Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Adrian-Webbs-Trout-Tips » A Season to Remember

A Season to Remember

By Adrian (meppstas) Webb

As a new trout season begins in Tasmania, meppstas gives us a flashback at a season to remember, the 2009-10 Tassie trout season.

Overall it's been a great season of trout fishing the rivers, since moving here to Tasmania back in March 2000. It is a season that will stay with me for a very long time and with 1256 trout being caught, I feel it's one that I may never achieve again. Being 64 years of age it's is unlikely that I will have a season like this one as my body is really feeling the effects of a big season, fishing some very tough rivers. Wading these rivers up to six times a day and slipping and sliding on some very rocky river bottom has taken its toll by the end of this season. I am not ready to give river fishing for trout away any time soon though and I will be right back into it again after the three month layoff during the closed season. There's nothing better than being in a river, flicking a Mepps spinner around and stalking a trout... that's for sure. I will continue doing this for many more years to come. So bring on next season! Here's my report for this season, the rivers that I fished and the catches I had in them.

Dasher River: This little river always amazes me as it always seems to fish well, even after some dry periods that we have had over time. This season we were lucky enough to have some very good rainfall in the area, which helped quite a lot. Not only was it good for the fishing, it was also good as it cleaned out a lot of silt and debris from the river. The browns that I caught in the Dasher this season were all in excellent condition, with the biggest brown going 480g. This is a good size for this little river. I did catch several other browns that were over the 400g mark as well. Most fish were averaging just on the 300g, which is still a good size for this river. The condition of the Dasher River over the whole season was very good, thanks to the consistent backup rainfall throughout the season. Total trout caught: 286.

Tannin Waters: Well this great little water has picked up again, after a few very dry seasons that it had to contend with. This water also received a couple of much needed flush outs during the season. This has to be the best condition that I have seen this water in since the 2006/07 trout season. This water produces good quality brown trout, with the majority of them in the 400g plus size. The best brown this season went 620g. This tannin water also holds blackfish and I have caught the odd one on the little #00 Mepps Black Fury spinners. The upper to mid sections have been the most productive areas to fish and it's also the easiest for wading too. These tannin waters hold some nice browns but are very rocky, slippery and wading is tough going. Total trout caught: 123.

Wilmot River: This is quite a good river to fish and it's one that I keep forgetting about. It can be very slippery though and it too has a very rocky river bottom that makes wading difficult. Care must be taken when wading here as it is like an ice skating rink, that's for sure. I have caught 7 browns in the two trips here this season, with the best fish going 460g. I have only fished the lower section of this river, so it may even be better further upstream. The average size fish that I have caught in the Wilmot River have all been in the 260g to 300g mark. I have spotted some larger browns in it as well, so they are there. Total trout caught: 7.

Western Creek: Now this is a good creek to fish early and late in the season, when there is plenty of water in it. It is very low throughout the summer and not worth fishing. Low, clear water and what trout are about are easily spooked, plus the trout are very stressed during this time. Fish sizes vary from small to large, with my best brown this season going 880g. The trout are mainly in the 250g - 300g range in this creek. It is always worth having a fish in though as I have seen fish over a kilo in it from time to time. Bait fishing is a common practice in the large pool by the main road bridge. Total trout caught: 6.

Meander River: I have never been in favour of dams on rivers, however I must admit that it has helped the Meander River a lot. Now with a regulated flow of water throughout the whole of the trout season, from Huntsman Dam, it has really brought this river back to life. Even more so through the summer months when the river was always low and the fishing was poor. The trout sizes vary quite a lot in the Meander River, with small, medium and large fish all being caught. Fish from 180g to 770g are quite a common catch at the moment. I mainly fish the fast water runs of the Meander.

My only concern about having a dam on the river is the build-up of silt and debris that may potentially build up over a period of time, from the lack of it flooding throughout the winter months. The Mersey River has this problem of heavy silt and debris in most of the river, from below Lake Parangana all the way to Latrobe. There are already signs of silt and debris appearing in several sections of the Meander that I fish on a regular basis. Only time will tell I suppose, but we can't have it both ways can we. Total trout caught: 129.

Mersey River: Well, with some good spring rainfall the Mersey River finally had a reasonably good flush out. With a lot of the silt, debris and heavy weed growth washed out, it made for a very good seasons trout fishing. The Mersey River this season has produces the best season that I've had since I first started fishing it back in 2000, after moving to Sheffield from South Australia. With 580 trout being caught this season on the Mersey River, it's one that I will remember for a very long time. Actually, it's probably one I will never repeat either.

The trout have all been in excellent condition and the river produced good catches from Merseylea and well above the Union Bridge at Mole Creek. The Mersey is a tough river to fish, due to it being a river that is full of large, medium and small rocks, which really takes its toll on the body after a four or five hours session. Like most rivers, the Mersey has some sections that always seem to fish better than others. The majority of my fish were taken in the fast water sections along the river. My best fish for this season here went 1.5kg, which was taken on a fly dropper that I had set up above my Mepps Black Fury spinner.

There were quite a few rainbow trout around this season too, which was good to see. These fish really put up a fight in the fast water runs. They weren't big fish, however they were solid fish. By the end of the season the weed growth had already started to build up once again. Hopefully we'll get another good winter, with some solid rainfalls to move it on again for next season. Total trout caught: 493 browns and 87 rainbows.

River Leven: This is the last river to report on and what a great river the Leven is. I love fishing this river as it always produces quality fish. In one trip here this season I managed to have 61 hook ups, in which 45 brown trout were landed, the biggest brown going 720g. Most fish were all in the 400g plus size and all well-conditioned fish. The river itself is in excellent condition too, with hardly a sign of any silt or debris in it. Being a river without a dam at the top end makes all the difference as well. This season was as good as it gets on the River Leven and I had one of my best ever catch rates for this river.

The new IFS Anglers Access areas have certainly made the difference and they were a major factor in me having such a top season fishing on the River Leven. It was one of the new access areas where I had the best day ever, with the 61 hook ups. I mainly fish the Gunns Plains area, though I did have one trip up to Loongana, which resulted in me catching 7 browns and 2 rainbow trout. It's a nice picturesque area up there too and was well worth travelling the extra distance. Total trout caught: 123 browns and 2 rainbows.

• Total fish caught for the 2009-10 season was 1264
• Largest Brown Trout: 1.5kgs / River: Mersey
• Largest Rainbow Trout: 590g / River: Mersey
• Largest Blackfish: 410g / River: Minnow
• Best day's catch: 45 Browns / Average weight: 400g / River Leven.
• Only 10% of the trout caught were kept during the season.
• 98% of the trout caught were taken on the Mepps Black Fury (Gold, Copper blades), Aglia (Gold, Copperblades) and Bug (March Brown and Stonefly) spinners.

The 2009-10 Trout Season Report.
By Adrian (meppstas)Webb

Ulverstone Angling Club Member