39th FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championship coming to Tasmania
by Carl Hyland 24 Jun 2019 05:42 UTC
December 2019
Damien Hickey Meander River © Courtesy of Inland Fisheries Service
Early December 2019 sees the 39th FIPS Mouche World Fly Fishing Championship event held in Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania was selected for the event because of its world class trout Fishery, plus the infrastructure available to hold such an event.
With over 200 competitors coming to the state for the competition, no doubt many more will come too not only to view the spectacle but to participate in the magnificent fishery that Tasmania has to offer. Managed by the Inland Fisheries Service, the waters where competition is to be held, have been stocked heavily with wild brown Tasmanian trout who's heritage and genes go back over 150 years to when the species was first introduced from England.
Recently, The Minister responsible for Inland Fisheries, the Hon. Guy Barnett officially opened one of two new toilets at Penstock Lagoon. Construction has started at the other locations with all on track to be completed prior to the trout season opening on Saturday 3 August.
The Inland Fisheries Service is improving amenities at boat ramps and campgrounds across the State including building toilets at:
- Bradys Lake, main boat ramp;
- Bronte Lagoon, boat ramp;
- Four Springs Lake, southern end of the car park;
- Lake Augusta, boat ramp;
- Lake Sorell, Dago Point campground;
- Little Pine Lagoon, main boat ramp;
- Penstock Lagoon, boat ramp and the Ladies Walk area;
- Tungatinah Lagoon, boat ramp and
- Woods Lake, boat ramp.
In November last year the British television presenter and biologist Jeremy Wade travelled to Tasmania to do some filming for his latest TV show, Dark Waters. This particular episode is focused on the Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi), but it also covers the carp management, the threatened golden galaxias, the river blackfish, and some historical aspects of fish species in Tasmania.
This episode (s01e07) titled "Jurassic river beast" is now available on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, and features some spectacular landscapes and unique creatures found around Tasmania.
The rainbow trout waters closed last weekend (Sunday 2 June) but there are still lots of freshwater fishing available over winter. Waters open all year round are:
- Brushy Lagoon from one hour before sunrise to three hours after sunset on any day
- Craigbourne Dam from one hour before sunrise to three hours after sunset on any day
- Great Lake other than Canal Bay
- Huntsman Lake from one hour before sunrise to three hours after sunset on any day
- Huon River from the Huonville Bridge downstream to the seaward limit of that river
- Lake Barrington
- Lake Burbury
- Lake Meadowbank
- Lake Pedder
- Lake King William
- River Leven from the confluence of Whisky Creek, delineated by a straight line between grid reference 422710E 5442177N and 422750E 5442142N downstream to the seaward limit of that river
- North Esk River and River Tamar from the Lower Charles Street Bridge on the North Esk River downstream to the seaward limit of the River Tamar
- Pioneer Lake
- River Derwent from the A10 Road Bridge at grid reference 504630E 5263716N downstream to the seaward limit of that river
- South Esk River and River Tamar from the West Tamar Road Bridge on the South Esk River downstream to the seaward limit of the River Tamar
- Conditions are ideal at this time of the year to catch trout.