Fishing - Trout season coming to an end

Another trout fishing season is almost over, with the 2025-2026 Tasmanian Brown Trout Fishing season closing this Sunday night, May 3rd at 11.59 pm.

Brown trout anglers will be looking to fish their favourite spots one last time, but there will be plenty of opportunities to catch trout even after the season closes.

Trout fishing in our rivers improved after the cold snap a few weeks ago, which sent down the first snowfalls of the year.

The estuaries through to the upper reaches and tributaries of the Derwent and Huon Rivers have fished a lot better with good numbers of trout in the .300 kg - 1 kg+ weight range feeding on baitfish.

The Tyenna River has also been worth a run, with some bigger brown trout moving in when the higher water levels allowed it.

River, Lake and Lagoon fishing also improved on the back of a "new" moon phase, slightly dirty, colder water and a rising barometer.

It's not often that everything aligns to offer perfect fishing conditions, and if you were out fishing during that period, you'd have had some fun.

Similarly, closing weekend matches an approaching full moon, backed by unseasonably mild conditions, which should also mean we could experience some great trout fishing to see out the season.

Other waters worth a run over closing weekend could be Bronte Lagoon, Penstock and Little Pine Lagoon for fly anglers, Talbots Lagoon, Great Lake (3 tagged trout - first caught tagged trout worth 25k), Lake Sorell ( 3 tagged trout), Lake Leake (1 tagged trout) & Toom's Lake, Wood's Lake and Arthurs Lake (two tagged trout worth $5k), Lake Echo and Lake Pedder. 

There are plenty of other waters that should all give up trout, but check out the IFS website for those that still hold yellow-tagged cash winners, with a total of 27 trout still out there to be caught.

Don't stress, though. The promotion runs until the end of the 2026-27 season, with more tagged trout set to be released in the months before its start on Saturday, August 1

Trout fisheries open until Sunday May 31st are Lake Mackintosh, Lake Rosebery, the lower sections of Brumby's Creek downstream from Weir 1 on Brumby's Creek to its junction with the Macquarie River, the lower section of the Macquarie River downstream from its junction with Brumby's Creek to its confluence with the South Esk River, the lower section of the Meander River downstream from the bridge on Selbourne Road at Hagley to its confluence with the South Esk River, the section of the South Esk River downstream from the bridge on Story's Creek Road at Avoca to a point upstream of its confluence with Lake Trevallyn, Dee Lagoon, Lake Rowallan, Lake Skinner, Mersey River above Lake Rowallan and the associated upper Mersey lakes rainbow fishery (Lakes Meston, Junction and Youd) Leven River above the Loongana Bridge, Weld River in the North East above Harridge Falls and Weld River in the South above the confluence of the Huon River.

Waters open to trout fishing all year round are Brushy Lagoon, Craigbourne Dam, Yingina/Great Lake (other than Canal Bay), Huntsman Lake, Huon River downstream of the Huonville Bridge, Lake Barrington, Lake Burbury, Lake Meadowbank, Lake Pedder, Lake King William, North Esk River and Kanamaluka/River Tamar downstream of the Lower Charles Street Bridge, Derwent River downstream of the New Norfolk Bridge, Leven River downstream of the Whisky Creek, South Esk River downstream of the West Tamar Road Bridge, The Brady's chain of lakes (except the inflowing water at Brady's Lake, known as the “whitewater”, which will close on May 3.
The New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Association is holding their final trout fishing competition of the season over the closing weekend, which is an "Open Waters" event.

Members can fish their favourite spots one last time, and they can now also enjoy more fishing, as the competition's starting time has been changed to 8 am on Friday, the 1st of May.

The competition's weigh-in, which will be held at the Rotunda on the Esplanade in New Norfolk, has also changed, with the new time from 3 pm to 3.30 pm.

After weather dramas caused the cancellation of competition 8,, the NNLAA hopes to see members out and about making the most of the available fishing time.
Tip Of The Week- The 2026/27 Tasmanian Brown Trout season will open in 91 days.