to Robert Bradshaw from Bridgewater. I urge clubs not to forget or overlook the hard work that is undertaken by many of our members in order to keep their clubs successful and afloat. I believe that it is very important that we continue to recognise this effort through our angling certificate and life membership system. Our Hazelwoods Lagoon wetlands project is nearing its conclusion with on ground tasks involving the building of several levee banks and getting the wetland fenced off from stock grazing, (courtesy of the adjacent landowner) almost completed. Next spring, the project group hopes to re-introduce the now threatened Green and Gold Frog back into the area. The benefits of our work are now starting to become very apparent with the improvement in the inundation regime of the wetland.
The Association has another busy and successful year - a great AGM at the new venue of the Polish Club which was superbly catered for by of our affiliate member, Australian Polish Anglers Club, a well supported family/BBQ day at Tolosa Park in September and our normal round of well attended general meetings at the IPS. In between all this, the Association was represented at IPS Fisheries Forums, FACT Meetings, Highland Roads Consultative Group Meetings and at Consultative Group meetings which are developing the Water Management Plan for the Clyde Catchment including Lakes Sorell and Crescent. Internally, the Association's project to rehabilitate Hazelwoods Lagoon has continued along with great
With the technical studies associated with the Sorell/Crescent rehabilitation programme now completed, it was very pleasing to hear from the Minister that he intends to ensure that recommendations from these studies for the sustainable management of the lakes will be incorporated in the final water management plan. Anglers should take heart from this position because it ensures that these waters will not be over
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Director, Greg McCrossen. Greg put in place a number of key initiatives which will become important cornerstones for the future management of the fishery. During his time as Director, Greg expressed on numerous occasions, his strong support the work of our association and its member clubs. I thank him for this support and we wish him well in the future. We also look forward to continuing our long standing relationship with the IFS and its new management structure.
used in the future and that they will be much better protected during times of drought and lower than average periods of replenishment. The Association looks forward to the public release of the draft plan which hopefully should occur around the end of this year. This time last year I reported on the unfortunate demise of our long standing annual publication, Trout. A year on and I am very pleased to say that we now have an alternative publication up and running, thanks to the efforts of delegates and the support of our member clubs. As President, this is great to see because it is through this book that we can fully report on and highlight the going's on of the Association - the activities of the clubs, how they are going, their projects and outings and most importantly, how the fishing has been and who is catching what and where. It is nice to be able to reflect on these aspects in a more casual way because too often, politics and administrivia seem to get in the way of these matters during our formal meeting processes etc. The Association will continue to work towards our goal of providing the book at no cost to members.
In closing, I would like particularly, to thank those who have enabled the Association to complete another successful year. To our commercial supporters, Hydro Tasmania, Stormy Australia, tackle suppliers Spot On and Bridges Bros. and Boags Brewery; thank you, for without your support the work of the Association would be much more difficult to achieve. Thank you also to Club delegates for your attendance and contributions at General Meetings, our active Patron, Mr Des Cranfield and last but not least, our hardworking sub-committees Executive Sub-Committee members, Louis, Neil, Norm and Bill, Sorell/Crescent Focus Group members Peter, Rod, Trevor, Bernard and Peter and Hazelwoods Project Group members Kelli and Rod, David and Trevor.
Whilst the recent upheaval at the IFS has no doubt been very unsettling for many, from the angler's perspective is very pleasing to see the issue of base funding addressed and that the Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the continued independence of the IFS. I would like to express the STLAA's appreciation of the work of outgoing
Best wishes for a safe off season and a good fishing ahead. Terry Byard - President
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President: Tony Blackwell Secretary: Margaret Blackwell Postal Address: 30 Dixon St New Norfolk Contact: Ph 6261 3921 Meetings: 2nd Wednesday Monthly
Club Reports Australian Polish Anglers Club
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Our Devil Jet BBQ at New Norfolk was a great success. We had a good number of members and non-members attend with them all having a great day. Our thanks go out to Brian and Kim (the driver) of the Devil jet company for making this day possible. I think that all those males who took the boat ride may have changed their thoughts on women’s driving abilities. Kim certainly put that myth to rest by showing her great skills behind the wheel of the 454 Chev powered jet boat.
ast season was one of the most challenging for the committee we have had to date. All our competitions were well supported by members and the Saturday night BBQ’s are still a highlight of our competitions. Unfortunately our January Lake Pedder competition had to be cancelled due to bush fires. Just as a matter of interest I have listed the waters we have fished over the past season and the number of fish that were caught at each water. This may be of some use for next season.
I would like to thank Our Committee for doing such a wonderful job over the past year. I cannot praise them enough for what they have done for our club. Our committee members for last year were: Noel and Christine Doyle, Ken Tubb, Julie Cawthorn, Bob Ilic, Margaret Blackwell, John and Sue Lewis.
Derwent River 03/08/02: 21 Fish, Heaviest 1.175 kg, Average 510 g Derwent River 30/08/02: 48 Fish, Heaviest 2.420 kg, Average 471 g
I would also like to thank those members who helped us out when we needed that little bit extra.
Lake Binney 4–6/08/02: 64 Fish, Heaviest 1.130 kg, Average 541 g Lake Echo 25-27/08/02: 68 Fish, Heaviest 1.185 kg, Average 520 g
In June we again catered for the Annual S.T.L.A.A. dinner. All of our members who helped out in the kitchen and serving the tables at the dinner had a great time. The club would like to thank the S.T.L.A.A. and delegates for the opportunity to help them hold a very memorable night once again. Maria (manageress of the Polish club) commented to us after the dinner about the wonderful bunch of people the S.T.L.A.A. have onboard. WELL DONE!!
Arthurs Lake 22–24/11/02: 119 Fish, Heaviest 1.450 kg, Average 713.7 g Tooms Lake 21–23/02/03: 79 Fish, Heaviest 1.780 kg, Average 842.5 g Dee-Echo 14-16/03/03: 76 Fish, Heaviest 1.565 kg (Echo), Average 522 g Lake Pedder 25-27/04/03: 32 Fish, Heaviest 1.260 kg, Average 644 g
Good Fishing for Next Season Tony Blackwell President
Dee Lagoon 16–18/05/03: 16 Fish, Heaviest .825 Kg, Average 455 g
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President: Mr Bob Wilton Secretary: Mrs Tonia Branch Treasurer: Mrs Pam Jones P.O.Box 44 Bothwell 7030 Ph 03 6259 8373 Email bothwellanglersclub@bigpond.com
Bothwell Angling Club
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Thanks are also due to all the helpers on the night of our dinner trophy night last season. It was due to your hard work that the evening was such a success. This was my first time at a dinner trophy night and it was most enjoyable. “Thank You” also to all of our Sponsors for supporting the event.
he Bothwell Anglers Club Presidents report for 2002/2003 season. It is with great pleasure I give my second report: I would like to thank Noelene Pearce for the work she has done for the club as Secretary over the past two years and with Noelene stepping down I welcome Tonia Branch as our new Secretary. . Also I extend a big thanks to our Treasurer Pam Jones for all her hard work throughout the year.
In September I attended the STLAA Barbeque with my family and it was a great day, which was supported well by our club members. Thanks are due to Richard Bowden and Peter Bignell for the lambs that were donated for the day.
Thanks are due also to Leanne Datlen as the Club’s delegate to the STLAA, which meeting she attends every month, and to Pat & Betty Branch for acting as weigh masters on Competitions days and Weigh-in Stewards for the monthly Competitions. Also I would like to thank all members who have turned up to our monthly meetings, which are held on the second Thursday in the month. Our membership continues to grow and it is pleasing to see some of these new members attending our meetings. An invitation is extended to all members to come along to the meetings and show support for the Club.
David Mayne of “Maynes Marine” generously donated an electric outboard motor to the club as the major prize for our Fun Fish Weekend, which was held at Arthurs Lake on 18th of January 2003. David also donated other fantastic prizes and I would like to sincerely thank “Maynes Marine” and also the members that greatly supported the day. Nearly 100 members turned out for the event, and with the sun shining and plenty of good fish weighed in, plus a free barbecue that was put on by the club, it was one of the best competition days I have enjoyed. Congratulations to all the prize winners and to David Clark who won the big one, the electric “Thruster” from Maynes Marine and the battery from “Battery World”. To all the members that generously gave up their time and worked hard on the day, thank you. It was due to your efforts the day was such a success.
In the 2003/2004 seasons it will unfortunately be necessary to increase membership fees. The additional funds are necessary to cover the additional cost of Public Liability Insurance. In line with all other clubs in southern Tasmania, we have blanket Third Party Insurance through the STLAA, which has kept costs down to a minimum but in order to pay our share of the premium additional funds will be needed. Next season adult membership will increase to $10.00 and juniors will increase to $3.50.
Woods Lake weekends have been very popular with members and the lake has fished well all season. It is particularly pleasing to note that members have been following the rules as set down. and are looking after the property.
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roll out programme and Arthurs Lake and Great Lake are seen as high priorities on their agenda. Peter Pangas of Hydro Tasmania will liaise with our Association and keep us informed of the progress of the strategy and I will keep members advised of developments as they unfold.
Our Monthly competition “Field Days” have been well supported by Members, with good condition trout weighed-in from Tooms Lake and Arthurs Lake, mostly caught on Mudeyes. For the second time the Club lodged a submission with MAST, to have the boat ramp in Tea Tree Bay at Arthurs Lake, upgraded. I have just received a letter from MAST stating it has allocated funding for inland waters this year. However the final selection of projects is dependent upon recommendations from Hydro Tasmania, as landowners and managers of the lakes, as to which projects will receive priority funding. Hydro Tasmania, in conjunction with MAST, Inland Fisheries and DIPWE, is preparing a five-year strategy for all inland water facilities on its land. Their aim is to get business support for funding the upgrades, including car parking and access roads, on a five-year
As I write, another season is almost over and no doubt like most of you, I have no idea where the time went, but I’m looking forward to the new season and have every intention of enjoying every minute of it, and all the seasons to come. Lastly my thanks to all Members of the club who made my two years as President so rewarding and so much fun, I wish you good luck and a safe season for 2003 & 2004. Bob Wilton - President
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President: Robert Bradshaw Secretary: Trevor Sutton Postal Address: 31 Girrabong Rd Lenah Valley Contact: Ph 6278 1883 Meetings: Last Tuesday of each month except January
Bridgewater Anglers Association
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magnificent scenery of the upper reaches of Lake St Clair, although not too many fish were caught. Others fished the Basin, Bronte Lagoon, Dee Lagoon and Lake Echo. All in all it was one of the best attended trips of the year and a fitting end to the season
he past year has again seen the clubs activities split into two main areas. Firstly the running of field weekends, and secondly the raising of funds for our shack site at Dago Point. The field weekends were again held at the usual venues such as Tooms Lake, Arthurs Lake, Western Lakes, Derwent River and the Bronte area.
The Derwent turned out a bit harder for most this year and the combined event with the New Norfolk club saw New Norfolk take out both the senior and junior sections
The most popular and productive events were those held early in the season at Tooms Lake, and late in the season in the Bronte area. Both these events were very well patronised and some magnificent fish were caught.
Work commitments again saw a decline in the number of people attending trips this year, which reflects the changing work practices of today’s society.
Tooms Lake yet again yielded the best fish of the season with all those attending having considerable success at that venue.
The other main focus of the clubs energy this past year has again been the fund raising for our shack land purchase at Dago Point.
Due to some very ordinary weather at Arthurs, attendance was not high, and most of the fish were caught by the die hards of the club, the Bester and Nettlefold families, who braved the elements and had reasonable success late in the evenings
The committee and a dedicated band of members have pursued the raising of funds with considerable effort. A trailer filled with garden supplies was raffled and raised over $1000. Due to the success of last year’s event we again held a Hungi evening, which was attended by around ninety guests, all of who had a tremendous evening and helped raise almost $2000 dollars. I would like to personally thank all those members who donated time, money and goods to make the above two events so successful
The Western Lakes weekend was the usual excellent social weekend based at the tiger hut, with most of the fish being caught by Peter Wood, who seemed to catch fish no matter where he threw his lure or fly. Angela Bradshaw also caught three fish from a windswept point in Lake Ada, all in less than ten minutes. This event is being run again this season and members are encouraged to come along for a most enjoyable weekend
On the 23rd of November this year we will be running a BBQ at Bunning’s Derwent Park store as a further fund raiser for the shack
The Bronte area weekend at the end of the season was very successful. The weather was tropical. Some members enjoyed a very pleasant day among the
We now have council approval to commence the works, that are required
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Wood for again helping out on the STLAA consultative committee on the Sorell Crescent water issue.
to enable our title to be issued, and subsequent land purchase to take place. This work is scheduled to be carried out over the coming summer. I look forward to seeing members on site in February to undertake this work. The weekend promises to be another great social weekend such as the recent shack working bee, which turned out to be another John Steele gourmet dinner evening. Thanks John!!
Angela Bradshaw kindly undertook the role of secretary this past season and Royce Jessup the job of Treasurer, Thank you Angela and Royce for your efforts over the year. Thanks also to Noel Bester who did an excellent job as weigh master again this year
Trevor Sutton and John Bluett have again done a magnificent job maintaining and manning the Plenty River fish trap. A flood during last winter deposited some huge logs in and across the trap, these were cleared and the trap repaired ready for the first run of fish. At the time of writing some 80 fish had been weighed measured and scale samples taken. Thanks must also go to David Goss and Trevor Sutton for representing the club at STLAA meetings, and also to Peter
As a club we still have a few challenges ahead, but due to the commitment from a dedicated group of club members these challenges will be met over the coming season. Perhaps then we will all have time to go fishing again All the best for the coming season Robert Bradshaw - President
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President: Rod Walker Secretary: Norm Cribbin Treasurer: Neil Pinkard Postal Address: PO Box 281 Rosny Park 7018 Contact: 6272 8124 Email: clacinc@hotmail.com
Clarence Licensed Anglers Club
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learn some of the finer points of casting or fly fishing.
he Clarence Club has had a very successful year with the main focus being on Fundraising. As usual it began with the AGM in which the members appointed another hard working group of people to administer Clarence through what would be a difficult time off the lakes.
Each month we had a field trip to various lakes as far a field as Tooms, Pedder and Lake Burbury. All these were well attended and a Club member was appointed to each of these venues to act as Organiser for the day. Our thanks to all who volunteered their time and also for providing a “secret prize” on the day.
The problem with Lake Crescent and Lake Sorell was to the fore front in everyone’s mind. Lake Crescent with its carp problem and our own Lake Sorell with its lack of water and chocolate colouration. We invited many guest speakers along like John Diggle and his crew of experts who addressed the members and fielded some very direct and searching questions.
The Heazlewood lagoon restoration is a project run by STLAA president Terry Byard in which the following Club members– Rod and Kelli Walker and David Driver- are vitally involved. Following the latest downpour in the Lakes Crescent/ Sorell area, all the hard work in restoration is starting to show dividends. With the Lagoon filling up the aquatic life is beginning to reimmerge after years of drought. The team is now investigating the ability of re-establishing the green and gold frog back into the lagoon.
Because of Lake Sorell being one of our “home” waters we desperately wanted to hear some good news. Fishing here had been non-existent for too long and the Cabin usage was suffering as a result. Allied to this, the question of coping with the Government’s Shack Land Sale Project. Mr Scott Marsden and Mr Mike Jones came along to one of our Monthly Meetings to keep us informed on the options and avenues that were open to us. This, of cause, is very much an ongoing exercise which is taking up many members time off the waters.
All this of course shows that fishermen are not just one dimensional only concerned with fishing but also the broader area of conservation. Another successful Snowy Range Day was held in which the families attended and enjoyed a BBQ and a day’s fishing. This day although a family day is especially dedicated to the children of our club and nothing is more important than to see the big smiling faces, several as young as 3 years old, as each one of them hauled in a fine trout or salmon. Thanks to the Staff at Snowy Range for their help.
