Tasmanian Fishing Report - 14 June 2023 - Barrels in numbers and sword story
by Spot On Fishing Hobart 15 Jun 2023 04:12 UTC
A paper nautilus found in the stomach of one of the bluefin caught by Alan Williams & Jonah Yick © Spot On Fishing Hobart
Barrel tuna in the last few days and brown trout finished
We would love to hear your reports and see photos of your catches to help fellow anglers. Please email or send them to our Facebook/Instagram Page.
Bream - are going well throughout the Derwent and Huon Estuary's. Fish seem to be thickest around the mona section of the Derwent but have been caught throughout the system. Port Huon is also fishing well on the Huon system
Trout - Craigbourne dam has been recently stocked with both Browns and Rainbows and is fishing very well, Great Lake has been producing good fish spinning the shore for those brave enough to venture up to the cold and good reports of sea runners from the Derwent system have been coming in.
Salmon - aussie salmon continue to get caught up the east coast around Marion Bay and inside port Arthur Bay.
Squid - Calamari are fishing fairly well with some good-sized models being caught through the channel and up the east coast. Yamashita and Shimano jigs are proving most effective.
Tuna - Big Bluefin have been the hot topic lately with fish up to 130kg being caught at schouten island, Maria Island and eagle hawk neck. Meridian Demon 5s seem to be accounting for most fish.
King Flathead - reports of good numbers of king flathead in around 50m of water in munrose and off the bottom of maria.
Garfish - people continuing to get some good-sized garfish throughout the shallow lagoons.
Flounder - have been good when a weather window allows it.
Beginners Fly Tying Day with The Tasmanian Fly Tyers' Club
Venue: Lenah Valley RSL 188 Lenah Valley Rd, Lenah Valley
Date: Saturday 1st July 2023 From 10:30 AM to 3 PM
Cost: $50 per person
All fly-tying gear and materials will be provided. You don't have to bring anything!
An opportunity to learn basic fly-tying techniques and to create current popular trout catching patterns
BBQ lunch provided
NOTE: STRICTLY LIMITED NUMBERS! ALL AGES WELCOME.
To confirm a place please phone or text: Brian West on 0407 481779 or email:
Download Flyer
Carp functionally eradicated from Tasmania!
The Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) is extremely excited to announce that after an intensive 28 year program, it has functionally eradicated common carp (Cyprinus carpio), meaning the few, if any, remaining carp in Lake Sorell are unable to breed!
The invasive carp were confirmed in lakes Crescent (23km2) and Sorell (53km2) in 1995. These large lakes have wetlands of state, national and international significance and are home to the endemic golden galaxias (Galaxias auratus). The Carp Management Program (CMP) was established by the IFS in response to this incursion. The last carp in Lake Crescent was caught in 2007 with eradication announced in 2009. Since then, efforts were diverted to the much larger Lake Sorell.
Using the proven strategies implemented in Lake Crescent, techniques were modified to suit the more expansive Lake Sorell. These techniques included intensive gill netting, biotelemetry, electro-fishing, spawning habitat barriers and traps. From 1995 to 2023, 41,504 carp were removed from Lake Sorell and 7,797 from Lake Crescent.
Eradication efforts in Lake Sorell were assisted by the jelly gonad condition (JGC) in male carp, which causes sterility. IFS has determined that any remaining carp in Lake Sorell are likely to be either female or JGC males. The last fertile male was caught in the 2018-19 season with only a single female carp captured in the 2022-23 season.
Annual juvenile carp surveys in Lake Sorell have not detected any evidence of recruitment since 2013. This is despite ideal environmental conditions for carp spawning in spring 2016, 2021 and 2022, highlighting their inability to breed.
The IFS will monitor Lake Sorell to confirm eradication and undertake educational campaigns on the threats invasive species pose to Tasmania.
Based on the recovery of the Lake Crescent fishery, the coming season provides a great opportunity for anglers to reunite with Lake Sorell and for the younger generation to experience for the first time.
Recent photos
Whiting report from Jonah Yick - Caught my first king george whiting in Georges Bay, St Helens last week, with Howard Jones of the Break O Day Sports Angling Club. Caught approx.. 13 of varying sizes, A bit slow due to the cold water temps (11 degrees). Mussel was the bait of choice, however squid strips also worked well.