Fishing - Trout catch at Lake Leake earns Andrew Rolls $5K

The sixth $5000 tagged trout of the 2026–27 season has been caught by Andrew Rolls at Lake Leake.

Andrew was fishing with his partner Jackie and son Charlie late in October when the trio began trolling back to the ramp in the rain. Just 300 metres from shore, his favourite Black Queen rod and Daiwa reel sprang into action.

A spirited fight followed before Andrew landed a 1.35kg (3lb) brown trout, complete with a yellow tag.

The rod and reel are particularly special to Andrew. They were passed on by his mother, who loved trout fishing and once won a competition using the same outfit.

‘It must be a lucky rod,’ Andrew said. ‘Mum taught me a lot about fishing, so catching this fish on her old outfit makes it even more special.’

There was another touch of luck in the lure selection. Andrew's uncle and cousin had recommended a Tassie Devil No. 2 ‘Pink My Frog’, and a stop at Kalangadoo Store revealed just one left on the shelf.

That last lure caught the winning trout, late in the day and in the rain.

‘We thought it might be worth a prize, but we couldn't believe it when we found out it was worth $5000,’ Andrew said.

‘It was a pretty special moment to share with Jackie and Charlie as well.’

There are still 41 yellow-tagged trout in Tasmanian waters, while the first tagged brown trout and first tagged rainbow trout caught from Great Lake are each worth $25,000.

Another lucky angler, 26-year-old Matthew Maurice, has landed a barramundi worth $1 million in the Northern Territory.

As part of an annual competition designed to encourage fishing, 100 tagged barramundi were released at various locations, each worth $10,000, along with one special fish worth $1 million.

Matthew caught the prized 80cm, red-tagged barramundi last Thursday at Corroboree Billabong. It is only the second million-dollar tagged fish caught in the competition's 12-year history.

The first was caught by teenager Keegan Payne in the Katherine River in 2024. Four $10,000 barramundi have also been caught in the current competition, which ends in March 2027.

The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association held its fifth competition of the 2026–27 season in open waters last weekend, with 22 trout weighed in for a combined 28.260kg and an impressive average of 1.284kg.

The Slater family enjoyed an outstanding weekend, with cousins Adrian and Andrew each landing a brown trout described as a 10-pounder.

Adrian took the senior heaviest trout award with a fine female brown weighing 4.182kg cleaned, while Andrew was close behind with a male brown weighing 4.063kg cleaned.

Adrian's son Jayden won the junior heaviest trout award with a well-conditioned female brown weighing 2.620kg cleaned.

Jayden also landed browns weighing 1.481kg, 1.315kg and 1.231kg, two more over 1kg, and rainbows weighing 1.380kg and 1.311kg.

Nate Hepburn caught several trout, his best weighing 515g, while Adrian's partner, Kirstie Chalmers, landed fish weighing 1.495kg and just under 1kg.

Jayden also won the average weight award with his 1.311kg rainbow, the closest to the competition average. Kirstie, Andrew and Nate received mystery weight prizes.

The association's next competition is scheduled for November 27–29 at lakes Crescent and Sorell, although the venue may change following discussion at the next general meeting. Members will be notified.

The association is also hosting the 2026 STLAA Family Day barbecue at Bushy Park this Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Fishing is for junior members of STLAA-affiliated clubs only.

Tip of the week: The Inland Fisheries Service released 2000 wild rainbow trout, averaging 675g each, into Lake Meadowbank on October 27.

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

Tight lines until next week.