On the happier note the Club continued with its involvement with Pawleena Dam which is rapidly becoming a much visited fishing place close to Hobart. We are indeed very fortunate in having it stocked each year with both young and semi-mature fish. Opening Day saw the Club putting on a BBQ and fishing tuition to the many interested people who come down to try their luck and
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Our Executive Committee for Season 2002-2003:
Clarence is always to the fore in all matters relevant to our fishing fraternity and we are well served by Neil Pinkard and Norm Cribbin who hold port folios with STLAA and FACT.
President Senior V/President V/President Secretary Treasurer Committee
Clarence held its Annual Dinner at the Cascade Inn in South Hobart in which our season’s trophies were presented. Heaviest Fish - Greg Brown Heaviest Fish Field Trip -Rod Walker Heaviest Fish Junior - Scott Walker Clubman’s Award - George Fleming
Rod Walker David Driver Ashley Kent Norm Cribbin Neil Pinkard George Fleming, Kelli Walker, Ron Stow
In closing I would like to make a special thankyou to the Fundraising Committee, our members for supporting them in their efforts and the general public for supporting the Clarence Licensed Anglers Club
Special Awards were also presented by Organisers of individual Field Trips.
Tightlines for season 2003-2004 Rod Walker - President
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Huonville Licensed Anglers Association
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President: Morry Slot Secretary: Christine Wooly Postal Address: 29 Tunbridge Rd Glen Huon Contact: Ph 0408 136659 Meetings: Monthly
Colin Nichols and thanks go to Andrew, Pam, Cheryl and Christine for their work on the day.
nother season has passed with our members weighing 456 fish in for the season with a collective weight of 307.580kgs.
Andrew Paul in his last year as a junior took out our heaviest fish category with a Brown trout caught in the Denison River weighing 3.808kgs, he also took out the Junior prize with a fish over 2kg and the most fish for a junior with 14. Carol Woolley took out the prize for the most fish for a female angler with 29 and Larry Paul took out the prize for the most fish overall with a bag of 201, well done to those people.
We had five social weekends that weighed in 212 fish. Opening weekend saw 15 fish weighed in all from the Huon. September weekend there were 31 from Arthurs Lake, November 53 from Lake Burbury and 3 from the Huon. February there were 34 from Lake Pedder and 12 from the Huon and Dennison rivers. Closing weekend there were 46 from Lake Pedder and 18 from the Huon River. Very successful weekends for fishing however our BBQ’s after the weigh ins were not well attended and we will have to think of a way to alleviate this in the coming season.
Our monthly mystery weight prizes went to Peter Fewkes, Brooke Woolley (2) Larry Paul (2), Mark Woolley, Colin Nichols, Rob Chandler and Tricia Woolley. Average weight of 674.5 went to Carol Woolley with a fish she caught at Lake Burbury. Rob Chandler also took out the Bruce Woolley Memorial trophy with a fish of 1kg.
In August last year Doug Lovell landed a brilliant Brown trout from the Huon River weighing in at 7.510kilograms. Doug’s fish was not eligible for the STLAA prize as it was not gilled and gutted because he is getting it mounted. But folks it proves that they are still there, you have to be in the right place at the right time. Doug took out our trophy for the heaviest trophy fish which was presented at our annual dinner. Two of our lady members Brooke Woolley and Carol Woolley won prizes for the heaviest brown trout at the Lake Burbury fishing competition in which 12 of our members took part weighing in 53 fish all up.
Thanks to Forestry Tasmania for allowing us to go out to the Eddy on the Weld River for a trip on the long weekend in March. 4 Juniors and 9 seniors ventured out in their 4wd’s and had a very successful weekend catching 15 fish all told. One of our juniors, Jessie Brown lost a monster fish casting with a fruit salad cobra, she was not happy as he took the lure and it was her favourite. Since then Nan has purchased her a new one. Many thanks go to our sponsors Mitre 10 Huonville, Huon Trophy Centre and Griggs butchery. Tight lines for next season.
Our annual dinner and trophy presentation night was once again held in February and was a very successful evening with around 45 members attending. The spit roast was cooked by
Morry Slot - President
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President: Stephen Long Secretary: Nick Atkinson Postal Address: GPO Box 242 Kingston 7050 Contact: Ph 6272 0790 Meetings: Last Thursday of month.
Kingborough Anglers Association
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With such a cross selection of members, all with outstanding expertise in various fields, we have been able to meet head on, and arrive at the most appropriate resolution, two of the most important issues that arose this last year. Those being the thorny issue of insurance and the forthcoming Shack/ Land Sale
ntil twelve months ago, I, like many club members in general, was just one of the mob who was prepared to do his bit whenever the time arose. Little did I know that I was being considered as a likely presidential candidate by some of the club members. From nomination to election, all unopposed, I have found that the last twelve months as President has brought a great deal of satisfaction, and pride, in being an active member of what I believe is one of the most vibrant and pro-active Fishing Clubs in Tasmania.
Membership While the Club has a strong membership base there is a case for attracting new and younger members to not only replace those who leave, but also to carry on the tradition of the Club well into the future. If we can be all selfjudgemental, none of us are getting any younger and we do need replacements. While I do not believe that we need to coerce prospective members into joining with golden promises, we do need to spread the word of what this Club has to offer, both from the comradeship that can be offered and also as lobby machine to promote angling in general.
A President, however, is only one member up the front and I would like to especially acknowledge, on behalf of all club members, the following members for their support and ongoing commitment to the club over the last twelve months:Vice President Secretary Treasurer STLAA Delegates Weigh in Officer Exec Committee Monthly Raffle Tight Lines
Peter Thomson Nick Atkinson Wayne Smith Wilfred Knight and Mal Reardon Hayden Spencer Frank Hussey, Steve Paul, and David Drysdale Wifred Knight Ian Shaw
Financial Situation With the club in a current sound financial situation, as born out by the Treasurers Report, there will be no increase in Subscription fees or shack rentals for the coming year. However, this situation will need to be reviewed annually to make certain that we are able to service debts that will be associated with local council fees, etc, following the Land sale at Bronte Lagoon, and other Statutory costs and levies. Major known expenditure items that we will be required to service this coming year are:-
As well as all other members who contributed to club needs as required, whatever the request, thank you all. This club would have to one of the most fortunate to have the calibre of members that it does. When compared to some other clubs around the State that are having difficulties with membership, and environmental concerns as a result of the land sales where shacks are involved, this club is in a most fortunate position.
1. Construction of ablution facilities in accordance with Building Codes, approx $3,000.00 and, 2. Purchase of land at Bronte Lagoon from the State as required under
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for formal consideration after completion of stage 1constructions
legislation. Although the purchase price is not known, or when the sale will be required, it is hoped that the Club will be able to purchase over a longer time period, at a low interest rate, from the State.
the
Yearly Highlights As with any organisation of like-minded members, those with a competitive streak attended either some, or all of the Club field days. While some fished hard and caught fish, others fished just as hard but claimed they were only there for the social activity. Whatever the reason, in today’s environment with work, family and other commitments, each and everyone one of us gained satisfaction either from just being there on the day on the water, or earning enough points to win a trophy. Two of the most eagerly participated days without a doubt were the “John Barwick Ice Breaker” and the camp out at “Jonah Bay”.
This strong financial position has only been made possible by the hard decisions taken several years back when the land sales were first mooted, as well as the outstanding success of the auctions that have been conducted at the Annual Dinner over the last few years.
Shack We, as a Club, are most fortunate to have such a first rate facility in such a prime location, and current members are indebted to those earlier members who selected the location and constructed it. Unfortunately, what was acceptable a few years ago is now not, and as mentioned earlier we are now required to upgrade our facilities in accordance with current standards.
Again the ‘Working Bee & Gourmet Dinner’ was great success although attendance was slightly down on previous years, no doubt influenced by the confusion over exactly which date was correct. As luck would have it we were most fortunate with the weekend selected, as the more traditionally accepted weekend turned out to be extremely rugged. To all those who attended, congratulations on a job well done. The evening meal was an outstanding success, thank you Peter, and by a most innovative and novel raffle there was no arguing over who was to do the washing up.
The most important upgrade will be to construct a new ablution facility in accordance with decisions voted on by members, and as required by conditions related to the Land sale. This extension will contain toilet, wash basin and shower facilities connected to the communal waste system for the area. We will need to continue our progress in this regard with formal lodgement of documents for building approval as well as the formation of a building construction sub-committee to maintain progress, as well as to organise construction working bees.
The culmination of our year was without doubt the Annual Dinner and Auction. Again we were well catered for by our hosts at the Welcome Inn, and hopefully under the new owners this relationship will continue into the future. All those who attended enjoyed the evening, or so I believe, with all goods on offer eagerly snapped up by some with a very competitive spirit.
Proposed future extensions have been considered in conjunction with this extension and will consist of changes to sleeping arrangements, as well as possible construction of a new lounge room at the front. These proposals will be submitted to members at future date
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I would like to thank all of those members who either personally donated goods, or approached donors to supply goods to make the evening a great success and those donors who donated goods and/or services. Again, a special thank you to Frank Hussey for bringing it all together.
Club and its members. Nothing will eventuate that cannot be overcome, and these challenges will be approached with the same professionalism as shown over the last year and those of years before.
With a new fishing year approaching, there will be new challenges to be met and hard decisions to be made by the
Stephen Long President K.A.A.
And now with a new season upon us tight lines and wet nets.
Field day and trophy winners for the season 2002-03 were John Barwick Icebreaker Trophy 3/8/02 John Vaughan - 1 Brown 0.71kg
Bronte Area 26/10/02 James McIlhenny - Bag of 1 fish - 0.805kg
Open Area 7/12/02 James McIlhenny - Bag of 5 fish - 3.67kg
Open Area 31/1/03 “Arthurs Lake Weekend” David Hemmings - Bag of 4 fish - 3.845kg
Bronte Lagoon “E.C.Lowe Memorial Trophy” 1/03/03 Hayden Spencer - 1 Brown @ 0.8kg 1 Bow 1.5kg - Total bag 2.3kg
Dee Lagoon 5/4/03 Graham Davis - Bag of 3 Fish - 3.155kg
Other Trophy Awards Mick Flemming Trophy. J.McIlhenny Total bag weight 6.06kg TUPS Trophy M. Reardon - Condition Factor 1.35
Presidents Shield 2002-03 H.Spencer David Scholes Trophy S. Marston
Masters Trophy A new trophy awarded this year based on the International Scoring System of one point per cm/gm plus bonus points for each fish. J.McIlhenny - 13925 points It may be construed from the above winners that there was only one member who attended some of these events. Good luck smiles on those who attend and try their luck, some more than others however. Congratulations to all award winners for the past season.
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President: Laurie Harrison Secretary: Mick Corner Treasurer – Don Camm Postal Address: 63 Giblin Street Lenah Valley 7008 Contact: 6278 1454 Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of month
Lake Pedder Anglers Club
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without a Secretary. However, administration continues to struggle on.
he shining achievement for our club continues to be the Back to Pedder competition, with the successful running of the tenth event.
Lake Pedder continues to improve as a fishery, with many good condition fish of reasonable size being caught. Gone seem to be the days of the very big fish, although seasoned Lake Pedder anglers claim the big fish are still there. Most fish caught seem to be filled with yabbies, so it seems there are huge volumes of yabbies available to support a growing fish population. There is a good reason for setting the bag limit for Lake Pedder at 20 and for allowing fishing all year round on the lake.
Bush fires near Strathgordon and all around Hobart represented a major deterrent for competitors in the Back to Pedder 2003 competition, with media reports incorrectly indicating access to Lake Pedder was closed and significant danger to housing over many parts of southern Tasmania ensuring many fishermen stayed home to protect homes from the fires. Despite this deterrent, 189 competitors caught 542 fish and Stacey Woolley was the lucky winner of the boat and trailer major prize.
Organisation for the Back to Pedder 2004 event is proceeding well, with a sub-committee well advanced with the gathering of sponsorships and preparation of the competition booklet. The event will again be held over five days, commencing on Thursday, 22 January 2004 and finishing at noon on Australia Day, 26 January 2004. All fishermen, experienced and newcomers alike, are welcome to participate, with entry fees kept to a low level.
Membership remains relatively strong at over 100. However, participation at meetings and minor club events has fallen to a very low level. We served most of the year without a President, as Laurie Harrison found health and family commitments sufficiently demanding to force his resignation from the post. A replacement could not be found. The good news is that Laurie has returned in the capacity of Vice President for the new year. The new year finds the club
Laurie Harrison President
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President: John Barratt Secretary: Jim Schultz Treasurer – Carolyne Mapley Postal Address: C/O Post Office Maydena 7140 Contact: 6288 2234 Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of month
Maydena Anglers Club
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numerous Cormorants, but one the positive side of things the local rivers are running hard at present following good Autumn and winter rains and this should hold then in good stead for the coming 2003-2004 season.
ur last season has been fairly quiet regarding the number of fish being weighed in, but despite this all our monthly events have had an entry and resulting monthly winner. Both adults and juniors with have weighted fish in some nice fish, the best fish having come from the Derwent River at Bushy Park.
The Maydena Club held its annual fishing BBQ on Sunday 27 July 2003 and was well attended with approximately 40 anglers and family and friends present. This was a great event and resulted in many new members joining the Club for the first time.
Andy Henderson who lives at Bushy Park caught the biggest fish for the season 1.855 kg, 3.426 kg and 6.3 kg. For his efforts he won 3 of the monthly trophies. Well done Andy. Fish in our local lakes are nearly nonexistent and this may be a result of not being stocked for over 40 years, fish that have been caught have generally small in size. It would be great to see some stocking of the local lakes around the area by the IFS.
I would like to thank our Committee who always attend our meetings and for their ongoing commitment to keeping the Maydena Club vibrant and progressive.
Sadly a lot of the local rivers have had the fish stocks reduced dramatically by
John Barratt - President
Happy and Safe Fishing
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New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association
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President: Ray Aitchison Secretary: Elaine Aitchison Postal Address: PO Box 411 Contact: Elaine Aitchison – Phone 6261 4083 Meetings: 3rd Wednesday of month
a teaching kit for ongoing use, this kit is being expanded. Our Secretary, Elaine Aitchison, with Terri Sweet kept the Salmon Ponds Museum open on a voluntary basis for four months from last July. With help from Duncan Hughes they were involved in the two special events held at the Ponds, well done, and thank you all.
uring this past season our club has maintained a high level of activity, most of this activity has been to the benefit of the wider community, as well as club members. Our work at the Millbrook Rise boat ramp site has continued with members building a twenty two metre long jetty alongside the ramp with provisions for wheel chair access as well as tidal fluctuations. Funding for this project was sourced from Marine and Safety Tasmania and we appreciate their assistance. A thank you must also go to local council representatives, Rob McCrossen, for handling the finances and Charlie Crosswell for making time and machinery available to drive the piles into position.
In February we held a Special General Meeting for the purpose of making some changes to our Constitution, the main changes concerned quorum numbers and the need to do away with the prenomination for committee positions. This will enable us to call for committee nominations from the floor when the A.G.M. is combined with the annual dinner, as it is this year.
As I write this we are just completing the reconstruction of a nine metre by three and a half metre shelter at the ramp site, we don’t intend to supply tables and seats but I believe that another group will take this on board. Again we owe a debt of thanks to the Derwent Valley Council for supplying thirty cubic metres of gravel for placement under and around the shelter and also to Kevin Hodge for the placement of the large rocks around the site.
