Small stream trout fishing.

[Meppstas 5,014]

Only one month to go before the 2024/25 trout season opens so here's another of my 2023/24 trout season spin sessions, this trip was mid January not long after the influx of Cormorants hit the rivers & streams here in Tasmania. Thankfully. I did manage to catch and release a few wild brown trout before this little stream was cleaned out...

cheers Adrian (meppstas)

[Des 838]

On 2/7/2024 at 4:03 PM, Meppstas said:

Only one month to go before the 2024/25 trout season opens

What do you regard as your regular season?

And what are the drivers for it?

I am hanging out for things to warm up in the gulf and on the sand flats 

A very cold winter spell currently that will delay things. At 11C and possibly cooler in spots one of the coldest spells 

https://oceancurrent.aodn.org.au/product.php 

[Meppstas 5,014]

Our trout season for the rivers/stream & lakes starts on the Saturday closest to the 1st August & closes on the last Sunday closest to the end of April each year. There are several lakes open all year round and a few rivers that are classed as rainbow trout waters close a month later & open a month later than brown trout waters. We've had our driest Winter that I can remember since moving here back in March 2000, May rainfall was 45 mm, June 106 mm, so far for July just 1 mm, there is rain on the way sometime Sunday or Monday at this stage. Temps here in Sheffield have been very low -4 degrees with a max of 9 degrees, reverse cycle Air con freezes up so can't run it until around 9:30 am - 10:00 am. No problems when it rains, just those heavy frosty night are a real pain in the but, last Saturday we lost power for thirteen hours (4:00 am - 5:00 pm) after lightning hit a power pole. I was talking to out son a few days ago and he said it's been pretty cool in Sth Aust as did our ex neighbours at Sellicks Beach. As for you question about drivers Des, I'm not sure what you mean by that. 

cheers Adrian

[Des 838]

On 4/7/2024 at 1:28 PM, Meppstas said:

As for you question about drivers Des, I'm not sure what you mean by that. 

So you have an imposed closed and open season for trout?

With drivers I am referring to natural seasonal triggers and stimuluses that get the fish firing.  assuming they go dormant in winter.

So things like a certain temperature ... which may also coincide with the natural availability of food. A hatch of a particular insect. Natural stimuli, triggers, drivers of fish behaviour.

[Meppstas 5,014]

Brown trout spawn in the rivers during late May though June & July that's the reason our season is closed those three months, waters that are classed as rainbow trout waters close approx one month later and reopen in September as they spawn later than the browns. Water temps does have a big effect on trout fishing in both rivers & lakes, early season the trout can be a little sluggish with low water temps of 3-6 degrees, Myself I prefer the water temps in the rivers to be 9-15 degrees as that's when the trout seem to be most aggressive. Sometimes early season can also depend on the weather conditions as well, a warmer than normal Winter the trout can be quite aggressive from day one due to the water temps being around 6-9 degrees. The fly fishers love the late Spring to Summer hatches as that's when the trout are most aggressive, not all that good for the lure fisher like me, though I still tend to do reasonably well with some good catches. The fly fisher can also have their off days when the trout are surface feeding especially if they can't match the hatch. Brown trout are so cunning that's for sure where as the rainbows are more aggressive as they tend to take what ever you throw at them. Low air pressure does effect the trout fishing too. As for your question about trout going dormant in Winter, there are several lakes open all year round here in Tassie which I don't bother to fish as they're highland lakes and it's too cold for my liking. Those that do fish the lakes during the Winter months do catch quite a few trout but not in big numbers. This year we've had a reasonably dry Winter so far, but there has been some very heavy frosts & snowfall with temps down as low as minus 13.5 degrees, several lake have frozen over. Early season fishing rivers for me I normally start off with a bright coloured inline spinner to stimulate the trout into taking it, then as the season warms up as does the water temps then I go to medium to darker coloured lures. There's always those days when for one reason or another when the trout decided they don't like anything thing one throws at them, especially the brown trout. Bait fishing is very popular early in the trout season too, garden worms being one of the best bait to use, the use of berley or any of the bait scents are illegal to use in any trout waters here in Tasmania, one can't even through a lump of wet dirt with a worm or two in it into a river/lake. To me trout fishing a river is more of a challenge that trawling a lure behind a boat in a lake, knowing the rivers that one fishes also has it's advantages.

Hope this has been of some help to you Des..

cheers Adrian

[Des 838]

4 hours ago, Meppstas said:

 

Hope this has been of some help to you Des..

cheers Adrian

Thanks Adrian. Always very interesting to be aware of the many different factors effecting fish behaviour.

As you would be aware I do all my fishing wading shallow water sand flats casting lures. I very rarely use bait these days. I have always felt there were parallels and similarities to wading for trout. Something that requires a far bigger effort that I am prepared to give here in S.A. 

Regardless I like eating Yellow Fin Whiting and Flathead too much !!!

I am waiting for the upper gulf waters to get back over 13c before I get back into it. And if the bloodworms are running as well the YFW fishing is great. This usually occurs around the August bloodworm run. And only gets better with lures as it gets warmer. The Flathead too start making an appearance and hang around until the water warms up too much for the baitfish in the midst of summer. Then reappear in numbers in Autumn. Not to say a cool summer spell will be productive and bring them back in.

So always attuned to the variables and the effect on fishing ... regardless of species, environment or locality.

Cheers, Des

 

 

[Meppstas 5,014]

I used to love going after the blood worms in and around Outer Harbor back in the day when I lived in Sth Aust, most of the areas that I used go for them are closed off now. I used to go to Pelican Point & under the Outer Harbor Wharf for them, I gather that's all closed off now as it's been around 36 years or so since I've done it, been in Tassie for the last 24 years. They're one of the best baits around that's for sure..

cheers Adrian