There are plenty of sportfish to target in Tassie. Black bream are at the top of many light tackle angler’s lists in the salt, while trout reign supreme in the fresh.
Gard Saxon provides his top for snaring a few from a kayak.
For those who don’t know, trout were first introduced successfully into Tasmania 150 years ago, and found the cool, clear waters to their liking. Many waters now have self sustaining trout populations, while our fisheries (IFS) stock others with fry, relocated adults or even large ex fish-farm fish ‘stockies’.
Brown trout are the most adaptable and are in the majority both in numbers and distribution. Some lakes, such as Arthurs, are populated entirely by browns. Rainbows also spawn in some waters, but are less numerous. Atlantic salmon were imported before trout were, but have never established self sustaining populations in our waters. They are bred and grown in fish farms and are often stocked into places like Brushy Lagoon at a large (5 kg-plus) size, making them a popular target for those wanting to land a 10 lb-plus fish.
Anglers chase trout here in tiny creeks you can jump over, bigger rivers and lakes of all sizes. While many of the smaller streams would be too narrow to even turn a kayak around in, the larger rivers and lakes are ideal for kayak fishers. A kayak gives the angler more range than they would enjoy shore based, as well as the ability to fish or traverse deeper water than they could if wading. It can allow access to waters where there are no boat launching facilities and in rivers can cross rapids and logs that would stop a tinny in its tracks. It opens up a whole range of options and opportunities to catch a trout. Methods can include soaking a bait, casting or trolling lures or fly fishing. Pretty much any technique you can implement from a boat or the bank can be used on a kayak.
With all these options, I still tend to favour trolling hardbody lures on a lake. I’ll always have a few (or a lot) of casts at any fish I see moving, or likely looking spots, and now take a fly rod as well, but there is something about trolling for trout from a kayak. I fish mostly from my Hobie Revo13, which is perfectly suited to covering a lot of water easily. Many of the places I fish tend to be quite scenic, so I can put the mind and legs into low gear and just trundle along, admiring the scenery. I’ll usually troll two lures behind me, increasing my chance of showing the fish something they want to eat. I hold one rod in my right hand which leaves the left hand free to control the rudder, change settings on the sounder, have a drink or take a photo. The second rod doesn’t double the catch rate. You miss subtle bumps and some strikes too, but I’d say about 40 per cent of my fish are caught on this rod, so it is worth the extra effort to have it out.
12 fish limit, Arthurs is, overstocked‘.
This was all caught within a two hour session
You can fit a downrigger to a kayak, or fish with leadline, but I don’t do either. A downrigger adds complexity to what, for me, should be a fairly simple process. Leadline takes most of the fight out of the fish, especially the smaller ones. My preferred option is to fish shallower areas where the lure can get down to where the trout are. Two bits of gear I do find helpful are a decent sounder and good quality polaroid sunglasses.
A sounder will show you the depth of water you are in, and sometimes show you what depth fish are holding at. More importantly it will show structure and weed, as well as potential snags. This allows you to target areas likely to hold fish, and avoid hooking too many underwater obstructions. The sunglasses serve a similar purpose, helping to spot productive weed edges and submerged timber, while also protecting the eyes from UV and wayward hooks. Other essential equipment includes decent adjustable rod holders and a landing net. Optional gear includes a (waterproof) camera, and if you intend to keep any fish, a measure, means of dispatching them and something to keep them cold. In Tassie, a wet hessian bag is sufficient to store and chill your catch for a fair part of the year.
When trolling you can treat it like a scenic trip with added fishing, or you can be more business-like and actively search for areas that should hold fish. These areas will either provide shelter for the fish, food or both. Weed beds are one of the most productive areas, as they provide both food (insect larvae, snails, etc.) and shelter. If the weed is deep enough you might be able to fish over the top of it. Otherwise dragging your lure past it, but not through it, will get results. Fishing the edges rather than over the weed also gives you a chance to angle a hooked fish away from the weed. Fish hooked over weed will often dive straight into it, making the landing process more difficult.
Other places to concentrate your efforts include drowned timber (in hydro lakes), large boulders or irregularities in shallow areas, rocky points, undercut banks and under trees or shrubs that overhang the water. If the water level has risen recently the newly flooded edges are well worth a try, although these are better cast to than trolled past. All of these areas provide either shelter, food or both for the trout. As you can see, many of the areas most likely to hold fish are close to the shore, so just following the shoreline can be an excellent start. I should also mention wind lanes. These are ‘lines’ of foam and floating debris that form from time to time and tend to concentrate a lot of small insects (food) which trout will feed on. You can get lucky trolling around these, although casting flies or very small soft plastics is a better bet because you’re able to ‘match the hatch’ more effectively.
TALKING TACKLE
I’ve already mentioned some of the gear you’ll need, so let’s talk tackle. I’m a believer in ‘fish light to get the bite’. Rod, reel and line will depend somewhat on the area you are fishing, but a 2 to 4 kg rod teamed with an appropriate sized reel (I generally use a 1000 size Shimano and 2004 size Daiwa) will be big enough for most trout while still being a bit of fun on the smaller ones. A braided mainline of 6 to 8 lb and 6 lb leader is a good starting point. You won’t often need to go to a lighter leader unless the water is crystal clear. In waters that hold large fish or heavy timber you might want to go a bit heavier.
