Do you enjoy fishing and bushwalking?

[Robbo]

To add some more to my query, after reading the posts above, is it acceptable to use lures? And if so, how successful are they? Or is this an uncouth/unacceptable question to those fly fish?

My experience - over 40 years ago, was with the use of spinners in the local mountain streams on the south coast of NSW - and so will have little relevance to the lakes of the Central Plateau...

Tony Robinson

[heplittledoggie]

My experience - over 40 years ago, was with the use of spinners in the local mountain streams on the south coast of NSW - and so will have little relevance to the lakes of the Central Plateau...

G'day Robbo, not sure why your experience has little relevance - spinners are very effective on the Plateau. Spinning was my sole means of trout fishing on the Plateau until I got sick of watching the Trout rising all round my lures! What I mean by that is that its all very feeding/weather dependent. In my (years of) Plateau fishing I've had little success with lures on still sunny days and balmy evenings when the Trout are taking insects off the surface, which is what made me get a fly rod as well. I haven't gone as far as getting a tweed suit though

Or is this an uncouth/unacceptable question to those fly fish?

Note that I said "as well". My regular fishing mate is fly-only when we're on the Plateau, and he is one of the most consistently successful fly-fisherman I've ever met, however on those days when I'm catching them on lures and he's not; he even concedes that catching a fish on a lure is better than not catching one at all!

I would contest that one should simply use what works. Why do anything else?

[flyfisher]

Robbo wrote

Or is this an uncouth/unacceptable question to those fly fish?

Not at all mate, least it doesn't worry me.

Heplittledoggie wrote

I would contest that one should simply use what works. Why do anything else?

That's it in a nutshell. The purpose of fishing/walking is to enjoy it, so do what you are best at.
Don't worry too much about the Tweed Suit Brigade - they are not normally seen too much out in the sticks (or rocks in this case ) but tend to be more part of the Penstock-Little Pine scene (and more recently at Lake Fergus I hear)

Flyfishing is a challenge but when mastered is a very satisfying way to fish as often with polaroids you are able to target a particular fish which you can see quite clearly. The shallow clear water lagoons of the Western Lakes are well suited to this style of fishing.

Spin fishing is also well suited and quite productive,and there is plenty of scope fof both,so enjoy your preference

Flyfisher

[Robbo]

Spin fishing is also well suited and quite productive,and there is plenty of scope for both,so enjoy your preference

Thanks FF, the next question is, which lures have you found to work best?

TR

[flyfisher]

Sorry Robbo, I can't really help you with particular lures as I only flyfish (but Ihaven't got a problem with other methods)
I'm sure someone will fill in the details. At a guess I'd say lures which imitate galaxias,frogs etc. would work.
Local lure makers such as Lofty's make a range suited to Tassie.
One of the main things with flyfishing is to keep out of sight and my guess is that this would apply also for lure fishers.

FF

[Tony]

Hi Robbo,

I know this is a bushwalking forum, but I know many of those who contribute also have a love of fishing. With this in mind I am wondering how many of you carry some fishing gear with while walking, and if so, what do you take with you that is light and easily fitted into your pack?

I have decided I will try a bit of fishing when I get to do a few days walking through the Central Plateau, and further south, in the first couple of weeks of January - I just today purchased a two week license.

Thanks

Tony Robinson

I do a bit of Fly fishing when walking in summer, I have just returned from a 3 day fishing trip to the Jugungal Wilderness in the KNP.

I carry a little number 4, 4 piece rod, reel, a small box of dry and wet flies, some floatant, sinkant, some spare tippet and a pair of forceps for safely removing the fly from the fish, we mostly practice catch and realise (but we do keep a few to eat). I used to protect my rod in a plastic tube that I got from Back Packing Light in the US but it proved to be a bit light and I lost it in thick scrub on Monday, I am going to investigate what I can get locally and fix it to my pack. We very rarely carry a net as most of the fish in the remote areas that we fish are smallish but on Sunday my mate hooked a nice 2kg fish and lost it when he tried to land it.

If you are not into fly fishing I sometimes do a bit of spinning, I then carry a little 2 piece rod, reel and some lures, usually some small Celta’s and a pair of forceps.

Tony

[Robbo]

If you are not into fly fishing I sometimes do a bit of spinning, I then carry a little 2 piece rod, reel and some lures, usually some small Celta’s and a pair of forceps.
Tony

Thanks for this, Tony; very helpful.

TR

[Earthling]

Im too late to vote but im in the Yes - other, category.
I havent for a few years now, but used to spend some time up above Ullapool in Scotland, trekking and fly fishing some of the wee lochs.
I remember one week out the closest I got to a human, was two people walking by on the other side of a loch.
So much untouched wilderness.
Loved it and hope to do some combo in Tassie next year.

I just remembered one of the pitfalls of that occupation off the beaten track in Scotalnd was Quicksand! I stepped right into one and nearly toppled over and in. Its quite difficult to balance yourself when you have a pack on your back and your whole leg has just fallen into a quicksand hole...I can remember the moment when I could see how close I was to saying goodbye Richard...interesting feeling. I managed to extract my leg out after considerable effort (it really does suck you in!), and nearly lost my Scarpa boot in the process.....random moment #764-a4.
Does Tasmania suffer from quicksand around its lakes/rivers?

[flyfisher]

No quicksand in my experience but we have some silt bottomed lakes where the water looks a foot or so deep but you just go straight down through it and it can be maybe thigh depth or more. As this can be right on the edge it pays to test the depth before stepping in.
Talinah lagoon in the near western lakes is a good example.

FF

[Andrew]

Hi guys,

Any thoughts on a more sheltered area for a few days fly-fishing. Most of my favorite spots that I walk into are fairly exposed and this wind is supposed to be with us for a while yet. Keen to head off on Saturday or Sunday.

Cheers,

Andrew

[flyfisher]

Hi Andrew, it's a pretty tough call ,to get out of that wind.
I don't think you'll get away from it much except on sat- sun maybe.
A better chance might be on the upper St. Patricks ,the Maurice or somewhere like that.
The weather map is only showing a short gap between strong wind events for the next week or more.
It often seems to get a bee in it's bonnet at this time of year.
If you'r polaroiding then sunshine is the main concern and we may get some of that.
But with the wind like it has been I think I would look at northern and n e rivers with their prolific black spinner hatches which should be in full swing and the water levels still good.

FF

[Joe]

Take the smallest lightest telescopic rod with a small (1500 -2500ish) reel cheap monofilament line and the following lures:

Tillins Ashley #14 Green/Gold with red spots
Tillins Ashley #29 Black/Gold with red spots
Fishcake (if you can locate one...there are a few backyarders still making these about the place)
Celtas in Black, Green Gold and Red Gold

If you flog the lakes with ashley 14 and 29's and dont get anything pack up and move on the fish aren't there
Use the fishcake at night and the celtas in shallow water and streams. the whole kit would weigh very little.
The Tillins Ashly style spinners are the best on market, the wings are moulded in, they come in left and right wind. You will want antikinks for all lures except the fishcake. Tie them swivel to swivel.

Diawa make a really nice telescopic rod/reel combo which is great quality (for telescopic) and cheap.

[Tony]

Do you enjoy fishing and bushwalking?

Yes, Yes, Yes.

These pictures where taken Sunday on a Bushwalk in a remote part of the KNP NSW on the Tumut River, we did not have scales but we estimate the biggest Brown to be in the range of 5-6 lb

Tony

[Whos_asking99]

Nice catch Tony, seems like you have more luck than me...