Fishing - Lakes need a top-up

We're a little over a fortnight away from the start of the 2025–26 Tasmanian Brown Trout fishing season and preparations are in full swing for an all out August assault.

Winter has been cold but we've still lacked consistent rain and snow which is needed to top up lakes and lagoons and flush our creeks, streams and rivers.

The concern will come during the warmer months as demand for water increases which will put more pressure on our already stressed storages around the State.

As for trout fishing, I'm predicting another challenging season but saying that I suggest that anglers make the most of the opportunities early.

IFS trout stocking has continued with around 900 brown trout released into Brady's Lake during the week with plenty also put into Craigbourne Dam, Curries River Reservoir, Brush Lagoon and Four Springs Lake.

Some small sea run trout are starting to show up through the lower reaches of the Derwent and Huon Estuaries but fishing has been tough going.

Fishing and fish condition should improve as time goes on and as anglers we sometimes get rewarded for effort which was the case for this next example.

Luke Cass has put in a bit of time lately and with the help of his better half Luke landed a ripper male brown trout weighing over 4 kg from the lower reaches of the Derwent River last week.

Luke said he caught the big male on a worm after seeing the fish working a particular area for a while and he finally managed to fool it into taking the bait.

Anglers fishing Great Lake have reported success during the warmer times of a day using bait and spinning galaxia patterned lures along the structured shoreline.

Anglers fishing Lake Meadowbank have reported some success on set rods using bait like worms and grubs.

Craigbourne Dam is worth a troll and spin as is Brady's Lake, Lake Binney and Tungatinah Lagoon and don't forget Lake Pedder, Lake King William, Brushy Lagoon, Lake Barrington and Lake Burbury either.

Remember 2025–26 trout licenses are available from any reputable tackle store, Service Tasmania office or by visiting the IFS website.

Threatened species on stamps

Australia Post has recently released a series of postage stamps highlighting a number of threatened Australian freshwater fish.

A small Tasmanian freshwater fish, the Swan Galaxias (Galaxias fontanus) is one of thirteen species at risk here in Tasmania and it's been recognised with the issuing of a postal stamp.

The threatened status of the Swan galaxias was highlighted during 2019 when a group of researchers and fishery managers got together to study freshwater fish across Australia.

From that, a list of 22 fish were highlighted as likely to become extinct within the next twenty years unless significant conservation and action was taken.

The Swan galaxias was one of these fish and the species is also recognised by the Commonwealth government as a priority threatened species under its Threatened Species Action Plan 2022–2032.

The Swan galaxias is a small freshwater fish that lives in the upper sections of some streams on the East Coast of Tasmania.

Unfortunately the species has been restricted to these areas by the downstream presence of prey like trout and redfin perch.

Conservation efforts have been overseen for many years and the species remains endangered but since 2023 the Inland Fisheries Service, in partnership with NRM South, the University of Tasmania and CSIRO, have identified three trout-free sections of streams in Northeast Tasmania where populations of the Swan galaxias have been established.

Early signs indicate that these populations are going ok and they're breeding which means the long-term survival of the species is more likely.

The series of stamps and envelopes feature illustrations by Dr Lindsay Marshall and are available from Australia Post Endangered Freshwater Fishes.

IFS forums scheduled

The Inland Fisheries Service is planning a series of freshwater angling forums to be held in Hobart, Launceston and Devonport in August or September this year.

The forums will run for approximately 2 hours which will include a presentation from IFS staff followed by a question and answer session and those attending can also meet, greet and chat to IFS to raise anything of concern.

There is a short survey on the IFS website requesting information on topics which must be completed by Friday July 25 and the IFS will confirm forum dates thereafter.

The IFS is also planning on hosting a forum at Miena early in 2026 which will probably detail Trout Weekend and moving forward with this.

It's also been mentioned that forums could be recorded for those to see that can't attend in person.

Tip Of The Week – The "bag limit" is the number of fish you can keep at a water in any one day and the size limit (length in mm) is how big or small the fish must be for you to be allowed to keep it.

Remember any fish in your possession at a water counts towards the limit for that particular water.

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

Tight Lines until next week.