For our overall efforts during the year our club has again won the Bridges Brothers trophy, this is the second year running. This trophy was first presented in 1962 and in the forty two years since then, we have won it seventeen times, I believe that this is an excellent effort by our members over a long period of time. During the season we saw the passing of two of out members, namely, Ian Wigston and Frank Hope, to their families we offer condolences. A record of their club participation will be covered in Trout 2003.
I thank Tony Blackwell, David Triffitt, Ken Russell, Duncan Hughes and Ken Tubb for their participation in teaching a group of New Norfolk High School students the finer art of angling, we also appreciate the help of I. F. S. staff member, Chris Wisniewski, and Barry Sherriff and Bob Ward of the Bridgewater club for their help. Further to this, with financial help from the New Norfolk Service Club and a local community grant from the Derwent Valley Council we have now purchased
On the competition front, it was noticeable that the trout size was down marginally during the season. The heaviest trout weighed in was 2.96 kg. Unlike last year, all fish from Tooms Lake were under 2 kg. The average entries for the rostered competitions was 20, but as usual entries were the lowest from January to March. Many of the junior prizes on offer were not won.
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I would like to express thanks on behalf of the club for all those generous persons who have been sponsors during the season, namely, T & M Trophies, Ray Williams of True Value, Tassie Devils, Garth Wigston, Wayne Perkins, R. E. Clark Butchery, New Norfolk Newsagency, Des Cranfield, Elaine Aitchison, David Triffitt, Tony Raspin, Spot on, The Fishing Connection, The Derwent Valley Council, Marine and Safety Tasmania and Carol and Barry at the Star and Garter Bottle Shop. With out this kind of help it would be more difficult to manage the club.
work at a foundry, from this early age he adopted hard work as a way of life.
Reviews of several aspects of club management were held at committee meetings with the following resolutions – competition entry fees will be increased to $5 per senior and $3 per junior, a barbeque will be supplied for competition entrants at each weigh in. Some season awards will not be available in future but others have been introduced. There are still, at present, about fifty trophies/prizes available to win.
About six years ago Frank took up trout fishing, mostly accompanying his brother-in-law, Graham Thurley on trips, and like Graham he became a member of our club.
In his earlier days Frank pursued saltwater fishing and developed a love for shooting which he maintained until recent years when, due to law changes, he had to surrender his beloved Beretta Silver Pidgeon shotgun. As well as developing emphysema, during the mid 1980’s Frank had a bypass operation and these problems progressively limited his physical activity abilities.
Although a quiet man he enjoyed attending our competition, especially the weigh-ins where he would have a beer and compare notes with other members. He liked cooking, his specialty being egg and bacon pies that he and Graham usually consumed on the way to Arthurs or Pedder. His biggest thrill in trout fishing was on Anzac Day, 1999 when he caught a 1.53kg. trout in the Huon River and won one of our competitions.
In closing, I would like to thank all committee members for their efforts and participation in another very successful year for our club and I’m sure that what ever challenges lay ahead we will tackle together, once again, thank you.
Ian Wigston - 16th May, 1943 – 3rd June, 2003.
Ray Aitchison - President
I don’t know when Ian Wigston first became associated with the New Norfolk Licenced Anglers’ Association but I would imagine that with his grandfather, Bert, being a foundation committee member and serving office with the club for 38 of it’s first 39 years until 1966 and his father, Eddie, being a committeeman for eight years until 1960 it would have been at a very early age. Some of Ian’s early involvement was in the inter club casting competitions, in
Obituaries (2002-2003) During this past season two members of the New Norfolk Licenced Anglers Association have passed away. Frank Hope, 11th January, 1936 – 8th September, 2002. Frank was born in 1936 and at the age of thirteen he left school and commenced
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manufacturing business which brother, Garth, took over as owner in 1993.
1959 he finished second in the open plug accuracy but easily won the junior plug distance event.
Ian was always a supporter of our club and constantly made donations of various types, the club performed considerable business through Wigston’s store but there was always at good discount on the accounts.
As well as being an accomplished angler Ian was very successful at soccer, badminton, tennis, cricket as well as being Captain-coach of the Upper Derwent Football Club for a period in the 1960’s.
About 5 or 6 years ago Ian contracted a serious illness and after a long battle he passed away not after his sixtieth birthday.
Ian joined the committee of our club in 1978 as Competition Master and filled this position for six consecutive years. He returned to the committee as the President in 1990 and held the position for four years.
These notes only highlight his Ian Wigston’s association with the New Norfolk Licenced Anglers’ Association, apart from this he was involved with many other Clubs and Associations, from these he will be sadly missed.
Ian worked in the family retail business that he eventually took over in the early 1990’s. During the 70’s and 80’s Ian and friends made cobra wobblers, some of which were sold in the shop. This hobby eventually led to the formation of the World renowned Tassie Devil lure
We offer condolences to Jill, Allison, Caroline and the Wigston family.
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President: John Jago Secretary: Anne Martin Postal Address: C/O Post Office Bronte Park Tas 7140 Contact: Phone 6261 4083 Meetings: Bi-Monthly
Tarraleah-Bronte Anglers Club
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throughout the year. Note – Members are not weighing in enough of their fish, causing less interest in the club.
ello, its that time of the year again. The season has been very patchy for fishing and most of the BronteBrady’s chain has been lacking of water causing the lakes to be up and down and temperatures above average for fishing – better luck next season.
Throughout the season some adult and 3 junior members, Sam Glover, Corey Jenkins and Paige Henricks, helped I.F.C. release Brook Trout into Bronte Lagoon. Thanks to those involved.
Upon the brighter note I’d like to thank our Secretary-Treasurer Anne Martin for her good work as usual for our club, thanks also to Jennifer Beard and Tony Jones for being Club Delegates and representing us at the STLAA Committee meetings and keeping us update. In November we had a Dinner and Trophy night at Tarraleah Golf Club, which was patronised well by members and guests. Junior members outdid the adults for trophies.
Also I would like to thank those members who helped the I.F.C. retrieve fish from below Laughing Jack Dam when it had to shut off through lack of water, those fish were tagged and weighed and released in Brady’s Lake where the I.F.C. has been doing some study work on fish conditions, growth rate and numbers. On the sour note of things we have a logged and silted-up spawning creek at Laughing Jack which needs work to clear or there will be a loss of fish to predators when trapped in the creek, but same old story “No Funds” plus no answer from letters to Greg McCrossen or Bryan Green, which is not very encouraging.
Our Christmas BBQ was held at SALTAS Fish Farm where Club Members and guests had an enjoyable time fishing in the settling pond and learning the pros and cons of the catch and release method of fishing, also a guided tour through the Fish Farm by Graham Martin was well appreciated, thanks to Graham.
Fishing Public and Campers – keep your site clean and take rubbish home with you.
A BBQ was held in January at Brady’s Lake Boat Ramp on Competition Day, attendance was average – competition was poor which has been similar
Thank You, John Jago, President.
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Features & Special Reports Season 2002-2003 by Phil Ellerton
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white and gold were all good coloured lures. The locally made Sting lure was also effective fished on one colour of leadline and a short leader.
t is my opinion that every season is a good season in Tasmanian waters, as we are lucky to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery and what many class as a world class trout fishery.
Bait anglers always do well in Tooms lake – grubs, worms and mudeyes were all effective. The mudeye fishing in particular was a highlight of the season, with some truly memorable fishing being available.
Obviously opinions differ, but overall the 2002/2003 trout season was productive, with good fish being caught state wide. We had good water levels in most lakes, although as the season progressed water was a little more scarce.
Fly anglers were treated to some early season dun hatches and when there was nothing feeding on top fish could be caught by retrieving ‘big wets’.
Opening morning as always began with a flourish of anglers converging on waters statewide. Fishing was especially difficult, with the Bronte Chain being unusually challenging with very few fish caught, especially considering the amount of angling pressure.
The Dee Lagoon was a rewarding water, although it was difficult fishing as always. Fly anglers had their best results during March and April with some ‘magical’ jassid and gum beetle falls. Lake Burbury on the West Coast was once again one of the states more underrated waters. It fished well during most of the season with all methods catching fish. Well conditioned rainbow trout dominated angler’s bags. Lure anglers did well trolling cobra style lures, with dark purple colours seeming to be effective in the tannin coloured water.
Across the Marlborough Highway Arthurs Lake and Penstock Lagoon had a good beginning to the season, although ‘law of averages’ the amount of anglers on these two waters, someone is bound to catch a few fish! After two months of fishing it was soon obvious which waters were going to produce the goods. The first water to notably ‘fire’ was Tooms Lake, on the East Coast possibly due to its more mild temperature compared to the central highland lakes.
The wind lane fishing was impressive and fly anglers had success using many patterns ranging from size 16 iron blue dun’s through to size 8 Cubit’s mudeye. Arthurs Lake was once again one of the states more popular waters, with many boat and shore based anglers catching good numbers of fish. Fishing with leadline was rewarding when fishing was difficult, and at other times standard trolling methods caught.
This water gave up some great conditioned browns and rainbows with lure, bait and fly anglers all catching fish. Troll anglers caught fish on cobra lures and shallow diving bibbed minnows. While drift spinning with a cobra lure was also effective. Red, black,
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Southern Estuaries once again were disappointing and there were no recognizable whitebait runs.
The fly angler had success with some good dun hatches, although the general feedback was that the fish were a little smaller than usual. Once again ‘loch style’ fishing was productive, with this water being perfect for this unusual, although now very popular technique.
The Huon was the most productive water and local bait anglers caught some good brown trout on live ‘sandies’ or freshwater pike as they are known locally.
The states rivers were once again underrated by local anglers, with good fishing being available statewide.
The Derwent Estuary on Hobart’s back door also produced some good fishing for those prepared to put the time in. Drift spinning or bait fishing were the two most effective methods.
The Tyenna River was once again a popular fishery and produced some good fish early season before the crowds congregated on it. The majority of areas above Westerway were productive with a small green and gold celta or a dry fly caddis pattern, when the weather warmed up.
In conclusion, I am sure we all have some fond memories of the 2002/2003 season, whether that be the first fish on fly or your biggest trout to date. Next year is another season and as we reflect on the past memories let’s look forward to the upcoming season.
In the Southern streams good fish were caught in the Russell river, Denison River and Little Denison River.
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Davo’s Spinners by Bob Wilton
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was asked to test some new spinners made by David Atkinson of Sheffield. The spinners come in twelve colours, weigh 12 grams, and are individually made.
interest in the ‘competition’ and spurred him on. Within a very short time after that another two fish came to my spinners, but managed to get off before I could get them to the boat.
On a perfect evening in October I decided to put the spinners to the test and invited a friend, Wilfred Knight, to act as witness as to the spinners catching abilities. Wilfred loves taking time out fishing Arthurs Lake, and although he prefers fly-fishing he is not averse to trolling when things are a bit slow, so he needed no persuasion to participate in the “test run”.
I changed lures regularly to make sure I tested as many as possible and considered the new spinners were doing a top job, added by a little extra surge I created by moving the rod slightly, causing the spinner to jump forward. I must admit that I enjoyed the contest with Wilfred and was fairly confident that the new lures would put me in an unbeatable position but in the end he out fished me with five fish to my three. Naturally he paid me back for the ‘stick’ I had given him earlier but we had a top few hours together, one of those occasions that it’s nice to look back on, when the conditions were perfect, the fish biting and friendly competition to keep the interest alive.
The wind was blowing fairly hard into Creely Bay, which is my preferred fishing area, so we launched the boat at the Pumphouse. I used my electric outboard, which pushed the boat along very quietly at just the right speed and within five minutes of setting off I caught a fish on one of the new spinners. I quickly changed lures to a different colour and again, within five minutes had another fish in the boat. Two to me, none to Wilfred!
In my opinion fishing in the evening is definitely one of the best times to be on the water. We spoke to other anglers at the boat ramp, some of whom had fished all day for just one or two fish, so our joint catch of eight fish in a couple of hours was a pretty good result.
Wilfred was soon considering that I had a definite advantage with the new lures but not to be outdone he changed to an “Ashley 14” spinner and told me I was in for some serious competition. But just to frustrate him further I caught another fish before he had even had a take. I couldn’t resist a gentle tease by offering to give him some lessons in catching fish.
If any one is interested in buying some “Davo Spinners” they are available from Col’s Mobile World, 32 Walpole Crescent, Latrobe, phone 0409 195 115 or contact Trevor Atkinson on 03 6424 9009 but if you are passing my place at 79 Arthurs Lake Road, Wilburville call in and buy a couple. You never know your luck.
Just when it seemed Wilfred was in for a whitewash he caught his first fish, a nice 938gram Brownie. This added a bit of
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Fabulous Fergus by Ashley Kent
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seen jumping, slashing, cart wheeling everywhere. I have never seen anything quite like it. We had to wade out past the pin rushes to get into a good position, the wading was difficult over the boggy weed but necessary to reach the fish. Once in position it was hard not to be overawed by the whole situation, good size fish in clear water performing acrobats everywhere.
arly February was chosen as the right time to head to Lake Fergus. I was a bit sceptical as we were in the middle of a hot spell in the highlands, water levels would be down and I knew poor old Fergus has had a real thrashing over the Christmas period. But my friend, Greg Freeman assured me that the fish were still in big numbers and now was the time to experience a Lake Fergus phenomenon, Dragon and Damsel fly feeders.
I covered several fish without any luck and was becoming a bit frustrated, the rise would not last forever. I then changed my fly to a large dry, a #10 Bibio emerger that Bruce Gibson gave to me at the Bronte Tie In. A fish cart wheeled 15 meters away, I covered him, then when I got no response I raked the fly across the water, the fish took the fly with a huge slash and I was relieved to land the first one.
The track in was as good as it gets being very dry and in the comfort of Fred’s Range Rover we made the trip in quick time. We started by polaroiding the southern shore, conditions were perfect, bright with a light NW wind. It wasn’t long before we sighted cruising fish that got the heart pumping, but as I suspected they were super spooky! We managed to cover at least a couple of fish with Fred landing one nice fish. We headed back to the car for a drink about 12.30pm when Fred produced a crayfish and a fresh loaf of damper, I felt like a rich client being spoiled on a guided trip! After that hearty lunch, Fred looked at his watch and remarked, “In less than an hour the real action will start”. With not much food on the water and not a fish to be found rising, again I was a little sceptical. But Fred explained that the reason we were seeing quite a few fish cruising was because they too were looking, waiting for the damsels to come out.
After a few more fish caught in the same manner, I realised that if you were to scan the water where a fish has slashed or jumped, you could quite easily see the fish lying on the bottom. I saw this several times and found it truly remarkable that the fish would jump two feet in the air, in the process almost doing a complete summersault then quietly sit on the bottom, perhaps devouring its meal. Then the fish would slowly make its way back to its ‘launch pad’, you could see it just lying their, and as a dragon fly whizzed overhead you could see it move a little, flare its gills excitedly then dart off chasing the next meal.
Well then it happened, slowly at first with the occasional fish slashing and jumping out of the water right in front of the pin rushes in the SW corner of the Lake. As we walked over to the marsh the rise really started to pick up. By the time we got into position fish could be
This was the most exciting style of fishing I have experienced, very visual in clear shallow water. The fighting qualities of these fish were quite remarkable and in the shallow water they had nowhere to run when hooked except outward or across. We had an enjoyable
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water is clear, the bottom typical of the lakes found south of the Pillans area with large patches of light coloured sand / silt patched with weed clumps. Beaches of sand and silt dominate the SE corner. The lake lies in the shadow of an amphitheatre of hills about 8km WNW of Little Pine and would be quite sheltered in all but the most severe south westerly winds. It is fed by the Little pine system from within the nineteen lagoons a little higher up on the next plateau. The lake is reserved for artificial lures / flies only.
afternoon catching these amazing Trout, the rise finally tapering off around 5.30pm. My back was beginning to ache due to the difficult wading and I was relieved to stand on hard ground. We each landed five fish up to 4lbs (with a few lost, most fish were 2 – 2.5lbs) and in magnificent condition. I thought to myself that that the average Trout surely would not have caught every dragonfly or Damsel it jumped out of the water for, they must miss an awful lot. How wrong I was. Upon cleaning the fish and inspecting their stomachs, they were simply packed with adult Damsel and Dragon flies, some were spewing flies as they were laid out on the ground. This was truly one of those days when you wish all your fishing mates were there.
