Fishing - Wild weather slows down fishing missions

By Adam Rice
Derwent Valley Gazette
17 Oct 2025
Adrian Slater with a solid female brown trout he caught from Blackmans Lagoon recently.

Dangerous weather limited anglers last weekend, and Hydro Tasmania issued hazardous condition warnings due to the volume of water running through dams and waterways.

Records were broken for October wind statistics with gusts of 163 km/h at Maatsuyker Island, 111 km/h at Tunnack, Burnie and Strahan, and 109 km/h at Launceston.

Minor flood warnings were issued for the Huon and Derwent rivers, with their tributaries also affected, and it will take a while for conditions to settle enough to give anglers a fair shot.

Many catchments are spilling on the North West, West Coast and in the Derwent Valley, and Lake King William was spilling on Monday after rising nearly 10 metres in a little over a month.

Temperatures are improving from today onwards, but the wind looks set to hang around for a while yet.

If you are planning a mission, be smart and monitor conditions before finalising your fishing plans, because it is better to be safe than sorry. GONE Fishing Day is on Sunday, October 19.

It is a national initiative celebrating the love of fishing and the benefits it brings.

Whether it is time spent outdoors or the connections we build with family, friends and local communities, it is also a day to appreciate Australia and Tasmania’s natural environments, and the role recreational fishing plays in connecting us to them.

The 2025 theme is “Fishing for the Community”, highlighting how recreational fishing strengthens social connections and encourages intergenerational learning while bringing diverse groups together.

People are encouraged to connect with local fishing clubs, take part in fishing competitions and community days, and experience the community spirit and social benefits that fishing offers.

Across the country this weekend, clubs, groups and volunteers are hosting events to celebrate Gone Fishing Day, from local community competitions to kids-only fishing clinics and environmental activities.

Whether you are casting a line for the first time or not, it is a great chance to learn more about fishing, meet other anglers and celebrate the joy of recreational fishing. In Tasmania there are several free events.

The annual Tasmanian Trout Expo, held by the Longford Angling Club at Cressy/ Brumbys Creek, will offer a lucky angler the chance to catch a prized tagged trout worth $10,000. Another junior fishing day will be held at Taylors Dam, Latrobe (opposite House of Anvers, 9025 Bass Highway), run by the Devonport and North West Angling Clubs.

The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association will run the only southern event at the junior pond, 10 Acre Lane, Bushy Park, with children 17 and under welcome to come along and have a fish for free.

All events start at 10 am and finish about 3pm, with barbecues and refreshments available.

The South-East squid spawning zone closure runs until November 14.

All waters from Lemon Rock to Whale Head, including Coles Bay and Great Oyster Bay, are closed to fishing for, and taking, squid.

The north-coast squid spawning closure remains in effect and will reopen on Saturday, November 1.

All closures apply to recreational and commercial fishers.

These closures help ensure calamari, which live for less than a year, have a chance to breed safely.

You must not take or possess squid or calamari in a closure area unless it is commercially purchased bait.

Tip Of The Week - Finesse fishing tactics are less important when angling in high, dirty or flooded waters.

Fish are less likely to detect or be deterred by thicker lines and leaders or heavy sinkers when the water is dirty so amp up your tackle to deal with debris and strong flows and to handle that trophy-size fish you just might catch.

Send in your fishing reports, pics and tips to valleygfishes@gmail.com.

Tight Lines until next week.

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