Fishing - Trout season ends

Another Brown Trout fishing season has finished after one of the warmest May closing weekends on record.

Trout anglers made the most of the conditions, although reports suggest most also had mixed results.

Anglers fishing during the week were rewarded with some big trout whilst targeting the Tyenna River.

Two big male brown trout were landed on the same day from the same area by Ben Hoggins and Jarvis Smith, with both brutes weighing around 6kg.

Andrew Slater also landed a trophy male brown trout on Saturday, weighing 6.3kg, using worms, and, like the other anglers, will look to have it mounted to hang on the wall.    
Anglers fishing Lake Sorell did it tough at the weekend, although a better bite time came on Sunday during the weather change.

Lake Crescent's water level is down, which has restricted fishing to the shore again, with limited results.

The Launceston Anglers Club held a length-based competition at both waters a fortnight ago, with Sam Walley landing the best fish at 66 cm long, and the next two best trout were 48.5 cm, caught by Craig Grillett and Ethan Howard.

The Brady's Chain of Waters was a popular place over the closing weekend, as was Bronte Lagoon, but anglers were made to work for any fish.

Bronte Lagoon has fished well again this season, and its brown and rainbow trout are getting bigger.

The Northern shores of Lake Echo offered a few fish up to 1 kg or more. Woods Lake, Lake Pedder, Craigbourne Dam, Great Lake, Talbots Lagoon, The Dee Lagoon, Meadowbank Lake, and the fresher upper reaches of the Derwent and Huon Rivers also gave up a few fish.
Remember, designated Rainbow Trout fishing waters remain open until the end of May.

Waters like Lake Mackintosh and Lake Rosebury, the lower sections of Brumbies Creek and the Macquarie, Meander and South Esk Rivers.

The Dee Lagoon, Lake Rowallan, Lake Skinner, plus the Leven and Weld Rivers are also classed as designated Rainbow Trout fishing waters.

Anglers should also note that there's still a good incentive to get out and trout fish, with six open all-year waters holding tagged trout worth cash.

They are Brady's Lake, Craigbourne Lake, Huntsman Lake, Lake Burbury, Derwent River (below boundary) and Great Lake (1st trout worth 25k).

Lake Mackintosh and Lake Rowallan are two other waters that also have tagged trout, with both closing to fishing at the end of May.    
The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association held their last trout fishing competition of the 2025/26 season over the closing weekend.

The "Open Water" event allowed members to fish their favourite spots one last time before the season's end.

Surprisingly, just eleven trout were weighed in, with a total weight of 7.256 kg and an average weight of 0.659 kg.

NNLAA Treasurer Katie Russell caught the best trout of the competition from Lake Sorell, a ripper male brown trout weighing 2.214 kg cleaned.

Katie won the senior heaviest trout award with Adrian Slater next on .516 kg and .507 kg, and Andrew Slater next with .479 kg.

NNLAA youngster Darcy Robinson won the Junior heaviest Trout award with a nice fish weighing .819 kg, which just pipped young gun Jayden Slater with his fish at .798 kg, who Lee Robinson followed with his weighing .567 kg.

Junior Lee Robinson won the average weight award for his fish weighing .567 kg.

The competition's results show fishing was tough going over the closing weekend, but sometimes it's not always about that either.

Keep an eye out on the NNLAA's Facebook page for updates as we push towards the annual dinner and trophy night held in early July.
Tip Of The Week- The IFISH Crew completed the newly crowned Tassie Slam last weekend, landing a Broadbill Swordfish, Striped Marlin and a Yellowfin Tuna all in one day of fishing from their trailer boat off St Helen's.
Send in your fishing reports, pics and tips to valleyfishes@gmail.com
Tight lines until next week.