In the early season there is good fishing to tailing / cruising trout, followed by frog feeders in the gutters close to shore approaching Christmas, this is also the best time to fish with spinners. Access to the lake is gained from the turn off just past the dam at Little Pine. The going is difficult early in the season and when all is said and done you are probably better of walking in at this time from the gate situated about 2km from the start of the track, the walk in would take about 3 hours. As the track dries out a 4WD can be driven to within 200m of the southern shore, but the drive will still take about 1 – 1.5 hours. There are two old Sheppard’s huts on the southern shore, the first one you will come across is in surprisingly good condition and would sleep four people comfortably, the other hut would only be used in an emergency.
It is remarkable how this lake has stood up to intense pressure over the last couple of seasons. How long can it last? The next day I had to leave to meet up with Greg Brown and the rest of the gang at Bronte Park for the annual one fly event. I couldn’t catch a fish to save myself. Description / access Lake Fergus is a beautiful site; on my last visit wildflowers were still all about the SW shore and surrounding hills. The
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Avoid those Off-Season Blues sourced by Wilfred Knight (Fly-Fishing & Fly-Tying Dec 2002/Jan 2003 Issue)
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Meanwhile, the owners of other breeds might welcome the chance to match wits with the intelligence of a poodle, or use lighter tackle than they could with large dogs that might snap a light rod or leader.
ow quickly the trout season goes by. The waters have barely warmed up enough for the Mayfly hatches, and suddenly October arrives and the season is over. No matter that we knew the end was coming, as the days grew shorter and the air cooler - in both cases the warning signs were there - we simply didn't want the end to arrive.
Of course, some animals might turn around and go for the angler instead: a snarling cat, claws extended; a Rottweiler or German Shepherd, indignant at being reeled in.
With a little planning, though, anglers can eliminate the off-season blues and play the equivalent of a large trout or salmon. Besides a rod, reel, line and leader - but no hook - we need only a harness like those put around young dogs or toddlers when taken outdoors. Any owner of a dog or cat, or parent, grandparent, or older sibling of a young child has a ready-made whopper on hand. Dog-owning angler, for example, would put the harness around the dog's body (avoiding any strain on the neck, which a collar might cause), attach the line and leader to the harness, and then play the dog on rod and reel.
But for anglers used to dealing with brown bears in Alaska, grizzlies in Yellowstone, or schools of voracious bluefish along the Atlantic Coast, such dangers would only enhance the sport, equalizing it slightly. Parents or grandparents of young children could combine baby-sitting with practice in fishing. In fact, grandparents - knowing that they could play, as well as play with their grandchildren - would be all the more willing to take them for extended visits, relieving the parents. The angler would enjoy the feeling of a whopper on the line, while the children would learn the value of striving. They would still reach a desired toy or biscuit, but only after fighting the drag on the reel, not by just staying passive and whining or screaming. Then, as they got older, they could measure their increasing strength and cunning through breaking thicker leaders, resisting longer against being reeled in, or wrapping the line around furniture legs to relieve the pull on themselves. That very pull, however, would reassure young children that the parent or grandparent was still there - that the bond remained unbroken.
The lighter the rod, the more exciting the sport. Each pull of the dog or cat will provide new thrills, and anyone who feels guilty about playing a pet should remember that it is usually the owners who cater to their pets - feeding them, cleaning up after them, walking them in all kinds of weather. Why shouldn't pets provide a little sport in return? Some anglers might temporarily trade off their pets to experience playing with other breeds. The owner of a poodle might exchange it for the tenacity of a bulldog, the surging strength of a Labrador or a German Shepherd, the rapid runs of a Whippet, or the repeated jumps of a cat or a Chihuahua, like a leaping salmon or rainbow trout.
Of course, children under three should never be netted when reeled in.
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Navarre River/ Little Navarre by David Driver
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since 1512 was made a Spanish province. Navarre is now split into 7 areas – 3 in France and 4 in Spain.
n the way to the West Coast, travellers pass by many rivers and creeks. Some have interesting names that quite often catch your attention.
The resulting history of the Basque people is a long and interesting one .In Northern Navarre, under French rule, there were many uprisings to try and restore or protect their ‘rights” against centralist domination from France and these usually resulted in the men being introduced to “Madame Le Guillotine” There are stories that many of the revolts against the French were led by the women of Navarre!
Near Derwent Bridge are two such names that have often made me wonder about their origin or meanings. Finally curiosity got the better of me one weekend when fishing took a back seat. Navarre is a former Kingdom of Europe. It was established in 824 by Basques of Pamplone and under the reign of Santxo the Great (999-1035) nearly all the Basque speaking areas were under one rule ---for the first and only time in their existence!!
Spain also embarked on a “centralistic” rule which threatened the fabric of social and economic existence in Navarre. These soon led to the Carlists Wars 1833-1872, and were a popular uprising in defence of Basque liberties and laws. In the ensuring years the Basque area have gained some measure of control over their own destiny but the struggle for total independence still goes on with spasmodic guerrilla uprisings against outside dominance of what the Basques consider their land.
Navarre engaged in wars for over 1200 years to remain independent but in 1512 was taken over and occupied by Castille. The rulers retreated to Northern Navarre, although they called themselves kings the major part of Navarre was in Castille hands. Finally Northern Navarre was taken over by France in 1620. In 1839, Southern Navarre which had been administered as a colony of Spain
Lake Leake By David Driver
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perimeter around the lake and beside the Snowy River
At the time of its completion Lake Leake was the largest man made dam in Australia. The community without outside help or Government funds financed it. The Council was very concerned about the “silting” that had plagued most other lakes, rivers and dams. It declared a non-clearing
The first mention of a dam in any sort of official documents was in 1842 when 2 men named Marzetti, who lived at Campbell Town, drew up plans to dam the Elizabeth River. They apparently forwarded their plans and ideas to Hobart but unfortunately no record has ever been found of these documents. There is also a mention of a Major Hugh Cotton who suggested a damming of the
ake Leake is another man made lake. Who was it named after? What is its history?
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and Elizabeth Rivers) – it is said that some of his articles came close to being libellous!
Kearney’s Bog area some time later but the idea lapsed. The first recorded evidence available was in March 1867, which was 6 months after the District’s first municipal meeting when a Council member Mr Allison tabled an idea concerning the making of a construction to hold water for the area. The Council sent an engineer up into the Elizabeth River to seek out a suitable place and to check out the viability of giving the town a supply of regular fresh water. The committee formed to look into the project had its meeting on March 8 1869 – 2 years after the initial tabling of the idea. Unfortunately due to lack of members present the project was shelved.
The major area of concern was how it was going to be financed. A special Act of Parliament would have to be passed to enable the Council to “rate” the landholders in the Campbell Town district. This was eventually passed on December16, 1879. The Act placed the whole responsibility for the scheme on 5 landowners who were to be elected by a meeting of land owners. The Act stipulated that they could borrow and spend 7000 pounds ($14000.00) to have the dam built. On February 5, 1879 a meeting of landowners in the Campbell Town water District was held at Keans hotel and from 1203 recorded votes Messrs.C. Leake, D.Taylor, F.Hart, T Padfield and R Jones were elected by majority votes. Mr Charles Leake was elected as the chairman. The new committees first job was the acquisition of the land at Kearney’s Bog, which belonged to George Meredith (1,200 acres) and John Lord (300 acres). Mr Lord offered his holding at 30/- ($3) per acre, which the Trustees immediately accepted. Mr Meredith wanted 3 pounds ($6) plus 1200 pounds ($2,500) compensation. This began a long and protracted period of negotiations.
It wasn’t until July 3, 1871 that a select committee was again appointed to follow up the probable construction costs of a reservoir on the river. This committee consisted of Messrs. J. Taylor, J. Swan, G. Fletcher, and T. Padfield. A Mr A Jackson was engaged as the surveyor to report on the project. His report was very encouraging, and he indicated that an area of 1200 acres known as Kearney’s Bay be purchased for the purpose of building a reservoir. This recommendation commenced many years of frustrating meetings before it could be settled. Many committees were formed with a variety of chequered careers before finally the Water Trust was formed in 1879 – 8 years later! It was during this period that the name Charles Leake stood out. It was his strong conviction and even stronger character that eventually saw the beginnings of the dream
First, the amount of acres was discussed causing another survey to be completed, which found an additional 35 acres from the Jackson survey. Next, solicitors were appointed for the Trustees and a Mr Parramore of Beaumont as an arbitrator, then the valuations were queried because at times the area was just a bog and then for a few months good pasture. Finally, an agreement was signed and the Trustees set out to arrange plans and specifications for a dam. Messrs. Christophensen and James of Hobart
Mr Leake was very prominent in dealings with Government officials and in writings to the newspapers (under a non-de-plume of “The Junction” – he lived on the junction of the Macquarie
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and the Trustees with the engineer took over the construction of the dam. However in 1883 another problem emerged. They had no valves for the dam and Mr Clark was the only foundry that had the ability to manufacture them in Tasmania.
were requested to prepare plans etc. The Government Engineer then was asked to approve these plans. Tenders were called in June 1881 closing 30 June 1881. No tenders were accepted as legalities arose. Prior to finalising the purchase of Mr Lord’s acres, he died without signing any transfer papers. It is thought that the Trustees used this as an excuse because the original committee had not taken into consideration the purchasing of the land in the borrowed $7,000!
Following an agreement with the Trustees and Mr Clark’s solicitors, he manufactured the valves and was paid 180 pounds ($360). These valves weighed over 7 tons and it wasn’t until around 1983 (100 years later) that the Campbell town Council needed to have them replaced.
The Act specifically expressed that the limit of the loan be $7,000 and after seeing the cost of the tenders for construction of the dam plus the cost of purchasing the land and other associated costs meant the Trustees had to question carrying on with the project. When forming the Act, no provision was made for the land as the Trustees thought that the Government would compensate Mr Meredith with a grant of land elsewhere. Also there were concerns from landowners over the ‘rates’ placed on them by the Council in meeting the construction loans. This is where the strength of Mr Leake came to the fore. He overcame objections and pushed ahead, accepting a tender from Mr Clark, the owner of a foundry in Hobart and council minutes record a progress payment was made in March 1882.
In November 1883 the dam was completed however this was not the end as the water had to be delivered from the dam to the Elizabeth River by means of channels for which land had to be “acquired”. Mr Lord gave 15 feet (5 metres) for a channel and Mr Parremore ½ chain (10 metres). It was at a meeting on February 23, 1884 that Mr Taylor reported that he had opened the valves and let the first water from the dam. So finally after so many hurdles were overcome, financially, physically and emotionally, the water supply for the township had arrived. This wasn’t the end of the saga as water now had to be transported from the Elizabeth River to the population. Some residents went to the river and carried buckets of water home when needed. Some enterprising entrepreneurs arranged to deliver water for 1/(10cents) per casks if within ½ mile of the river and 3 pence (5 cents) if further away.
At the start of construction the Trust had no money. The first rate was struck in February 1881 with demands forwarded in July 1881. A small overdraft was arranged but it wasn’t till a group of landowners approached the Government that a promissory note was signed to the government with an interest rate of 5% applying, that any money was available.
In 1908 a pump was installed and council approved the building of a system to convey water to homes. 8 miles (13 km) of pipes were laid and in
All during these problems work at Kearney’s Bog continued. In January 1882 Mr Clark was declared bankrupt
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Dimensions of Lake Leake. Area – 1500 acres Average depth – 14.75 feet Capacity – 6,048,000,000 gallons Length of earthworks – 530 feet Length of weir – 200 feet Outlet pipe – 4 feet diameter
use by November 1909. In 1950 the council agreed to upgrade the system and since then all the old pipes have been replaced with the latest PVC etc, as it became available. As the township grew so did the need for additional water mains until it has now almost doubled its length and more pumps installed.
The Leake Family During all the construction the dam was always referred to as Kearney’s Bog or the Works. The first recorded name changed seems to be when the caretaker Mr Wise referred to it as Lake Leake. So it was in 1889 that the Trust spoke of the dam as Lake Leake and the Colonial Secretary used it officially in 1890. Although there was to be an official opening and a plaque installed by the Trustees, it wasn’t till 1983 that a plaque was finally put in place to honour those who had the foresight and drive to see the project to completion.
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he name of Lake Leake originates from Mr Charles Leake whose strong personality and belief in the viability of a dam at Kearney’s Bog ensured that the project was finalised. The idea of a dam to ensure a good water supply for the Campbell Town had a very chequered career from its dreams around 1842 until its completion in 1883. The trustees led by Mr Leake had to overcome apathy, lack of finance, fear of how monies could be repaid and the bankruptcy of the constructor to eventually oversee the completion of the dam.
It seems that Lake Leake has a hold over those who look after it as in the first 100 years of its existence there were only 3 caretakers. Mr Rapley was employed during construction; he was a shepherd in the area. The first official caretaker was Mr Wise and he was the person who first named the dam, Lake Leake. In 1891, Mr Tom Spencer was appointed and remained there for 40 years and it was during his tenure that trout were introduced.
The Leake family had their origins in Ramsgate, Kent. A John Leake was born there in 1780. His family had a partnership in a firm of Travis and Leake. They were Merchants of Hull. In 1805 John married Elizabeth Bell. He later on represented various business owners of Yorkshire in Hamburg, Germany. It was during this time that they made a decision to come to Van Diemen’s Land where they arrived on board the “Andromeda” on May 5,1823.
In February 1931 Mr Richard Murphy was appointed and at the Lakes Centenary in 1983 was still at his beloved lake looking after fishermen, travellers and attending to all the chores of recording weather and looking after the shacks and the water flow through the valves.
Leake had letters of introduction to various officials in the new land, which assisted in receiving land, which they named “Rosedale”. He founded a Merino sheep stud from the four he brought with him from Saxony. John and Elizabeth had 6 sons and 1 daughter.
The island in Lake Leake is named Belle Vue, after Mr James Gibson’s property at Epping Forest. Gibson was prominent in the Water Trust’s early days.
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to as Lake Leake. From some records it appears that the Commission eventually did introduce some fish into the lake however no records remain that give an indication as to the species released.
One of their sons was Charles, (who later inherited “Rosedale’), married Clara Bell and it is to him that the area known as Kearney’s Bog was named Lake Leake somewhere about 1889. His father, John Leake was a magistrate for over 30 years and a member of the Legislative Council. John died at Campbell Town in 1865 at the age of 85.
Due to a severe drought in 1898, all traces of these fish were wiped out, however some did escape up into the Snowy River to also die through lack of water.
As mentioned previously Charles Leake was instrumental in ensuring the completion of the dam, which was to be Campbell Town’s water supply.
Following the formation of the NTFA in 1898, the Association released 210 Rainbow trout into the Lake in 1904 following representation from a Mr Sharland The Campbell Town Council’s permission was sought and obtained for this release program as the waters were the town’s water supply and all forms of fishing was banned until December 1907. During this closed period the Commission continued to put more fish into the waters - 184 young Rainbow and 1000 Rainbow fry. In 1907 they then released 1500 Salmon fry. During the closed period the trout were able to grow and mature.
When finally a Committee of 5 influential landowners in the district were voted in as Trustees, Charles was elected Chairman. The Committee, with strong leadership, was able to plan the dam, acquire over 1200 acre of land from 2 landowners, hire constructors through tenders, get bridging finance, arrange an Act through Government to allow the Council to rate the landowners and finally, when the contractor became bankrupt, to take over and complete the job themselves.
