Fishing - New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association hand out awards

The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association held their dinner and Trophy Presentation for the 2025/26 season at the New Norfolk RSL Club last Friday night.

Around 60 members and guests enjoyed a sensational spit roast meal before outstanding anglers were presented with awards for their achievements from the season past.

Special guests included Derwent Valley Mayor Michelle Dracoulis, MLC Craig Farrell and wife Lee and IFS representatives Brett Mawbey and Vanessa Britten.

Guests addressed the audience as well as helped present awards to winners also backed by valued sponsors, NNLAA life and general members, families and friends.

Major Awards for the 2025/26 season are as follows –

• Heaviest Brown Trout Overall (Senior) David Triffitt and Peter Hodge
• Perpetual Trophy and Heaviest Trout Caught on An Artificial Lure- Bert Wigston Memorial Trophy- Martyn Evans -3.136 kg.
• Heaviest Rainbow Trout Overall- Barbara Morley Memorial Trophy- Jayden Slater- 1.837 kg.
• Heaviest Trout Junior-14-17 yrs- Lucy Russell -.768 kg
• Heaviest Trout Junior- 4-13 yrs- Jayden Slater- 1.837 kg.
• Heaviest Trout Derwent River- Michelle Williams Memorial Trophy- Male- Martyn Evans 3.136 kg Female- Kirsty Chalmers- .984 kg.
• Most Consistent Angler- Male- Tooney Aitchison Perpetual Trophy-Adrian Slater-22 points. Female- Des Cranfield Perpetual Trophy-Kirsty Chalmers-30 points Junior- Ken Morley Memorial Trophy- Jayden Slater-37 points
• Smallest Trout- Jayden Slater
• Encouragements Awards- Juniors- Luca Bailey-Harrison, Addie Bailey and  Darcy and Lee Robertson.
• Mavis and Ken Russell Best Club Person Award- Stephanie Fulton.

With the 2026-27 Tasmanian Brown Trout fishing season starting in just a few weeks, it's time to get your licences sorted.

This season, and following on from last season, kids under 14 years of age don't need a trout fishing licence to fish for trout in waters in Tasmania.

Kids aged 14 to 17 years can again apply for a free licence with discounted licence fees still applying for 18 to 21 year old's and now also for those over 80 years of age.

Anglers aged 80 years and over who have bought a 5-season licence before the 2026-27 season will receive a refund of the difference between the cost of the previous licence and the new discounted rate.

The tagged trout promotion will also continue through the 2026/27 season, with more information to be released by the IFS before the season starts on August 1.

Anyone can buy a Brown Trout fishing license online at www.ifs.tas.gov.au or visit Service Tasmania outlets and most tackle, outdoor and sports stores in Tasmania.

Tasmanian anglers now also have a new trout/rainbow trout fishery to target this season, called Den Dam, which opens in line with other Rainbow Trout waters later in 2026.

At this unique fishery, anglers may use only artificial lures and flies with single barbless hooks, and they must release all the fish they catch.

Expectations are high for Den Dam, with early reports suggesting it could become a trophy rainbow trout fishery.
Tip Of The Week- As well as purchasing a new season's license, now is the time to start stocking up on essential fishing tackle like new line (s), hooks, lures, and anything you use most when you're out fishing.
Send in your fishing reports, pics and tips to valleyfishes@gmail.com
Tight Lines until next week.