Fishing - More tagged trout released into Great Lake

Tasmanian trout anglers have another chance to land a $25,000 prize after the Inland Fisheries Service released two more tagged rainbow trout into Great Lake.

The fish were released before rainbow trout waters opened last Saturday as part of the Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion 2024–27.

Great Lake now has six tagged trout, two rainbows and four browns. The first eligible tagged rainbow and brown trout caught from the lake will each earn the successful angler $25,000. The promotion also offers $5000 prizes.

Look for the yellow IFS tags carrying winner details. To claim a prize, anglers must keep the tagged fish and report the details, with photographic evidence, to the IFS within 72 hours of catching it.

With warmer weather approaching and fishing at Great Lake expected to improve, you never know your luck.

The extra incentive coincides with Trout Weekend at the IFS Liawenee Field Station from 10am to 3pm this Saturday and Sunday.

The event highlights Great Lake’s annual rainbow trout spawning run, a remarkable sight in itself.

The Great Lake Tie-In will also be held this Saturday, from 10am to 3pm, at the Great Lake Community Centre at Miena.

The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association held its fourth trout fishing competition of the 2026–27 season on the Derwent River last weekend.

Members enjoyed settled weather, but fishing remained tough, with trout biting only for short periods as the tide changed.

A total of 32 trout were weighed in, with a combined weight of 18.815kg and an average of 0.587kg.

Adrian Slater won the senior heaviest trout award with a cracker sea-run trout weighing 1.597kg cleaned.

Slater has started the season well on the Derwent. His next two best fish, from a bag of five, weighed 0.984kg and 0.694kg.

My two best trout weighed 1.038kg and 0.724kg. Adrian Hepburn landed a nice fish of 0.867kg, while Gerald Russell’s best from five weighed 0.683kg and Wayne Parker’s best from five weighed 0.546kg.

Like his father, Jayden Slater lives and breathes trout fishing and has also made a strong start to the season.

He won the junior heaviest trout award with a sea-runner weighing 1.045kg. His next two best fish weighed 0.981kg and 0.683kg.

Isaac Cowen had the next best trout at 0.548kg, which won him the average weight award. Nate Hepburn followed with 0.520kg and Mahalia Robertson with 0.455kg.

Mystery weight awards went to Nate Hepburn, Robertson, Adrian Hepburn and me.

Members also landed black bream, mullet and Australian salmon, while many small trout were caught and released.

Seals remain a problem. Anglers reported close encounters from boats and the shore, and say seals have affected trout fishing this season.

The association’s next competition is an open waters event from Friday, October 30, to Sunday, November 1.

Keep an eye on the club’s Facebook page for details of Gone Fishing Day and the Anglers Alliance Tasmania Statewide Junior Angling Day on Sunday, October 18.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania has advised that forestry harvesting north of Woods Lake will run for six weeks.

The work will not be visible from the lake, but anglers can expect more traffic, including log trucks, on Woods Lake Road. Take care when travelling in the area.

The gate on Lake Augusta Road reopened on Tuesday, September 29, restoring access to Lake Ada, Lake Kay and Double Lagoon.

The Pillans Lake track remains closed and will be assessed on or after Sunday, November 1. Reopening will depend on road and weather conditions.

Tip of the week

Southern bluefin tuna fishing is starting to fire up, with some big fish caught in Bass Strait off northern Tasmania over the past week or so.

Send your fishing reports, pictures and tips to valleyfishes@gmail.com.

Tight lines until next week.