Fishing in Tasmania

There are fighting trout in just about every freshwater stream, lake and river in Tasmania but you will need a licence. It costs from $12 for a day licence or from $45 for the season (August to May, with the best fishing in October and April). There are also private lakes where no licence is required like the Launceston Lakes (15 minutes from the city) and the Snowy Range Trout Fishery (an hour south of Hobart). Special licences are required to catch crayfish, scallops or abalone.

It's difficult to recommend any particular area or stream because trout are everywhere - in the north there are many streams - the Mersey, Meander, Liffey, North and South Esk, Macquarie and Elizabeth. To the south and west there's Lake St Clair, Lake Burbury and Lake Peddar. On the Central Plateau there are numerous lakes including the luxurious London Lakes which is rated as one of the world's top five specialist angling lodges.

The estuaries, bays and beaches are also an angler's paradise (bream, flathead, whiting, Australian salmon) and big game (tuna/marlin) and bottom fishing can be found in the East Coast ports of Bicheno, St Helens, Coles Bay and Triabunna… on the West Coast, at Strahan… at Eaglehawk Neck on the Tasman Peninsula and on both King and Flinders Islands.

A few tips:

· There are accredited fishing guides who can get you fly-fishing in a day's tuition and there are fully-guided expeditions.
· Some of the lakes and streams are so crystal clear, you can stalk trout by sight. Polaroid sunglasses and a sunny day also improve your chances.
· Local knowledge counts. If you don't go for a guided trip, tackle and bait shops are the best source of information on what's biting where and what gear/bait to use.
· The best months for marlin and tuna are February to June and all catches are tagged and released