I typically start a session with a ‘bream length leader’, being two rod lengths, which allows for multiple lure changes before it gets too short. If the water is discoloured I’ll happily fish with a leader down to about a metre long. If mostly trolling, few casts are needed, so an albright knot will do to join braid and leader. When I plan a day’s casting I’ll tie the leader on with an FG at home, or a slim beauty if I need to re-tie on the kayak. I never use a swivel, although I do use a keel or ‘anti-kink’ when fishing with Celtas. If you must use one, use the smallest you can find, and never troll a spinning lure.
That brings us to lures. Many styles of lure will work on their day. Sometimes it’s the tiniest fly that the trout will take, other times a six inch jointed minnow will get a reaction from a large territorial fish. Soft plastics also have their place. Some trout anglers swear by them and it certainly hurts less when you lose one to a snag than it does when you lose a $20 hardbody. A worm pattern fished on recently flooded ground can be dynamite.
My advice would be to ask your local tackle shop about lures that have been working on the waters you plan to fish. Get to know the guys there, they provide invaluable information on what waters are fishing well. For bream fishos, many of your lures, as well as your rods and reels, will also work well for trout. I’ve caught quite a few on P21 Crackjacks 48SPs. Another tried and true favourite are the winged lures such as Cobras, Tassie Devils, Wigstons etc. Low tech, cheap and trout just can’t seem to get enough of them some days. Try the corobboree (aka 3 X) colour; it seems to work just about everywhere. I throw away the hooks that come with the winged lures and run a size 10 Decoy or Owner treble on a size 2 split ring instead, or a size 6 single hook. Be careful casting these heavier lures on light gear. Most 2 to 4 kg rods are not designed to throw a ½ oz lure, so just lob them out gently or risk a broken tip. I’m very new to fly fishing so won’t even attempt to tell you what flies to try. Seek expert advice.
OK, you have the kayak set up, the rods rigged with suitable lures and you’re at the lake. What next? I start trolling as soon as I’m clear of the ramp. Choose which direction you want to go – if it’s windy and blowing along the lake I’ll usually head into the wind so I have an easier trip home, especially if the breeze picks up. If blowing offshore, and strong, I stay in close where there is some shelter. If blowing onshore the conditions are a little uncomfortable, but the windward shore will usually fish better than the lee as the food will be aggregated there. Whatever the weather, look for the areas I mentioned earlier and concentrate on them.
Once you locate fish, either on the sounder or better still on a lure, work that particular spot. It may be time to wind in the second rod if you’re trolling and cast, or just troll past, turn, troll past again. Make wide turns when trolling. If you have 30 m of line out you need to make the turn radius at least 40 m for 180 degrees. Often it’s easier to just wind in, turn, cast out, repeat. This also changes the speed of the lure. As you start the fast wind in, a follow often becomes a take. That’s another trick. If you know the fish are there but they aren’t biting, don’t rush to try a different lure. Mix up your speed a bit with the one you are using first. Sometimes they want it a little faster, sometimes slower, and sometimes they will wait for a change in the lures’ speed.
Once you hook the fish the fun begins. Don’t just stop moving and start winding, this will result in many fish being lost, especially if they are on the lure that’s attached to the rod sitting in the holder. Put in 5 or 6 solid pedals, or paddle-strokes first, and then start with the rod and reel. Things get more challenging if you have two lines out. If the fish is small and the area not too snaggy I’ll just deal with the hooked fish and worry about the second lure later. If the area is snaggy, and I’m running a lure that will sink at rest, or if the fish is large, I hold the rod in one hand and keep pedalling, aiming for clearer water, while winding in the other line. This prevents the second lure from fouling the bottom, or worse, making a huge tangled mess if the fish decides to try to weave the two lines together. Double hook-ups are particularly interesting.
In Tassie we have lowland and highland lakes. Currently all the highland lakes and most lowland lakes have a closed season (spawning time) for much of the coldest part of the year, but during the early and late season the highland lakes can be very cold, and survival time in the water is measured in minutes, not hours. These waters should be treated with respect. Study the forecast, but remember that even the weather experts may not see changes coming. The weather can turn bad very quickly – people in boats have died so people in kayaks need to be particularly wary, have their wits about them, and have a plan B.
When fishing these waters I carry the basic safety gear, but in addition I take enough food to do me for a day or two, an emergency space blanket and most importantly a spare set of merino thermals. If I do fall in the plan would be to re-enter the kayak (something we should all be able to do), head for the nearest shore and put dry clothes on. I always take my Jetboil too. A hot cuppa is a luxury, but could also be a lifesaver following an unplanned dip. Even our lowland lakes can get very cold, and in the winter I take the same
survival extras.
My mate John with a thumper Atlantic Salmon from Lake Barrington
A license is required to fish for trout in Tassie’s inland waters. For a small extra fee you can use a second rod. The standard rule is a limit of 12 fish and a 22 cm minimum size, but bag limits and size limits vary so check the IFS website, or the handbook for the water/s you plan on fishing. Many boat ramps have signs showing the bag and size limits for that particular waterway. The IFS website also has all of this information, as well as access maps and stocking information.
I hope this has whet your appetite for a crack at some Tassie trout. Bringing a boat over on The Spirit of Tasmania is expensive, but bringing a kayak or two over on your roof-racks won’t cost any extra. While you’re down here you might as well try for your PB bream as well, but that’s another story…
