Fishing - Optimism despite disappointing sea-run trout season

Dangerous weather limited fishing opportunities last weekend and the threat of bushfires is already a concern this early in spring.

Baitfish migrations have started in our estuaries and tidal rivers, with the annual whitebait season also set to open on October 1. After what has been a disappointing start to the sea-run trout season, some strong whitebait runs might be just what is needed to turn things around.

Highland anglers can also expect trout fishing to improve as air and water temperatures rise over coming weeks.

At this time of year, when prospecting for trout from a boat, use your sounder to look for water temperatures of about 10C to 12C or higher.

Trout are generally most active in water between about 10C and 18C and, coming out of winter, finding water at the warmer end of the lake can often mean finding more active, feeding fish.

The same principle applies throughout the season. Find water in that preferred temperature range, then adjust your fishing technique to suit the depth and conditions.

Tasmania’s rainbow trout waters are also set to open on Saturday, October 3, while Trout Weekend at Liawenee will be held on October 10-11.

The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association held its third competition of the 2026-27 season last weekend in challenging conditions.

Dangerous weather restricted opportunities and while some anglers managed reasonable catches, others struggled to find a bite.

Twenty-six trout were weighed in for a total of 14.804kg and an average weight of 0.569kg.

Kirstie Chalmers won the senior heaviest trout award with a quality sea-runner weighing 1.205kg. She also landed another good fish of 0.931kg, giving her the two heaviest trout weighed during the competition.

Gerald Russell, Craig Waddington, Wayne Parker, Adrian Slater, Wayne Marshall, Katie Russell, Paul McKenzie and Shayne Langford were also among those to weigh in fish.

Lucy Russell won the junior heaviest trout award with a fish weighing 1.081kg.

Jayden Slater weighed in six trout, with his best tipping the scales at 0.774kg.

Junior angler Ashton Hepburn won the average weight award with a trout of 0.543kg, closest to the overall competition average of 0.569kg.

NNLAA’s fourth competition will again be held on the Derwent River from October 2-4, while the club will also host the AAT Statewide Junior Angling Day on Sunday, October 18.

Deloraine District Anglers Club held its first trout competition of the season at Four Springs Lake last weekend.

Bad weather forced a late venue change from Huntsman Lake, but the move proved worthwhile, with 41 anglers landing 65 trout measuring a combined 27,125mm.

The catch included 19 brown trout and 46 rainbows.

Nigel Scott won longest total length with 2495mm, while Henry Braun landed the biggest rainbow at 500mm and Rylan Bowkett caught the biggest brown at 510mm.

Scott also won the closest-to-average-length award with a 415mm fish, just 2.3mm short of the competition average of 417.3mm.

Ivy Scott won the junior section with a total length of 2025mm, with Rylan Bowkett runner-up on 1790mm.

Tip of the week: Sometimes inactive fish will strike because scent overrides what they see. That instinctive, opportunistic reaction can overcome their natural tendency to conserve energy.

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

Tight lines until next week.