The records of the NTFA reveal that several senior members of the Association visited Lake Leake in August 1906 to see first hand how their project was coming along. Accordingly they were overwhelmed with the sight of large Rainbows in excellent condition were schooling ready to make their way up the Snowy River to spawn. As soon as they were able they arranged for a group from Launceston to return to the lake and take on the first stripping of Rainbow eggs in Tasmania. The Association records show that The Trout, which were still under 3 years old, had grown spectacularly – one weighed in at 8.5lbs(4kgs) and the average weight of a dozen fish was 7lbs.
When the dam was completed in 1883 it was the largest dam to be built in Australia and was funded by the local population Although a bridging amount was negotiated at an interest rate of 5% to tied the Trustees over a tight period. The Lake Leake Trout
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nce Lake Leake had been completed and filled with water it (refer to previous article on Lake Leake), it became obvious that this would make an ideal freshwater fishing area. One of Campbell Town’s identities wrote many requests to the Fisheries Commission suggesting to them that they should introduce fish into Kearney’s Bog. It was also around this time that the area was becoming referred
In all 20,000 eggs were stripped and taken back to the Waverley Hatchery for
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locals and visiting officials who visited the lake. It is stated that even the Governor General frequented the lake for a spot of fishing. Records show that in January 1910 a Salmon was caught by Mr Lockett, however only a further 3 were ever noted as being landed, so ended the short history of the Atlantic Salmon which were first released into the lake in 1907.
rearing. It is from these stocks that the initial supplying for the Great Lakes occurred along with several other areas and made Tasmania self supporting in the supply of Rainbow fingerlings. The next year saw a further 32,000 eggs stripped and kept at a small hatchery by the side of Lake Leake. The Campbell Town resident who initially suggested the stocking of the lake, also donated 25 ponds towards the construction of a suitable hatchery at the lake. However it was soon realised that with the inconsistent rising and falling of Snowy River and the lack of suitable gravel on the bed of the river, the fish would not be able to reproduce without outside help. So the Association, through A Mr Clarke, who was local landowner and Vice President of NTFA, assisted in constructing artificial spawning beds in the river.
In 1918/19 there were 2,314 trout recorded averaging 4lbs(2kgs). In 1924, 1052 Rainbows at an average of 2.9lbs and 1363 Browns averaging 3.6lbs were taken. The largest fish ever recorded being landed at the lake was by Mr Slater. The catch weighed in at 14.5 lb (7 kg). Slaters Bay is named in honour of his good fishing spot. The spawning of Browns became so strong that the NTFA was forced to continue introducing Rainbow fry into Lake Leake to overcome the 5 to 1 dominance of Browns by 1928.
The Lake was opened for fishing in December 1907 and 115 Rainbows at an average of 6lbs(3kgs) were caught with the largest being 12 lbs (6kgs). It was in 1907 that several Brown were taken much to the surprise of officials because it had been the aim to keep this as a Rainbows only lake. The appearance of Browns is attributed to the netting of escapees below the dam wall in the river and so some local river browns were picked up and lodged along with the Rainbows. Although no stripping of Browns took place their natural spawning soon enabled them to populate to around the same number as the resident Rainbows.
Over the years Lake Leake has had a lot of “ups and downs”, the lake has lost a lot of its fame as a prime fishing site. Fish size and weight has dropped due to water levels and loss of important weed growth but it still draws fishermen to it each year with the lure of landing a large Brown or Rainbow. This is certainly a lake worth visiting and maybe you can reel in that elusive big one that still swims around just waiting for you to present the perfect fly or maybe annoy it with a “cobra” to make it get your adrenalin rushing.
From these beginnings a strong and viable fishery blossomed at Lake Leake in fact the lake had reached such prominence that many described it as the best Rainbow fishing in the world!
Information obtained from: • •
An accommodation house was constructed around 1912 for all the
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Lake Leake 1883-1983 A short history of Campbell town and the Midlands Pioneers Some Van Diemens Land affairs
Fishing with Wattle Grubs by Stephen Granger
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sawdust but make sure there is only one to a compartment.
attle grub fishing is popular in numerous Tasmanian waters. Regrettably, I think grub fishermen are often seen as heavy drinking people with little or no concern for conservation or the environment and lacking expertise.
Methods Wattle grubs can be fished: a. on the surface by casting and slow retrieval. b. below a float. c. on the bottom-weighted or unweighted. Fishing on the surface is exciting stuff. A friend and I had many nights of fantastic fun on the Forth and Leven Rivers with this method and would average three to four fish in a session. The fish strike savagely and you open the bail arm straight away and let him run with it.
I believe there is some truth to some of it. On far too many occasions I have seen unreasonable behaviour & campsites left as rubbish heaps. It is wrong, however, to put every bait fisherman in that category, nor should bait fishing methods be considered any less skilful than fishing by artificial lures or a fly. The following words are by noted Tasmanian author Don Gilmour in his book ‘Trout Fishing in Australia� on page 164 and say it all.
I used to fish with a float on farm dams at Preston, Riana and Gunns Plains. Weed and varying depths made this the best method. Trevor, Michel and Damien caught their first trout with no assistance from dad in these farm dams. The rig need only be a fixed float with around 600mm of line to the hook.
Without doubt there is skill in the selecting, making and placing of an artificial fly which acts and behaves in such a way that the trout accepts it as natural food, but there is also a great deal of skill in placing, working, and making a spinner act like a natural frog, or small fish in a way that fish accept it as the natural food. And finally the natural bait angler who knows how to locate, prepare, and present the natural food, by means of quill floats, tiddly sized hooks, and light tackle must be regarded as the equal of the angler with an artificial bait.
Fishing on the bottom with a weighted wattle grub is very popular with lake fisherman. The best location is the weed beds of Great Lake and Arthurs Lake because this is where the best fish are to be found. I understand the weed beds of these two lakes have been mapped This method and the equipment I use enables me to return home with a brace of good size fish after fishing non stop all night long. Following you will find a description of how I do it and the equipment you will need.
Collecting & Storing Wattle Grubs I buy my wattle grubs because it is cost and time efficient and I am also no good at cutting them out. The grubs are most common in silver or black wattles but can also be found in other members of the acacia family. They are best kept in a metal or plastic box with some bran or
Rod and Reel A rod around eight feet in length with a whippy tip and medium size threadline is ideal. I use a Jarvis Walker Black Queen solid fibreglass rod. Should you be using
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seem to matter which end of the grub you put on first nor if the point of the hook is or is not showing.
gelspun or braid lines then I recommend that you use a reel that is purpose built for these lines as they do put incredible stresses on your reel. I know because I have just had a reel fixed. I have recently purchased a Mitchell reel, which is designed for Spiderwire.
Whilst trout will snatch at a small bait, indubitably, they tend to mouth large baits They will play with your grub for a minute or so before swallowing. The idea of the wide gape hook is to get it at the back of his mouth. Remember that I go after big fish and always keep them. This method is not conducive to catch and release.
Line A line of 10lb breaking strain is adequate. I am a big fan of Spider wire because of its superior line diameter and the feel you have with the fish because it does not stretch. A word of warning! Using braid or gelspun line in this style of fishing can be expensive, as these lines do not cope well with the constant abrasion you get from the snags and rocks on the bottom.
The Bite Indicator There is only one type and model that I can recommend and that is the Howrah Scout Group Jamboree Special which retails for $8 and works really well. This hinged device is painted white and marked with reflector tape so that it is easily visible of a night. The device is secured to the rod by the use of a clothes peg. It is made of wood and you open it to110 degrees. The line is taken from the reel before your first line guide and placed around the split pin. When the fish takes the grub the “clack� alerts you to the take. Should you wish to purchase the Jamboree Special just contact me through the Clarence Licensed Anglers Club.
The Rig The quintessential running sinker rig is all you need. Sound simple, it is, but the secret is in the detail! You need to use a large ball sinker to enable you to cast out to the weed bed. Below the sinker tie a ring by a half clinched blood knot. Why a ring and not a swivel? A ring is stronger than a swivel and line runs better with a ring because the swivel sometimes catches in the hole through the sinker. Tie a metre of line to the ring and attach the hook by a clinched half blood knot. Please note that if you are using braid or gelspun the palomar knot is great. I like to catch big trout, don’t you? That is why I use Mustad wide gape or Gamatakatsu Shiner hooks in sizes 8/0 to size 2. You must match the size of the hook to the bait.
Set Up and Hook Up Assuming you have located your weed bed and rigged up your bait, cast it out and free spool to where you have your rod rest. I use two forked sticks or rocks. Place the rod on the rest and loop the line around the split pin, then open the bail arm on the reel so the fish will be able to take the bait without feeling any resistance.
The Bait Once you have matched the hook and bait you should thread the grub on the hook and secure it with a hitch so it will not slip down the shank or come off when casting. Please note that it does not
When you have a fish on remember to allow some time for it to swallow the grub, they do tend to mouth it. I let him run, he will stop, wait till he starts off again, then strike. You will find that most trout are well hooked at the back of
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the mouth and as a consequence you can have your drag at three-quarters and still be very confident of getting him. Wherever possible we beach our fish. It is important that you check your rod every half-hour to make sure everything is in order.
Selecting a fishing companion You should choose a companion whom is prepared to stay up all night, check the lines every half-hour and look after the fire. It also makes for an interesting time if they are deaf, snore and let their sausages catch on fire!
Creature from the Lagoon by Norm Cribbin (published in Fly-Fishing & Fly-Tying Nov/Dec 2001 Issue)
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somewhat lively tiger snake. The snake had obviously decided that the swim across the lagoon was too far to make in one trip and thought the boat would make a suitable resting place. At this point I should mention that the tiger snake is one of Australia's deadliest, capable of killing a man.
asmania, Central Highlands. Prime Mayfly time on the famous Little Pine Lagoon. Conditions are perfect. The surface of the lagoon is like a mirror, the shores are lined with numerous fly fishers and the water dotted with a sizable fleet of boats. No one makes a sound. Each angler has chosen a spot in anticipation of the hatch that is surely about to commence.
Imagine Little Pine Lagoon calm and serene, all anglers quietly awaiting the hatch and then - from a quiet quarter of the lagoon - all anybody can see is this raving lunatic standing up in a boat pounding the living hell out of the water with an oar. The waves generated from this commotion spreading rapidly across the entire water.
My mate is in one of the motionless boats, 100 yards from shore. A bank angler raises his arm and waves, trying to gain his attention. Not knowing why he is waving his arm about, my friend incorrectly assumes that it is an angling companion who has just arrived. He politely returns the wave. This only seems to agitate the shore- based angler more.
Only the eagle-eyed bank angler who had warned my friend knew the reasons for his actions, and my friend later told me he could feel each and every one of the other anglers mentally thrusting a knife into his back as the spreading waves reached them.
He now waves with both arms, and more frantically. My friend starts looking around for a possible explanation. Then he sees it: not far away and heading at speed directly for him was an object in the water. His first thought is of a large cruising trout coming his way. Alas, it is not a fish but a rather large and
The snake, by the way, did not make it into the boat. I don’t think it made it back to shore, either.
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Echo Sounders sourced from the World Wide Web
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substances depending on their density and characteristics, the denser the substance, the faster the sound wave travels. When a sound wave is transmitted into water it travels at a constant speed until it meets another object, if it strikes the lakebed the speed of the sound wave is increased because the lakebed is denser than water.
irstly we will ask the question, why does a fisherman require an echo sounder ? An Echo Sounder will give you a picture of what lies directly under your boat and it will draw a picture of the contours of the lakebed as you pass over it, this enables you to easily locate reefs, pinnacles of rock, weed beds and other obstructions on the lakebed where fish congregate.
When this happens, part of the sound wave is reflected back through the water, the greater the change of speed , the bigger the reflected echo. Hard rock therefore will send a stronger echo than clay or sand, whilst soft silty mud will send a weaker signal, the flesh of a fish contains a lot of water therefore its density is only slightly different to water, but its bone structure is denser than water and most of the species that we hunt have a swim bladder containing air which is less dense than water - a good return signal is received from sound waves striking a fish. A good fishfinder will detect a reflected echo less than one millionth of the strength of the transmitted signal strength. The sounder transmits a sound wave that travels straight down from the boat using a transducer attached to the boats hull, “well we’ve come to our first unfamiliar word so lets explain". A transducer acts as a directional loud speaker and also as a microphone receiver to receive the reflected sound waves. The sounder then measures the time it takes for the reflected sound wave to return and converts this, so that the sounder displays it as the distance of the reflecting object from the boat.
Different types of lakebed such as rock, sand and mud are easily identified from the picture presented by the sounder. The modern sounder with its microprocessor controlled circuitry also has the ability to display all the fish that are in the area under your boat, that is why we refer to these new sets as “FISHFINDERS”. So the addition of a modern fishfinder will greatly improve your catches because it takes all the guess work out of fishing, you know what is in the area under your boat where you are fishing. Another important reason far wanting a sounder is the safety aspect. There are times when it is vital to know the depth of water under your boat if thick fog descends on you whilst out on the water, intelligent use of your sounder will ensure that you do not run aground on rocks as you try to locate a safe landing place. With a good fishfinder you are not restricted to just fishing the patch that you know, you are free to hunt your fish in any area and from any port. We will now assume that you are interested in buying a fishfinder, it is very useful to understand how echo sounders work.
There are two main types of signal used for echo sounders;
Echo sounders, as the name implies, use sound waves, these waves are high frequency vibrations. Sound travels at different speeds through different
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High Frequency sets transmit a signal of around 180-220 kHz
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Low Frequency sets use a signal of around 30-60 kHz.
greater than that covered by a high frequency set.
High and low Frequency sets have totally different characteristics, high frequency sets transmit a signal that is more directional, therefore the "Beam Angle" or "Beam Width" (explained below) can be smaller, generally speaking the high frequency sets are best for fish location, these sets tend to get a reflected echo from the bone structure of a fish, so they are ideal for locating mackerel and similar fish. Due to the nature of high frequency sets, the signal will not penetrate to very great depths of water (400ft), of course they will still show the lakebed at these depths but small targets such as fish may be missed. High frequency sets give better results on high speed boats than low frequency sets.
It is difficult to give rule of thumb judgments as to which frequency set to choose, if fishing was straight forward and you always fished the same depth, it would be easy, but in most areas if the sea is like a sheet of glass with no wind you will go as far out to sea as you dare, whereas if there is a strong wind off the land you will be fishing shallow water close in to gain shelter from the land. If you always fish in less than 250 ft of water choose any of the high frequency sets that we recommend. Beam angle, or Beamwidth, are used to describe the path that the transmitted signal takes when travelling from the transducer under your boat to the lakebed. When the signal is transmitted it spreads out like the beam of light leaving a torch, the figure quoted in the brochure an sounders as "Beam angle or Width" refers to the angle between the two sides of this beam. This beam along which the sound waves travel has not really got sharp side edges, the strongest signals are at its centre and the signal strength progressively decreases towards its edge. You will notice that on high frequency sets there is often a choice of transducers with different beam angles, the widest are for shallow water, the narrow ones are for deeper water. The reason for this is that by concentrating the signal into a narrow beam it is more powerful and it will therefore penetrate to a greater depth, the narrower the angle the greater the lakebed detail, because the area being recorded is smaller.
