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Tasmania the southern most island
state of Australia is the premiere fly fishing destination. There
are several features that make the trout fishing in Tasmania a
unique fly fishing experience. Above all else is the tremendous
stalking and sight fishing that’s available on many of the Central
Highland Lakes. All trout in Tasmania are totally wild, you do not
encounter ‘stock fish’ so the angler has to match his wits with
the wary trout. The fish are very cunning, for the average angler
they are often very difficult to catch and sometimes down right
impossible! But it is this ‘visible’ challenge of fishing the
shallow, clear Tasmanian lakes that makes the journey a viable
proposition.
Shore Fishing
There are some local words and local
techniques that are synonymous with Tasmanian fly-fishing.
‘Polaroiding’ is the technique of choice and ‘tailing trout’
is a local phenomenon. So what is polaroiding? Well it is not unlike
searching the salt flats for Bones, the angler wades shallow sandy
flats searching for underwater clues that give away the fishes
presence. The first step to polaroiding in fresh water is to acquire
a pair of amber/ brown polarized glasses and make sure you are
wearing a hat that shades your eyes. By slowly wading the angler
scans the water column both horizontally and vertically for anything
that may resemble a fish. It is very important to focus your vision
below the water, ignoring everything above the surface plane. Shape
is the primary clue that often reveals a fish. The form of a trout
or profile is very different to other sub surface objects such as
rocks or weed beds. Movement is the other key visual clue, and most
trout encountered will show some signs of movement. It may be the
dark shadow of the trout reflected of the silt bottom, maybe the
golden flanks as a fish turns to intercept its prey, or it may just
be flicker of the tail that gives the fish away. Colour is less
dependable as fish are naturally camouflaged to suit their
environment. However contrast can sometimes be to our advantage and
this is most evident when brown trout are cruising over shallow weed
beds or rainbow trout are cruising near the surface in deep clear
water.
Tailing is a term that many devoted salt flats fishermen will
certainly understand. Brown trout in Tasmania just like bone fish in
the Florida Keys feed in very shallow or ’skinny water’. The
behavior is associated with disturbed or ‘nervous water’ which
is the visual clue to the fishes presence. Fishing for large tailing
brown trout is EXTREME fly-fishing! Little Pine Lagoon is well
recognized as one of the premiere lakes in Tasmania to find tailing
fish. The fish are always most active early and late in the day when
the sun is low, but overcast days will allow the angler to search
for ‘tails’ most of the day. There are some lakes in Tasmania
where the angler can stalk tailing fish all season long, however the
behavior is most obvious in spring (September to November)
What clients find really exciting is
combining polaroiding with tailing fish, but you need steady nerves
and accurate short casts. Imagine wading down a grassy flat mid
morning, sun at your back, clear sky, and seeing large brown trout
clearly visible and actively feeding in less than 12 inches of water.
If the angler is fortunate enough to hook a tailing trout, he will
soon discover how these strong fish can unload a full fly line in a
single run.
Boat Fishing
The ecology of the Tasmanian lakes,
there abundant trout, and their shallow nature make them perfect
boat fisheries. The variety and potential of boat fishing in
Tasmania is enormous, with the boat being primarily used as a
platform for polaroiding, a taxi to reach distant shores, or as a
vehicle to chase surface feeding fish. Guides use boats to access
areas of minimal fishing pressure and it provides a means to quickly
move from one productive area to another.
‘Loch style fishing’ is one of
the more popular and is definitely the most productive and
consistent method of catching trout in Tasmania. The technique takes
place from a broadside drifting boat and involves the retrieval of a
team of flies through the surface of the water in attempt to induce
a take from a nearby trout. This type of fishing was born in
Scotland and Ireland where it was practiced on the larger lochs for
wild brown trout and sea trout. Originally the style consisted of
repeated short casts (6 to 10m) downwind from a drifting boat. Each
cast the angler would sweep the rod back and up into the air as a
team of flies were drawn, skated, and then "dibbled" back
to the boat. The technique was essentially rhythmic and unhurried,
and was very effective on trout feeding in or near the surface.
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Probably the most challenging but
definitely the most rewarding boat fly-fishing is associated with
‘wind lanes’. Wind lanes are defined pathways on lakes where food
collects, often characterized by a smooth ribbon of water running
down an otherwise rippled surface. They are similar to the seams or
bubble lines in a stream, where food is channeled by the combination
of currents and wind. The best lanes normally contain the most food
and consequently the most feeding trout. Trout in lanes feed with
reckless abandon, and when a good lane is found there will often be
dozens of snouts punching through the surface film. The hungry
rainbow trout often feed in schools, like playful dolphins they glide
in and out of the water. Tails, fins and dark wide backs are visible
as the trout rise at regular intervals. These rainbows feed quickly
and present very demanding and challenging targets. There is no
greater thrill than hooking a large rainbow in deep water! But you
must be good in the casting department. This is one form of fishing
where picking up and casting a long line is of paramount importance.
Reading the speed of fish is an acquired skill that must be matched
by an accurate cast. Wind lane fishing is highly dependant on
overnight midge hatches, and since midges hatch all year round,
drifting down a lane early morning is always a possibility!
Wilderness Fishing
Tasmania has a vast wilderness fishery collectively described as the
‘Western lakes.’ The region offers anglers the best opportunity
to stalk and land wild trophy size browns in shallow lakes that are
rarely fished. This backcountry wilderness fishery contains over
three thousand lakes and tarns amidst spectacular National Park and
World Heritage land. Anglers are rare in this fishing adventure
wonderland! Most lakes are accessible by foot only, all are very
shallow, clear, and populated by brown trout, that range from two to
ten pounds and bigger! The feature fishing of the area is the
polaroiding on clear sunny summer days. The fish are easy to see in
these shallow clear waters, at times fish are visible as far away as
fifty meters. Fish often cruise the edges, so the angler must move
slowly, stay low and stalk his fish. Fishing is difficult and the
angler must be good at short, delicate, quick casts. But he must be
equally good at quickly punching out a long line when the situation
arises, and be ‘well versed’ at spotting fish. A final word of
warning is not to venture too far into this wild area without being
accompanied by an experienced person or guide. The weather changes
very quickly, and loosing your bearings in the open flat terrain can
become a high possibility.
If You Want To Go
The best time to plan the trip is
October to March. Quanta’s Airways provides excellent service with
flights connect from either Sydney or Melbourne. Tasmania’s best
fisheries are located in the Central Highlands. This region
encompasses central Tasmania and the small country town of Miena
situated on the shores of the Great Lake is the most central location
for the angler. The Central Highlands Lodge in Miena is the finest
fishing lodge in the area, and a number of guides provide services to
the lodge, myself included. A good source on the web for further
information about Tasmanian fly-fishing is the Fishing Tasmania
www.fishingtasmania.com web site. And one of the best books for some
pre-trip reading is Greg French’s 1994 book Tasmanian Trout Waters.
The book contains maps and information on all inland lakes, rivers,
and lagoons.
Tasmania is a special place. It’s
relative isolation, friendly people, disease free status, and cunning
wild fish must be experienced. Make it your next fishing destination
and join me on one of the shallow lake flats!
(This article is contributed by Dragonfly
Trout Adventures - Editor. For more interesting travel articles,
please visit InfoHub Specialty
Travel Guide)
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