Friday 10, Sep 2010
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To date, I had endured a bout of gastro that I later found I brought to Tassie with me…a bonus of having children as any dad will know. Upon recovering, I then kicked on to experience the magnificent dry fly fishing available at Lake King William. And the grand finale of trout fishing that is casting on unfished waters was drawing closer but not before a stop on the way…
A brief shoot out on the local river proved that while bigger noisier lures can cover more water faster and draw a quicker strike, a ‘match the hatch’ fly can be used to go to work on resident trout holding station that missed their first swipe at the lure. A common thing I found in my time as a trout guide.
Finally it was time for the biggest day of all! An adventure onto what locals call ‘Secret Lake’. As I found out after much investigation at the local watering hole, "secret lake" could’ve been any one of a dozen spots within minutes of the Tarraleah Lodge. I think everyone in town had their own "secret lake". Even visitors who had been there just a few days, such is the diversity of fishing.
"Secret Lake" offered herself to us in brilliant glassed-off conditions. The mirror image of the steep Huon pine timbered banks was like something out of a picture-book and the trout fishing matched the idyllic setting.
A steady steam of 1 to 3 pound brown trout graced our day, and it was unreal to know that every 10 casts you would get a fish or at least a savage strike from a feisty brown trout.
But even in trout heaven, you still needed good casting manners to get good fishing and a certain method was also needed.
While moving steadily along the bank you had to cast as close into the rocks or overhanging trees as you could, and then bring the lure back at the right pace.
I was using a Rapala CD 7, which some anglers feel is a little too big for trout spinning, but I have been growing very fond of it. For a minnow, it casts that all important extra 10 metres, you can let it sink where needed and it vibrates strongly at the slow to medium retrieve that trout need.
To add to things, this lure is now available in a silver and gold ‘Bleak’ pattern, which drives rainbow and brown trout crazy. Yep out of everything I had shortlisted in the tackle box; this was a stand out and I kept putting one back on when I found others wouldn’t work.
On the last day of the trip we visited Great Lake to see how the Inland Fisheries Service of Tasmania collects wild trout. We learned that Great Lake's trout breed so well that 2 to 4 pound brood stock must be taken out of the lake each year and be placed in other lakes to control population levels.
This endless supply of wild fish is means Tasmania has access to genetically pure fish that hunt, grow and fight better than farm grown fish. Is it any wonder that Tassie is at the top of the list of trout anglers from around the world. I’ll be back as often as possible…
See you on the water.
Rob Paxevanos
Special thanks to Tourism Tasmania (discovertasmania.com), Rob Aitkenhead, everyone at Tarraleah (www.tarraleahlodge.com), Budget Hire Cars, and the Inland Fisheries Service of Tasmania