The depth at which a sounder will detect individual fish is determined by three factors, the POWER OUTPUT of the set, the BEAM ANGLE of the transducer and THE QUALITY OF THE SET. You can get two Fishfinders both with the same specifications, one built to the highest standards by a firm with vast experience of the science of fish location and of course it will perform perfectly; then I'm sorry to say there are the sets "Built to a Price" they look OK the salesman selling them, will say they are OK, they probably give a reasonable picture of the lakebed, but they do not have that little bit extra that is needed to show fish in a reasonable depth of water! Low Frequency sets transmit a signal that will penetrate to great depths - this signal tends to take its reflected echo from a fishes swim bladder, so they are ideal for locating cod which are found in deep water. The beam angle of a low frequency set is always wide, in the region of 40 - 50 Degrees, so the area of lakebed covered by this set is a lot
How is the picture displayed on a fishfinder ? There are two types of presentation of the fishfinders display, CRT Screen (video) & LCD (liquid crystal display). Each of these has its merits !
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rock, thinner for sand or clay and thinner still for soft silty mud.
CRT Fishfinders, large sets using this type of display have been in use for many years, modern technology now make it possible for smaller sets to be produced, these sets have 6 inch CRT screens (measured diagonally)
Power Output There are two ways in which power output cab be expressed, RMS and Peak to Peak. There is a very big difference which you must remember when buying a fishfinder. An 800 watt peak to peak set would only be rated at 100 watts RMS.
The introduction of the new high resolution screen has now doubled the picture quality of these sets. These new sets can now have a picture that is made up of 256 x 256 dots (Pixels).
We always quote RMS because we do not want to exaggerate, so if you see a power output quoted on other sets that look fantastic, remember that if it is peak to peak, divide it by 8 to get the true RMS power output.
The advantage of this type of set is different strengths of return signals are displayed in different colours, the strongest being red going down to the weakest which are blue, this helps to identify fish type and size.
What will i see on my fishfinder? The first thing you will notice is that the picture of the lakebed feeds out from the right hand side of the screen, so what you see on the right of the screen is what is under the boat now.
LCD Fishfinders, some of these sets are designed for the really wet boat, they are totally waterproof, they can be immersed in water to a depth of 2 meters and take no harm. This property makes them ideal for boats that are launched from open beaches, even if your boat is swamped in the surf the sounder should be OK, the divers will also appreciate this type of set for their inflatables.
The picture progresses across the screen to the left, taking a certain amount of time to reach the other side of the screen, so an object that appears on the right of the screen is under your boat now, when it gets to the other side of the screen you would say it was under the boat “X� minutes ago. So if the boat is stood still, the lakebed would be shown as a straight line because the depth is not altering.
How is the lakebed displayed? There are two ways in which the lakebed can be displayed. White or Gray Line and Normal. White or Gray Line, when these displays are in use the lakebed is shown as a very thin line, under this is an area of white or grey line the thickness of which indicates the nature of the lakebed, thicker for a hard lakebed and thinner for a softer lakebed. The advantage of this type of lakebed picture is that fish very close to the lakebed can be positively identified, any thickening of the thin lakebed line, or black spikes on it are fish. Normally the lakebed is shown as a thick line, the thickness of this line indicates the nature of the lakebed, it shows very thick for hard
If a fish swims under the boat it's image would appear on the right of the screen and move across to the other side of the screen. you would then say that fish was under the boat so many minutes ago. Now if the boat is moving we get a picture of the contours of the lakebed as we pass over them. Say a big peak of rock appears on the right of the screen and you throw a float overboard, the float remains over the peak of rock, you continue to steam
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the equipment it picks up particles of salt, these attract water, so when you get home remove the equipment from the container, wipe it with a dry cloth and store it on a shelf in a dry well ventilated place.
away from it. On the screen the picture of the rock moves across the screen. What you are now seeing on the screen is a cross section of the lakebed between where you are now (right hand side of the screen) and the float over the rock which is now on the left hand side of the screen.
A set may be watertight, but remember that the pins and sockets in the plugs, when un-plugged from the set, and the power and transducer cables plugs will corrode if left wet, so protect them!
This last paragraph must be clearly understood. Ok so now you are really educated and know all about fishfinders! It’s decision time, how do I choose a set to suit my requirements?
The size of your chosen set may be of some importance; the brochure will give the dimensions, if in doubt make a cardboard box the same size as the set and try it in the boat to see what it looks like.
First if you are going to use it in an inflatable or other open boat you would choose a totally waterproof set, where as the owner of a luxury fishing cruiser can choose any set for his carpeted dry wheelhouse. There is also the rough and tumble fishing lads, with an old bit of carpet on the floor, it’s always soaking wet, at the end of the day the wet oilskins are hung up in the wheelhouse and its locked up for the night.
Some sets are designed to stand on a shelf in the boat, others can be hung from the roof as well or fixed to a vertical surface. If you take the set home with you, remember that a CRT set has a television type tube in it and if you break it a new one will cost you about half the price of the set ! Quality, of the set! How do you want the picture displayed? You should look at the number of dots or pixels used to form the picture. Here again the maker of the set can fool you! One set has 2,500 pixels, the other set has 200 x 128 pixels, which would you choose? 2,500 is the number of pixels vertically multiplied by the number horizontally, so this set is a 50 x 50 pixel = 2,500. Where as 200 x 128 is 25,600 pixels, ten times better! You could also see it expressed as so many pixels per square inch. So get the calculator out and check it.
Next morning the windows are all steamed up and condensation is dripping from the deckhead. Then there is the unexpected event! An awkward sea bursts in through a door or window soaking everything. So you must first decide if you want a totally waterproof set. DON’T FORGET, WATERPROOF IS WATERPROOF !! water resistant IS NOT WATERPROOF !! Just a note about storing your electronics. If you use a sealed waterproof container (like a Tupperware container with a sealed lid) to transport your electronics to and from the boat. DO NOT KEEP THE EQUIPMENT IN IT FOR STORAGE! Every time you use
What power output will I require? When fishing at sea in up to 200 ft of water, you should look for a set with at least 75 watts RMS (600 watts p-p) power output and use a transducer with a
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fitting the transducer you are looking for a location where there is clear water free from air bubbles under the transducer. Correct fitting and location are vital for perfect results.
beamwidth of around 20 degrees. In even deeper water you should consider a narrower, eight degree beamwidth transducer. What functions do I need? The more automatic functions you have the easier it is to use the set. Auto Range, Bottom Track, Multiple Zoom Ranges or Auto Shift are very good because you just leave the set to run automatically.
Prices Most firms advertise prices including GST but no delivery. Always check advertised prices and add these as required. Warranty Only purchase from authorized sales outlets, which have the full support of the factory to repair and/or replace any product that fails within the warranty period. The longer the warranty period the better.
Power Supply. Although power output is big, the power requirements of the set are small because it is discharged in minute bursts of power. If you do not have a power supply in the boat, use a spill proof 12 volt rechargeable car or motorcycle battery. Choose a battery with good Amp-Hours. A-H divided by power requirement = hours running.
If these points are not checked before purchase, the warranty on these products is only honoured by the factory, and if it is made in the US, for example, then it will have to go directly back to them for repair. When purchasing equipment, ask to see the warranty card showing the manufacturers appointed dealer.
Choice of Transducer and the way it is fitted are of vital importance in getting the best results from your fishfinder. In
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Tarraleah and Lake St Clair 1941-46 by Lionel Lewis
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transport. A week later my rods and gear arrived.
aving completed my Technical School education at the end of 1938, I commenced my ser\/ice with the Hydro Electric Commission as a Power Branch apprentice in April 1939. After many postings and varied experiences, interspersed with as much fishing as possible in the highland areas through the ensuing forty-four and a half years, I retired in 1983 to devote even more time to the gentle art of the angle.
The vision of one of those large rainbows charging my fly from under the flume soon had me dropping a Matuka into the gin clear water, but they were not about to be fooled by my rather impetuous offerings, merely ignoring the flies completely or coming up to within a foot or so behind and following for a while. Some days later there was a breeze induced 'top' on the lake and half way in along the flume, 'bang!' there was a tremendous strike, followed by an unstoppable crash dive under the flume and between the concrete piles whose octagonal rough corners severed the catgut and there I was, fishless and one Matuka less in the box.
Well, to return to those early years. After an initiation period in Hobart Substations, I was instructed to take two days' leave then catch Guy Brothers' coach to Tarraleah, where, after an all too brief stay, accommodated at the Chalet, the Area Superintendent, Mr Reg Wilson, said, 'Pack your things, Lionel, I'll be taking you out to Lake St Clair this afternoon'.
This episode, I am sorry to relate, happened twice more until I was contemplating such illegal measures as long gaffs or wire lines baited with frogs or some such, meanwhile, still with idle tail movements these St Clair untouchables swam up and down with utter disdain.
The Lake St Clair Pumping Station was in operation for its first summer running when 450 cubic feet per second was pumped into the Derwent Basin and thence through the Dam regulatory gates down the Derwent River to the Tarraleah Canal Intake at Butlers Gorge. I was detailed to man the eight hours' night shift and one morning whilst walking out the 330 yard flume and looking over at the platypuses who could be seen through the cryostat clear water submerging and swimming along the lake floor some thirty feet down, I saw, much to my excitement, several very large trout, also lazily passing along beside the flume piers.
However, the great day was soon to arrive. Mrs Cumming, the EIC's wife, was trying to establish a small garden and thought that across the bay on the lake's edge there may be leaf mould suitable' for her purposes. As I was currently working an eight hour night shift, and was about in the late afternoons, she asked me to row her across in the HEC dinghy to investigate. So, with potato bags and some apple cases crammed into the twelve ft craft, Mrs Cumming, the other shift man, Dennis Green, and I set out. Of course, I thought it too good an opportunity to miss and had my fly rod all set up with a large black, red & yellow matuka.
I was able to talk to my parents of an evening via the HEC telephone system, so that night I asked my father (HEC Broadmarsh) if he could send me my fishing gear via the first available HEC
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largest was a brown of nearly ten pounds. Needless to say I was in an angler's seventh heaven and could hardly wait for the next pumping season and further glorious months at Lake St Clair.
On our arrival in a bay opposite the pump house I cast in towards the shore near some strap weeds and, within minutes was taken by a good size fish who charged and jumped around the corner of the bay and tried to make the weed patch, but Dennis was a good oarsman and we finally had the beautiful rainbow near the dinghy. Now, we did not have a landing net, so what to do? A spud bag didn't seem quite the thing. Dennis submerged an apple case beside the boat. I guided the now exhausted fish over it. Dennis lifted upwards, violently tipping the dinghy, much to Mrs C's alarm, and into the boat came case, water and a three and a half pounds St Clair rainbow, my first catch from this water. We did go on to collect bags and boxes of rotted leaf mould from the forest floor. So, at any rate, Mrs C. and I went back jubilant. Dennis, not an angler, was somewhat wet but he too enjoyed with us the fish Mrs C. presented for our dinner.
All this sounds like one long holiday, but there was plenty of work and after Dennis Green left there were twelve hours' night shifts alone in the pump house. Cummo and I maintained the essential water flow to run the turbines at Tarraleah. I recall that any alteration in the water flow down the Derwent River took twelve hours to take effect at the Butlers Gorge intake canal works. As an apprentice I was paid the princely sum of thirty shillings per week which just covered my board and meals or the Tarraleah Chalet tariff. No one even thought of, or even mentioned, overtime. After all, it was war time. During this time I met many interesting people who came to fly fish Lake St Clair, among them, Mr Murray, the then Mount Lyell Mine Manager, and many guests of the Commission. I was detailed to take them out in the dinghy and ensure that they caught some of the fine rainbow and the odd brownie. On one occasion, there came an American army colonel who, while enthusiastic, was not quite a fly fisherman, and informed me that back in the States he fished for walleyed pike and muskellunge. In spite of the colonel's water bashing, a rainbow finally committed suicide and we returned to the Derwent Bridge Hotel where the colonel triumphantly presented the fish to Mrs Dalco for dinner to which I was invited.
Although I did boat quite a few lovely rainbows from the lake itself, I had the use of a ten ft dinghy in the pumped area between the weir and the dam and by May 41 when the rains came, pumping had ceased, I had lost many and boated quite a few rainbows and browns from this area. The black, red and yellow matuka’s were the best lures for casting from a drifting boat and sometimes trolling. Many times the small dinghy drifted into the tea tree 'islands' whilst I was playing a fish which nearly always charged into the tea tree and broke free. While trolling, the savage rainbow strikes often took fly and all. One day, trolling with a heavier cast, I nearly lost my rod overboard, being saved only by the reel catching on the transom.
On another occasion during a short shutdown of the pumps, a visitor and I rowed the dinghy the twelve miles to the Narcissus River at the Cradle Mountain end of Lake St Clair. This took us five hours. I caught a couple of fish around
Fish of up to seven or eight pounds in weight were not uncommon and my
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the Narcissus River. We then walked up into Pine Valley and back to the river where we found a nor' west fresh breeze had come up. So we cut some tea tree for a mast and spars and, by cutting and wiring together some bags, made up a lug sail. We flew back down the centre of Lake St Clair in about three hours, arriving back at the sub-station around 9.30pm.
horizon and mountains meeting as a cone in the apex of the heavens, a sight not to be seen often, and one I've always remembered. With the completion of the Clark Dam and the filling of Lake King William, the operation of the Lake St Clair pumping station was progressively phased out. But although those 1940's rainbows and browns have decreased in size they are still there and it is a beautiful scenic area at which to spend some time floating a red tag on its crystal waters.
One night, while on duty at the pumps, I witnessed a magnificent display of the Aurora Australis. Shafts of blue and green lights came from all around the
Hopper Fishing by Stephen Granger
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ishing for trout using grasshoppers for bait is both exciting and interesting.
Hooks Size 6-4 Mustad hooks in the Limerick or O’Shaunessy patterns are fine and it doesn’t matter whether they are silver or brown. The best knot is the clinched half-blood knot. Should you need to cast a bigger distance use a bigger hook.
In recent years I have done all my “hopper” fishing with Gary Davy. Gary always out-fishes me and never fails to get his limit bag. Successful “hopper” fishing demands light gear and a no sinker approach. This combination makes for a more natural presentation and gets you more hook ups, but it is harder to cast the longer distances.
Bait Container We use a glass jar with a few holes punched in the lid. Half fill it with grass and keep your “hoppers” in a cool place. Other Gear Waders and polaroid sunglasses, a landing net and a shoulder bag are allnecessary and don’t forget the sunburn cream.
Rods Gary and I use whippy solid glass Jarvis Walker rods. The rod needs a medium action and must have good quality line guides.
How To Use Grasshoppers We fish grasshoppers on the surface and mid-water. The best place to put the hook is through the thorax, just behind the head. We bunch 3-4 on a hook, alternatively, the hook can be threaded through the body from head to tail.
Reels & Line We use small threadline reels fully spooled with 2 kg line . The lighter the line the greater distance you will cast. You should use a stiffish line because limp lines tangle more. Gary Davy used Berkley Fireline for a while but found it less than satisfactory.
The best technique is to wade upstream looking for feeding fish or likely fish holding stations. You should cast your
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“hopper” a metre or so above the trout and let it drift down past the trout. You will find brown trout will be close to the bank and rainbows will be in the faster water. Cast into the shadows and around and under overhanging branches and bushes.
Best Time February and March are the best months and early morning is the best time. Where Smaller rivers such as the Forth, Isis, North Esk, Leven, Nive, Plenty, Tyenna and Florentine are good “hopper “ rivers.
Trout look for grasshoppers close to the banks, especially where there is a good current and deeper water. I have never done any good in deep quiet water, give me fast rippling water with some quiet spots anytime.
Two Things I Have Learned About Hopper Fishing 1. Casting with a huge single grasshopper will always find the trees not the water, 2. Blackberries always stop you getting to the best spots
Striking Use a strike indicator and Vaseline if you want . Strike early if you want to catch and release.
