2021/22 Tasmanian Trout Fly Fishing Season Overview

Tasmania's Trout Fishery Recap

With the majority of trout fishing waters closing on 1 May and temperatures plummeting as we fast approach winter, the 2021/2022 trout fishing season in Tasmania has effectively drawn to a close.

After some much needed heavy rains, hopefully the brown trout annual spawning runs are in full swing and a new stock of wild brown trout are on their way to populating many of our trout fishing locations around Tasmania.

The closed season provides a great opportunity to reflect on the trout fishing season that was, and lay plans for the upcoming 2022/23 season, which opens on 6 August 2022.

Fly fishing in Tasmania is all about understanding how different weather conditions are likely to impact the trout and their feeding behaviours.

The weather dictates everything including factors such as:

• water temperatures;
• light conditions;
• air pressure;
• as well as other environmental factors.

These determine what food sources are likely to be available to the trout, which in turn provides us with some clues as to which fly fishing location, technique and flies to choose.

Being in tune with this was particularly vital during the Tasmanian trout fishing season, with extreme weather fluctuations throughout the season greatly varying the fly fishing options on offer day to day.

Each trout fishing season in Tasmania is different and the ability to read conditions and understand how the trout are likely to behave will always serve anglers well in what is a hugely diverse and often challenging fishery. This season has provided many highlights, and we appreciate all those that have shared in these moments with us at Trout Tales.

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The Season That Was - Recapping The 2021/22 Trout Fishing Season in Tasmania

The earlier months of the recent trout fishing season in Tasmania (August - October) saw many parts of the state receiving some of the highest spring rainfalls on record, with 100mm or more above average falling in many areas.

This was fantastic news from a fly fishing perspective, as the Tasmanian highland lakes were at their highest levels for many years.

This meant the trout had moved to the edges of the lake, where water had flooded out across areas of grass, reeds and trees, providing a bounty of food sources to the trout, who were keen to feed aggressively as they attempted to regain weight after the long spawning season.

Fishing with small wet flies such as woolly buggers, magoos, fur flies and nymphs produced some amazing days fishing on the lakes as trout could be seen charging at the flies, often in very shallow water.

As the season progressed into the warmer summer months (November - February) the much anticipated mayfly hatches, which Tasmania is so famous for, began strongly during November and December with consistent hatches on most days. A noticeable decline in hatch numbers and consistency started to occur on the lakes as a result of hot and dry weather conditions, with Tasmania recording the driest summer on record for more than 40 years.

These conditions led to the trout feeding less from the surface during the main daylight hours, with more consistent dry fly fishing on offer around the dawn and dusk periods of the day.

It was crucial during this phase of the season to adjust the fly fishing techniques to suit the conditions on the day, which often meant fishing sub-surface with small weighted and unweighted mayfly nymph patterns. Despite the lack of insect hatches, warm water temperatures and dry conditions, the trout were still willing to feed at different times of the day on these small flies.

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Our Top Picks From The 2021/22 Trout Fishing Season

Particular highlight lakes of the Tasmanian trout fishing season included Herne Lagoon, Great Lake, Little Pine Lagoon and Pine Tier Lagoon.

These lakes provided exceptional fly fishing opportunities throughout the season, with a mix of wet and dry fly fishing on offer depending on the conditions at various times of the season and on each individual day. Our clients experienced many memorable days on all these venues, with most anglers, both novice and experienced, landing some great fish at these venues.

A particularly memorable week on these lakes was during February whilst guiding and filming with Hurleys Fly Fishing Australia.

From early morning midge feeding trout, epic mayfly hatches and fish launching at blue damsel flies, the footage taken is sure to capture what fly fishing in Tasmania is all about. Episodes will air from October onwards throughout the On The Fly series on 7mate TV.

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The Season Ahead - What To Expect From Tasmanian Trout Fishing in 2022/23

With the opportunity to take a breath and reflect on the season, we are excited to take this years learnings into the new season, only three months away.

Each season presents the opportunity to fish new water and develop spots which are 'guiding worthy'. ‍

Many of our guiding locations are places that we have fished across multiple seasons, in a range of different conditions, at various times of the year. This gives our clients the best possible chance at having a great day on the water, and gives us confidence in knowing what we are likely to expect on any given day.

Over the next three months we will be working on improving the guiding behind our Tasmanian trout fishing packages even further to continue providing the best possible experience to all our guests. With our gourmet Tasmanian lunch packs an extra highlight of a day on the water, we will be working with more local producers to give clients the opportunity to sample some of Tasmania's world class produce throughout their trip.

We also continue to work towards offering some truly unique all-inclusive guiding, accommodation and meal packages. Through our recent land development in the Central Highlands area, we hope to commence building the accommodation part of these packages in the coming months. Whilst not due for completion in time for the 2023 trout fishing season, we hope to begin taking forward bookings for these amazing Tasmanian experiences.

Staying Connected

Now is a great time to plan your fishing adventure with a tailored trout fly fishing package with Trout Tales Tasmania.

With a wealth of expertise fishing in Tasmania, Matt can discuss all the aspects required to make your trip the fly fishing trip of a lifetime.

With plenty of dates still available for the 2023 fly fishing season, booking now will secure dates during fly fishing primetime in Tasmania. Check out our packages or get in touch today!