Time for anglers to test their luck

It's a good time to be out fishing after the weather finally seems to have settled somewhat allowing opportunity to test our luck in both fresh and saltwater.

A recent dumping of snow saw all river trout fishing improve with a good flushing of cold fresh water bringing trout back on the bite.

Anglers fishing the Derwent during the day and night have been landing fish on soft plastics, hardbodied lures and fresh bait but a lot of smaller trout have made up the numbers although good resident and searun fish from 1.3 kg to 2.7 kg kg are still available when conditions are right.

Whitebait runs have been limited mainly to deeper channels which hasn't seen much spread to the waters edges but the arrival of gudgeon has seen trout and bream preying on they're movement on an outgoing tide.

An increase in all bait fish makes fishing better during spring and like usual around now numbers of Glass Shrimp are increasing through the Derwent which in turn brings in other fish as well.

These shrimp grow to around 4 cm long and are the major food source for fish like trout and bream as well as platypus and eels.Although Anglers don't target shrimp feeders as much a lot of success is had by fly anglers who mimick shrimp imitations with tied  ‘flies’  and soft plastic anglers also have success throwing similar imitations as well.

I saw a couple of decent fish caught from the Tyenna River last weekend on soft plastics after the snow melt and fly anglers are also having success while czech nymphing. Up in the Highlands Great Lake continues to offer great fishing with both Rainbow and Brown Trout being taken on bait,lure and fly.

Early morning and late afternoons have been the best time to target fish with wind lanes and blown shores the most productive areas to target.

The Brady's Chain has also been popular with the monster rainbow trout recently stocked into the area but catches have slowed but those targeting them have had success on smaller browns and bows fishing around ajoining canals leading into Lake Binney and Tungatinah Lagoon.

Some good bags of trout have been taken from Lake King WIlliam and this area is well worth a run especially if you want to get the kids onto a few fish. Trolling, drift spinning and bait fishing with worms and grubs will definitely get you onto a trout or 10.

Lake Echo and Bronte Lagoon have been OK but fishing has been tough going for most but saying that it can change from one day to the next so keep these waters in mind.

Lake Sorell has started to give up some good conditioned brown trout up to 3 kg with larger fish also on offer and Lake Crescent is no different and both waters should continue to improve over the next month or so as temperatures rise and water clarity clears.

Use lures that match the size and colour of the golden galaxia that live in both of these waters and if that doesn't work use something really bright, colourful and flashy to entice a bite.

Reports have been quiet from Arthurs and Wood's Lake but i'd not let that put you off especially now trout should be starting to push and look up towards the surface with an increase in terrestial life.

Fly anglers are catching some good fish from Penstock Lagoon,Little Pine Lagoon and Talbots Lagoon in the North and fishing will improve on top as caddis,mayfly and bug hatches continue to increase over the warmer months.We have plenty of trout fishing options available to us and with the warmer weather upon us make the most of it and remember there are a number of yellow tagged trout out there worth $5000 available to lucky anglers who are lucky enough to catch one and keep the hook/s in.

IN SALTWATER Southern Bluefin Tuna fishing has improved greatly off the South Coast with some good fishing on offer for game anglers. School fish to 20kg or more and bigger fish to over 100 kg have been landed off Eaglehawk Neck with the Hippolyte Rocks/Tasman Island and out wider Pedra Branca rocks hotspots.

Australian Salmon are also moving in good numbers with silver slices and soft plastics doing the damage, king flathead are also being landed with fresh bait the best bet at bagging a few of these

Sand whiting are delicious and are a good bycatch when flatty fishing and some decent numbers of bigger King George Whiting are being landed from waters in the North of the State.When targeting whiting look to fish sheltered areas in large estuaries close to seagrass beds and reefs with bigger Kings often found in deeper water where drop offs and channels filter food during tidal movement.

All whiting have small mouths and they feed on worms, small crustaceans, pipis, mussels or squid and in turn smaller gauge hooks are used to fool thesse often finicky fish. Black bream are schooling up to spawn and they're moving through the Derwent Estuary in good numbers up to the tidal influence

Browns River, Little Swanport River, Lune River and the Swan River have been producing fish for anglers lately but rememeber due to spawning activity practice good handling and quick release ideals.Tailor are also being caught in the lower Derwent Estuary while targeting salmon and other species and it won't be long and we will see yellowtail kingfish start to move through the system either as temperatures improve. Tight lines until next week.

Tip of the Week: When selecting a jig head to use when soft plastic fishing always assess the waters depth,flow and casting distance needed first and then match the jig head weight to suit.

Send in your fishing reports,pics and tips to valleyfishes@gmail.com and keep track of the Derwent Valley Gazette Fishing page at derwentvalleygazette.com.au