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Redbanks Fish & Field by Ashley Kent
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f you are an outdoors person, you will be immediately pleased at the surroundings as you drive 20km north east of Sorell near Nugent. Redbanks Fish & Field, owned by Lindsay White is set on 3,500 acres of magnificent countryside catering for the fisher and hunter.
conditions. The fish do provide a real challenge at times and require a bit of experimenting with fly / lure choice. Although blind casting lands the odd fish, the real enjoyment is casting to huge boils from the Atlantic Salmon, or the subtle sips of the Rainbows that usually occur at some point during the day.
Of particular interest are the three lakes that Lindsay has established in picturesque valley. They vary in size and character and have been stocked with Atlantic Salmon and Rainbow Trout. Lake Redbanks, the main lake really appealed to me, with a shallow southern shore in a natural setting and a deeper lightly timbered northern shore.
On the 5th and 6th of April, Lindsay provided a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get a really good look at, and show off the Redbanks fish in the form of a competition. The Saturday was set aside for fly fishing, Sunday for lure casting. Saturday was overcast with intermittent drizzle, but the fish were ‘on top’ and the fishing fast and furious. Although I wasn’t fishing, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the punters cover these huge boils with a dry or wet fly which was either ignored or hit with a train smash take. The fighting qualities
The lake is especially conducive to tracking moving fish in the form of a rise or swirl, particularly the Atlantic salmon which obtain huge proportions (up to 20kg). The lake also has a healthy population of Midges, which the Rainbows seem to rise to given the right
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of the fish are quite good, especially from the Salmon. I witnessed one fish in particular caught by Norm Cribbin that leaped several times and ran in powerful bursts. After what seemed an eternity, a 7kg Salmon came to the net. Paul Millhouse also landed a beautiful Salmon weighing in at 7 kgs, you should have seen the grin on his face!
Everyone who entered the competition weighed in some nice fish, some were giants! There were no tiddlers. The appeal of Redbanks for me is the fact it does provide a challenge. If the fish aren’t showing, you are forced to experiment with different technique’s, flies, lures etc until you find out what’s going to work on that day. On a recent Club visit, the fish proved to be difficult for most of the day, some caught five or six, most caught at least one but this does demonstrate that experimentation can pay off. However if the fish are showing, your in for some fun. There is a great advantage for someone learning to fish or teaching someone to fish to spend some time at a private fishery. The level of skill required during any given day can vary, but valuable lessons to be learnt in regard to hooking, playing and landing fish are in a controlled environment, but in a natural setting. There are good BBQ facilities available as well as a flying fox and adventure play ground for children, so Redbanks is an ideal place for a family day or Club outing. Free casting tuition or a Guide is available upon making your booking. For further information contact Lindsay White: PH: (03) 62575162 Email – Lindsay@redbanks.biz www.redbanks.biz.au
There were several happy and exhausted anglers at the end of the day, some taking away terrific prizes.
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Introduction to Trout Flies sourced from the World Wide Web
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are four main types of flies - dry flies, wet flies, nymphs and streamers - and literally thousands of specific fly patterns.
hen you're new to fly fishing— and sometimes even when you're not so new—the subject of trout flies can be a confusing one. For instance, the word "entomology" (the scientific study of insects) seems to crop up everywhere you turn. Latin words are bandied about like volleyballs. You might be thinking you need a Ph.D. in biology just to catch a trout or two. Think again.
Fly size directly corresponds to hook size. A size 14 Adams is simply an Adams pattern tied onto a size 14 hook. If you're unfamiliar with hook sizes, just remember this: the higher the number, the smaller the hook. A size 28 hook is tiny, while a size 8 hook is substantially larger.
Learning about trout flies - and the life forms they represent - doesn't have to be complicated. Sure, it can be complicated. And some people really enjoy learning the hard science of it all. But if you want to learn the basics without having to decipher a word of Latin, you've come to the right place.
Dry Flies Dry flies are unique in that they're the only kind of trout flies that are designed to float on the surface of the water. A traditional dry fly is intended to represent the adult stage of an insect. It's tied onto a light-wire hook and uses its hackle barbs and its tail to support itself on the water. You can greatly improve a dry fly's ability to float by treating it with fly floatant.
Characteristics of a Successful Fly A stream is like a conveyor belt for food. A trout will find a comfortable place to hole up and let his food come to him. A lake, on the other hand, is more like a smorgasbord. A trout cruises around and snaps up whatever looks appealing. As an angler, it's your job to determine the fly du jour, the fly that most closely matches - in size, colour and shape whatever's on the day's menu. When you do this, you'll optimize your chances for success.
Wet Flies A traditional wet fly replicates an adult insect that has either drowned or is diving down to the bottom of a stream or lake to deposit a load of eggs. Some wet flies, particularly soft-hackle wets, also do a good job of imitating "emergers" immature insects that are leaving the bottom and swimming to the surface to hatch out into adults.
Anatomy of a Fly A fly consists of various materials tied onto—or "dressed" on—the shank of a hook.
Nymphs Most nymph flies are tied to represent insects in their various immature, underwater stages of development, namely the nymphal, larval and pupal stages, depending on the species of insect. A handful of nymph flies are tied to represent crustaceans such as freshwater snails and shrimp. Keep in
Common fly-tying materials include furs, feathers, chenille, Mylar, tinsel and coloured thread. In trout fishing, there
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stream without a case. Either way, you can often find caddis larvae clinging to rocks. A few weeks before becoming an adult, a caddis larva seals itself in a cocoon, in which it begins changing into a "pupa." When the pupa is fully developed, it gnaws its way out of the cocoon and heads for the surface. Which flies represent these immature caddis best? To imitate the larvae, you can't go wrong with patterns like the Peeking Caddis and the Cased Caddis, as well as the aptly named Caddis Larva. For pupal imitations, it's tough to go wrong with the Soft Hackle Caddis or Sparkle Pupa.
mind that trout do most of their feeding, maybe as much as 90% below the surface. This is why nymph flies work so well!
Streamers Streamers are larger flies designed to replicate baitfish, leeches, tadpoles and other "meaty" aquatic life forms. Streamers are especially effective on hefty trout. To them, insects are more like potato chips—a nice snack, but not the whole meal. Streamers appeal to a big trout's sizeable appetite.
As the caddis pupa rises to the surface, it sheds its pupal husk, and the adult caddis struggles out. Caddis flies have four wings that extend past the body. At rest, these wings are folded tentlike over the body in an inverted V-shape. Caddis flies have two feelers that extend past the body, long legs and no tails. In flight, Caddis flies look a lot like moths; up close, however, there's no mistaking the two. Dry flies that do a nice job of replicating the adult caddis fly include the Elk Hair Caddis, Shannon Moth and CDC Caddis.
Flylife Primer (With No Latin!) Ok, are you ready? In plain old English, we're going to cover the basics of 95% of the flylife you're likely to encounter on any given trout-fishing outing.
Mayfly Like caddis, the mayfly is an extremely important trout-water insect. Mayflies go through a metamorphosis that looks like this:
Caddis You'll encounter caddis in streams and lakes all over Tasmania. There are many different species of these bugs! The caddis life cycle looks like this: 1. 2. 3. 4.
1. 2. 3. 4.
egg larva pupa adult
egg nymph adult—dun adult—spinner
Mayfly nymphs are found in both lakes and streams, usually hiding under rocks or vegetation. There are two fly patterns that have universal appeal as mayfly nymph imitations: the Pheasant Tail and the Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear.
There are 2 main groups of caddis larvae: "case-building" and "freeswimming." A case-building larva builds a case around itself with small grains of sand and sticks, while a free-swimming larva ranges about the bottom of the
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1. 2. 3. 4.
Once the nymph fully develops, it swims to the surface and splits its nymphal skin, becoming a winged adult called a "dun." The dun sits in the surface film and waits for its wings to dry so that it can fly to the shore. Floating on the water, the dun looks like a tiny sailboat, with its wings folded up over its back like a sail. (Mayflies are the only troutstream insects with upright wings.) As soon as it's able, the dun flies to the shore. A short time later, it moults and becomes a "spinner" and is now ready to reproduce. Popular adult mayfly imitations include the Parachute Dun, Penstock Brown, March Brown, Highland Dun and Iron Blue Dun.
egg larva pupa adult
When fishing midge patterns below the surface, fly fishers generally concentrate on the pupal stage, because this is the stage that's most important to trout. Once the larva has matured, it pupates, at which time the pupa begins its slow ascent to the surface in hopes of hatching into an adult. But on the way up, emerging pupae are often ambushed by hungry trout. Popular pupae patterns include the Midge Pupa in various colours, as well as the Brassie and Chironomid Pupa.
Stonefly Stoneflies require a lot of oxygen to live, so they're almost always found in rocky, turbulent streams and rivers. The life cycle of a stonefly is a simple one:
If the pupa does make it to the surface, it hatches into an adult midge. Adult midges have 2 wings and no tails. At rest, their wings are swept back at a 45degree angle.
1. egg 2. nymph 3. adult
Other Important Insects. In ponds and lakes, trout love to feast on the nymphs of dragonflies and damselflies. Both dragonfly and damselfly nymphs have 6 legs and large, wide-set eyes.
Stonefly nymphs are free-swimming insects that have 2 tails and 2 long feelers. Good stonefly nymph patterns include the Montana Stone, the Bitch Creek and the Brown Stonefly. If you're caught without one of these flies, don't hesitate to try the versatile Woolly Bugger.
Dragonfly nymphs or mudeyes, the larger of the two can take up to 4 years to mature and reach lengths of up 50mm. To imitate the dragonfly nymph, tie on a Gibson’s Mudeye, O’Brien Mudeye, Corduliid or Woolly Bugger. The Hare's Ear, and Woolly Worm can all be used to imitate the damselfly nymph.
Once the stonefly nymph matures, it crawls to land and emerges as an adult. The adult stonefly looks like the nymph, except that it has wings. At rest, these wings are folded flat over its back. Midge As the name suggests, midges are tiny insects. They're most prevalent in lakes and slow-moving streams. Midges metamorphose as follows:
At times, terrestrials such as grasshoppers, ants, beetles and crickets find themselves in the water, being gulped up by ravenous trout. This is
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clinging there for dear life. Or hold your aquarium net under the surface and kick up the bottom a little. Anything swimming away will get caught in the mesh. Once the specimen is in hand, give it a good, long look—then find the fly in your fly box that most closely matches it. You're ready to start fishing.
especially true on lakes and rivers that are lined with overhanging brush, and on windy days when these insects are blown into the water. To be prepared for these situations, always carry a few terrestrial patterns. How Do I Decide Which Fly to Use? All right, so you've got a basic grasp of the 4 kinds of trout flies—dry flies, wet flies, nymphs and streamers—and you're on your way to understanding the major trout-stream insects and their various life stages.
No Bugs? Try Attractor Flies When fishing an unfamiliar body of water, or when insect activity is minimal to nonexistent, give an attractor fly a try. Whereas many artificial flies are the colours of nature—tan, olive, brown, black—attractor flies employ bright colours to get the attention of fish. These flies don't resemble any single specific food form, but they look "buggy" (and apparently tasty!) to trout. Popular attractors include the Humpy in various colours, and the Royal Wulff.
When you first arrive at your fishing destination, you'll want to do 2 things: First, Observe the Water If you see jumping fish, there's a good chance that they're feeding on insects on or above the water's surface. Likewise, dimples on the water indicate surfacefeeding fish. Rising fish are usually feeding on insects on the surface or in the surface film. Swirling fish are generally feeding on emerging nymphs or pupae beneath the water's surface. The more time you spend on the water, the better you'll become at recognizing these signs.
Learning More About Trout Flies One of the best ways to learn about good local fly patterns is to join a local fly club. In a year's time, you will likely accrue more information on trout flies (and where to fish them) than you could learn on your own in a decade. Another great way to learn about flies is to fish with a friend. Two anglers trying to find the right fly on the same water will do it in half the time. Besides, it's just plain old fun to share the outdoors with a friend.
Next, Observe the Insects After checking out the water, you'll need to figure out what kinds of insects are around. This is best accomplished by catching an insect and inspecting it carefully (some anglers even carry magnifying glasses with them for this task). Visible insects can be captured in any number of ways. You can dip a small aquarium net into the water and let the current push insects into the net. Or, you can catch a flying bug with your bare hands (easier than it sounds when the bugs are thick).
If you are travelling to fish a new area, never underestimate the value of local knowledge. If an old-timer tells you to use Uncle Albert's Old Irish Iron Blue Dun for the local rainbow trout, then by all means find out where you can get your hands on a couple of these flies. While on the water, don't be afraid to ask another fly fisher for advice, especially if he or is she is doing better than you.
If no insects are visible, pick up a few underwater rocks and look at the undersides. Nymphs will often be
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Most anglers are willing to help another angler, but only if you ask.
selection will vary, depending on location, time of year, etc. Insects emerge at different times and rates across our country. Fly fishing is one of the rare sports that allows lifelong learning and refinement. No two days are the same, and seldom do you make a trip without learning something.
Finally, when it comes to fly selection, remember that there are no hard-and-fast rules. If you're not having any luck with one fly, try another. Finding the right fly through experimentation is one of the subtle rewards of fly fishing. Fly
Great Lake 1893 to 1910 by Ray Aitchison
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reached double figures (ten pounds). In the early days the lake was very lightly fished.
ith the big trout of Lake Pedder now only a distant memory, and with the decline of Lagoon of Islands and the problems at Lake Crescent, when the question is asked currently, regarding a water to catch a trophy trout, most anglers scratch their heads and ponder. Some settle on Tooms Lake, but this is a poor relative of waters past.
Slater’s Rod and Line in Tasmania for 1904 gives the following description for the Great Lake - “This fine sheet of water, the home of large trout, and situated on the uplands of Tasmania, is 90 miles round and about six miles across in the widest place. The country round is generally open plains, with belts of timber here and there, but as an angling resort is equal to anything this side of the Line (Equator). It is a perfect sheet of water for spinning, either from shore or boat. The water around the edge is shallow, with a gravel bottom.”
It may be an apt time to reflect on what must have been a magic fishery at Great Lake, the period I have chosen is from 1893 to 1910. The Great Lake was first stocked with brown trout (the Salmo Fario specie) on the 1st of December, 1870, when one hundred and twenty fry were released into Beckett’s Bay to the east of the mouth of the Shannon River. This was the only trout stock released into the Great Lake until rainbows were introduced in 1910. From these few fish natural populations established which provided remarkable angling over many years.
Tods Corner, in the southeast corner, was a reedy lagoon connected to the main lake by a creek about half a mile long. Maclanachans Island was originally a point and was connected to the shore south of the creek to Tods Corner. Lake Elizabeth, now Elizabeth Bay, halfway along the eastern shore, and Little Lake, at the extreme north, were lakes in there own right. Lake Elizabeth being recorded as a dirty milky water. Good streams of about a mile in length connected both to the Great Lake.
Several species of galaxias were in the lake as well as the native Mountain or Spotted trout, the largest of these fish grew to about 9 inches. There were also several types of freshwater shrimps, up to two inches long, in the lake and with all the other water life available as food, the trout thrived. With the abundance of food available average weight soon
Five Mile Marsh, now Swan Bay, in the southwest corner was a reedy, swampy area, but like Tods Corner did provide some good fishable water. There was a
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downstream. There was a small gap in the middle to allow water to pass through.
reef between the western side of the Shannon River to the Beehives that when the lake was low separated Swan Bay from the lake proper, anglers dug a drain through this to enable them to bring boats out of the bay. Half way up the Great Lake it was possible to walk from Howell’s Neck (eastern shore) to Little Neck (western shore), as these two points overlapped and were separated by about five hundred yards of water which only reached a depth of three feet in a couple of places. History has it that at one time a bushranger escaped capture at this point by crawling on the bottom and pretending that he was swimming across the lake. The pursuing law officers weren’t game to enter what they thought was deep water.
