Trout Fishing in Australia
By Bob Ives
You would actually be hard pressed to convince a resident of
Australia who loves to fish that there is any better trout fishing in
the world than the trout fishing in Australia. Maybe they have a point.
From the NSW all the way down to Tasmania in the south,
there are plenty of great fishing holes full of trout. However, it
wasn't always this way.
Trout are not native to Australia and they were brought in from
England and the United States via New Zealand. Now there are trout farms
in Victoria,
Tasmania and
New South Wales designed for the purpose of
raising and stocking fingerlings into the popular fishing waters in
Australia.
If you're wondering how to catch trout in Australia, the short answer
would be fly fishing. There are some anglers who use lures such as
imitation grass hoppers, small minnows and bait fish, but fly fishing in
Australia for trout is the name of the game. Australia has a lot of
areas which offer fly fishermen a chance for many memorable fishing
trips.
There's no reason to ever get bored with Australian fly fishing,
because there is so much variety in where and how to trout fish. They
can be found in lakes, rivers and streams and you can catch them by wade
fishing, site fishing, drifting and just walking the banks of a
tributary.
One reason why trout fishing is so popular is because they are a
challenge to catch. In fact, the art of tying a fly is a big part of the
hobby in itself. But, another reason is that they are just plain good
fighters. If you want action, trout are happy to oblige and they are
good jumpers. Be sure someone with you has their camera ready.
Trout Species In Australia
Rainbow Trout
If you want a pretty fish, this is your man, er, well fish. They are
beautifully colored and very energetic. They are regularly stocked by
NSW Fisheries and multiply on their own, so there are plenty of them.
Rainbows are the most common trout species for lake fishermen. They
range from 1 to 2kg, and are sometimes caught at over 3kg. Their season
is from October to May.
Brown Trout
The Brown Trout has a fairly large mouth and head and their color
varies from olive green to dark brown on the back with a white belly.
You may also notice some black and red spots. They are normally caught
from 500gms to 3kg, but have exceeded 6kg. Browns are distributed
throughout Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Southern Western
Australia and Tasmania. They are best fished for on light tackle and you
will do well with fly fishing, bait fishing and even lure fishing. Their
season runs from October to December and end of February to the end of
April; spring till mid-autumn.
Brook Trout
While Brook Trout aren't discussed as much in regards to Australian
fishing, they are there and there is actually some very good Brook Trout
fishing thanks to regular stockings into Lake Jindabyne. Maybe the
reason why it's not quite as popular as the other trout is because there
are a little harder to find and catch. Brook Trout go to about 2kg in
Lake Jindabyne.
Still stumped? Why not plan a trout fishing trip with one of the many
trout fishing guides in Australia? They will be more than happy to set
you up with a fishing charter, provide the trout tackle, and make sure
you go home with a stringer full of Australian trout. |