At a time when the wage for a labourer was eight shillings a day and stone masons received twelve shillings a day it was no simple task to reach Great Lake. From the South one could catch a train to Apsley and then secure a coach ride to Bothwell, most likely staying overnight, then arrange transport to Swan Bay. An alternative to this was by train to Tunbridge or Parratah then a coach ride over the tier to Interlaken, an overnight stay, then arrange transport to the Marsh. From the North one traveled by train to Tunbridge as well. An alternative for Northerners was via Deloraine and then twenty one miles by track through Golden Valley and over the tiers.
Boggy Marsh on the eastern shore and now known as Cramp’s Bay was also a reedy swamp, separated from the main lake by a high sandy ridge and connected by a creek. The area around the present Poatina intake known as the Sandbanks was appropriately named as sandbanks extended for about three miles along the shore.
The train fare from Hobart to Apsley was fourteen shillings and three pence return with the coach ride to Bothwell another five shillings. From Hobart to Tunbridge was twenty five shillings return with the trip to Interlaken being twenty shillings each way. Launceston to Tunbridge was twenty shillings return.
In this early period there were no dams at the mouth of the Shannon River and generally as summer progressed the lake level dropped, in dry years the rived ceased flowing. During periods of low levels the fish that were in the river would either drop down into the Shannon Lagoon or return to the lake. The lagoon was also a shallow weedy marsh through which the river flowed. During the drought of 1907-08 hundreds of fish died in the river and the lagoon as the shallow waters heated up, devils and jays had a feast.
A salmon and trout licence in 1900 cost ten shillings for the season which ran from September the 1st until April the 30th. A one month licence cost five shillings. There were no roads connecting the north and south of the lake for many years. At the southern end initially anglers camped in ‘The Stables’ at Beckett’s, in about 1893 an accommodation house owned by Mr. Harris of Tunbridge became available at Swan Bay, the police constable’s wife managed this and fees were reported as moderate. Accommodation at the northern end left a bit to be desired, McCarthie’s Scone (?Stone) House was built near Cider Park by the
Later shepherds in the area constructed a rock dam about three feet high across the mouth of the Shannon River in an effort to maintain a higher level into summer and to provide some river flow for farms
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The original eelskins were made from shaping metal into a cylinder, soldering wings or ears on to make it spin, then building up the body with string and covering it with real eelskin. Later it was found that the use of .303 rifle shells or projectiles simplified the process of construction. For a considerable time only home made lures were used at Great Lake, later on devon spinners in different colours came onto the market.
Government, but with no one in attendance users had to provide everything for themselves. With reports of poaching at the Shannon River, mostly by shepherds who “culled” the spawning fish, it was decided to move the Police Station there, as well as the accommodation house, these were located on the western bank of the river in 1908.
Most fishermen in this era were influential people with those spinning using Malloch’s patent reels with free spinning spools that were thumb controlled. Even then these reels were constructed from gun metal or aluminium with a four inch reel holding about thirty to forty yards of plaited water proof silk backed up with a cheap hemp line. At the end of the nineteenth century a Malloch reel cost about thirty shillings. Another good reel was the Nottingham, this had a very free action but costs ranged from forty five to fifty shillings. Those who couldn’t afford these expensive reels just stripped line onto a bag and cast from there.
The most common sizes rods were from ten to twelve feet in length, cane rods were very expensive and at that time not very reliable. Most anglers opted for the more reasonably priced greenheart rod, this wood being close grained, tough, pliable and readily available, the butt was usually made from a lighter wood. Whilst publications in this period state that fish were taken from the Great Lake by spinning with artificial lures this is not quite correct. Some lures such as the eelskin and troutskin spinners were covered with real eelskin or troutskin that was tied and stitched over the body. A lot of trout were caught by spinning with natural bait, this was a small jollytail or Mountain trout mounted on an Archer or Chepmell spinner.
Constable Tom Earley, stationed at Swan Bay, kept a record of fish caught by anglers staying at the accommodation house, this record was kept by him from April, 1893 until his retirement in 1901. Well known angler, Mr. Critchley Parker, compiled a book from Earley’s records. After 1901 the records were maintained for a considerable time by the Northern Tasmanian Fisheries Association. Although the records are very comprehensive they are not considered to be absolute as not all anglers took the time to enter their particulars. Still they give very impressive figures, as follows:
The most common spinners used were the eelskin and quill phantom, considered to be nearly as good as the natural bait, others included brown, blue and green devons, blue phantoms, Brown’s patent phantom, Splutterguts phantom, Carr’s patent phantom, silver, gold and bilious Serpentannie lures, Owen’s patent eelskin minnow, Mistaken Identity. Certainly a collection of exotic names. Very little fly fishing was practised at this time.
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Season April 1893 1893-94 1894-95 1895-96 1896-97 1897-98 * 1898-99 1899-1900 1900-01 1901-02 1902-03 1903-04 1904-05 1905-06 1906-07 1907-08 1908-09 1909-10 1910-11
Anglers
Days Fished
Fish caught
Total Weight lb
Average Weight lb
Heaviest Fish lb
8 31 27 30 34 29 23 25 29 42 40 69 70 49
20 151
97 983 191 272 199 265 359 376 274 457 261 609 609 395
732
8.60 6.50 8.55 8.94 9.00 6.70 8.34 8.88 9.89 9.29 7.10 8.94 9.85 9.19 8.22 8.03 7.76 8.15 8.83
18¼ 15 22 22 25¼ 13½ 14½ 16½ 19½ 17 18½ 20 21 19½ 23 18½ 17½ 16 16
228 105 120 133 124 265 291 259
1633 2431 1792 1779 2996 3339 2710 4249 1855 5444 6003 3630
* Records for this year incomplete due to death of Matthew Seal. In twenty three days from December the 24th, 1898 to the 15th of January, 1899, Hugh Bryant caught sixty five trout weighing five hundred and twenty seven pounds. At a similar time, December 29th 1898 to January the 21st, in twenty four days, A. D. Hall caught fifty four trout weighing four hundred and sixty five pounds.
As can be seen from Earley’s records, the Great Lake was extremely under fished in this period, no doubt due to cost and transport limitations, it generally took two days to reach the lake from the major population centres of the day. Bait fishing was not practiced at Great Lake; the majority of fish were caught by spinning and the rest by trolling from a rowed boat. Although fish could be taken at any time of the day, if on the bite of course, it appears that the favourite time was in the evening when the big fish moved in closer to the shore seeking food.
From January the 17th to April the 29th, 1905, forty four trout of fifteen pounds or better were caught, the biggest of these being twenty one pounds, on April the 21st alone six different anglers each landed a fish in this range. In the 1906-07 season a large number of fish were taken in the north eastern part of the lake early in the season but these were not recorded, it is estimated that these weighed at least 2240 pounds.
Matthew Seal caught the heaviest trout, twenty five and a quarter pounds, from Great Lake on March the 1st 1897, he was found dead on the shore of the lake on March the 9th.
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It is notable in the records that in a couple of periods many fish of two and three pounds were caught in the Shannon Lagoon and River, this lowered the average weight for the years concerned.
less than five pounds by 1916 when the first of the dams for the development of hydro electricity was completed at the mouth of the Shannon River, but that is another story.
After dry winters in 1907 and 1908 there was concern about trout stocks and as it was considered that the fishing was going into decline about 5,000 yearling rainbow trout were released into the lake in 1910 followed by 3,600 yearling sebago salmon the next year.
Lake Pedder may have compared with Great Lake for three or four years but the latter provided magnificent fish for nearly forty years. With current gear, fishing pressure and ease of access it’s anyone’s guess as to how long this fishery would have lasted in the twentyfirst century – my personal guess would be one to two seasons.
From 1910 the size of brown trout started to decline and the average was
Trout taken at the Great Lake, Tasmania by 3 rods from 1st April to 12th April 53 fish of total weight 470lb, average weight 9lb
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Puff the Fishing Guide by Greg Turner
I
was my reply, whilst thinking he must be a Tourist.
t had been a good afternoon a lot of takes on the dry fly and few nice fish taken. It was Puff’s first trip in my boat and he was impressed by its stability and handling. We were drifting through the trees at a steady pace. Dry out waiting for another take. I looked up and saw a couple of twigs protruding out of the water. Were going to drift into those twigs Puff. “Looks like it.” was Puffs reply while concentrating on his fly’s. As we got close I got ready to brace myself. I looked at Puff still in utter concentration on his fly’s. “We’ll hit them in a second Puff”. “Yeah” was his reply. So as we gently drifted into the twigs the boat stopped.
Puff returned to help clean our catch. The man who had by now introduced himself as Ross was asking all sorts of questions about trout fishing. His wife Jan was now beside him admiring out catch. “Take one for supper.” said Puff. “Great” replied Ross. With that we went to out camp and our tourist to theirs. Puff cooked a top dinner he loves his cooking. So after a couple of stubbies before dinner and a bottle of red after dinner I was definitely feeling quite mellow. “Lets go and visit our neighbours.” said Puff. “Ok” I said.
I looked up just in time to see Puff doing a swan dive straight out of the boat. I was mesmerised. For a second a perfect entry I thought. When I realised what had happened I raced to the other end of the boat to lend a hand. Being the highly trained person that I am I lent over the side sniggering to myself and proceeded to save Puff’s fly rod which in the dive had parted his company. As Puff clambered up the side of the boat the true meaning of drowned rat was there right before my eyes. Once I had retrieved his fly rod my sniggers turned to a complete breakdown of laughter. “Why didn’t you help me”, Puff said. “We might both have been lost overboard and at least I saved your rod” I replied. “I think its time to go in now” said Puff. “Ok” was my reply, still laughing.
So over to Ross and Jan’s we went with a stubbie. They were cooking the trout Puff had given them for supper. Ross and Jan also had friends with them whose names escape me. They ate the trout and loved it. The night’s conversation was on fishing and travel mainly, then Ross races to the Caravan and returns with a fly rod. Every person who fishes these days must own a fly rod.” I said. “Never used it much” he replied. “We’ll take you out tomorrow.” said Puff, “Its easy.” “Ok” said Ross grinning from ear to ear. He disappears and returns with a bottle of port. It was a late night and as I went to lay down in bed I thumped my head into the tray of my Toyota. Come on “Bear” get up was the next thing I heard. At daylight my head was not good as I slowly lifted it off the pillow. Ross and Puff were waiting ready to get out on the lake.
It was about a fifteen minute trip back to the evening camp; as soon as we returned Puff raced up to the camp to get changed and I proceeded to clean the fish. “Nice catch.” “Yeah, should have had a few more” was my reply. “Browns or rainbow” the man asked. “Browns”
As we motored across the lake Puff set Ross’s rod up for him. He then fumbled in his flybox and produced a red tag.
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After we stopped the bleeding we continued fishing. A couple of minutes later and Ross raised his voice “Oh no not again.” This time Puff caught him in the ear lope. “This one is easy.” said Puff. “Now you know why fly fishermen we hats and sunglasses.” I said. After about three or four more hook ups of Ross. Ross said “I won’t be able to have a drink tonight. I will leek like a sieve.”
“The best all round trout fly guaranteed to catch trout.” was puff’s comment to Ross. Don’t say that I thought to myself don’t get the man’s hopes up too high. I stopped the boat and we started drifting and fishing. Ross sat at the bow and Puff in the middle and me at the Stern. Ross was a definite beginner. His casts were just making the water. After about five minutes I heard Puff mutter, were did that go. His cast had gone a stray in the wind. I looked up and saw Ross holding his head. The fly was imbedded in Ross’s head right on top. Puff proceeded to try and free it. “It won’t come. I will have to push it through.” said Puff. A look of fear had covered Ross’s face. My laughter didn’t seem to help a great deal. After about fine minutes Ross managed to free the fly by wrapping line around the bend and pulling the fly back through the fly it had made. “No use ruining a good fly for no reason.” said Puff.
Our first guiding trip wasn’t running that smoothing. Luckily it was a free one. Ross did get about eight or nine takes on the red tag, hooked two fish and managed to land one. While Puff and I, with three fly’s on each only managed a couple of takes and one fish. Ross was wrapped with his trip and was last seen heading across the lake in his dingy to try a hand at lone fly fishing, with a dozen of assorted fly’s donated by Puff.
Perfect conditions – Pillans Lake
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Season 2002-2003 Photo Gallery
Tarraleah/Bronte Practise Catch & Release - Wayatinah Salmon Hatchery
Wilfred Knight – Arthurs Lake
Tarraleah/Bronte Christmas Dinner Wayatinah Salmon Hatchery
John Griffith – Arthurs Lake
The Gorse Removal Team - Dago Point
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The Wiltons at Gorse Removal – Dago Point
Neil Pinkard – Arthurs Lake
Dylan Brown – Wayatinah Lagoon
Donna Cribbin – Lake Burbury
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Norm Cribbin – Arthurs Lake
Martin Brown & Grandson Dylan Brown – Snowy Range
Kimberly, Courtney & Dylan Brown – Snowy Range Lynette Brown – Snowy Range
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Mike Bongard – Lake Burbury
Charlie Harris - Redbanks
David Driver – Arthurs Lake Aaron Cribbin - Redbanks
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Bothwell Anglers departing Woods Lake
Ty Nichols receiving his Trophy at the Bothwell Annual Dinner
Bothwell Anglers hosting a BBQ at the free fish day – Arthurs Lake
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Trip to the Western Lakes – Phil Ellerton and friends Phil Ellerton – Alpine Lakes
Sam Shelley – Tooms Lake Dan Gotowski & Nick Graham – Dee Lagoon
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Are you sure the tents big enough? Don’t worry it will look bigger when it’s up. – Bothwell Anglers
At least it’s cosy in hear
Greg Turner – Pillan’s Lake Stephen Jones - Bothwell Anglers
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Alex & Josh Turner – Woods Lake
Bothwell Anglers – Fun Fish
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Clarence Anglers Flytying Weekend
Ron Stow & Grandson – Snowy Range
Clarence Anglers Open Weekend – Pawleena Dam
Vince Coyte – Pawleena Dam
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Historic Angling Images Supplied by Ray Aitchison
W.T Cramp – 1st Life Member of STLAA
McAuleys Hut at “Kenna Penstock Central Tasmania
Leena”
Dr E.T McGowan – 1st President (19121921) of the STLAA Angling at the Bridgewater Bridge 1904
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Mountain Creek Hatchery Lake Sorell
Caretakers Hut Mountain Creek Hatchery Lake Sorell
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First dam on Shannon River – Miena Great Lake
Great Lake – Probably to cold for angling
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Multiple Arch Dam (2nd Dam) under construction - Miena Great Lake
Multiple Arch Dam (2nd Dam) completed - Miena Great Lake
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Great Lake vase made in Germany – Owned by Mrs Frances Beard (nee Evans) Melton Mowbray.
Trout from Lake Echo the Latest Anglers Paradise – 1901 (9lb, 12lb, 20lb, 10.5lb & 9.5lb)
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Opening of the Trout Season 1904 – Bridgewater (Notice Clyde Webb Service Station in background)
Fishing Party 1892 – Location Unknown
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Miena Accommodation House as it was in 1908
A typical bag of Great Lake brown trout from the pre-dam glory days. The weights left to right are 9½, 7½, 10, 14, 16, 10 and 7½ lb (photo from the Handbook of Tasmania, 1908.)
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The accommodation hut at Swan Bay used by anglers for more than 15 years.
The famous “Wash� in front of the old house (long gone) at New Norfolk
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Protect our most precious resource. Yourself.
Tasmania’s lakes. We use them to generate electricity. You enjoy their many other benefits, such as fishing, boating or waterskiing. While you’re enjoying yourself, we’d like to remind you to be aware of the dangers, and make water safety your number one priority. Because, while our energy resource is renewable, you’re not. www.hydro.com.au 3232