Here’s a list of the better known Tasmanian trout fishing spots, along with why they are great. Tasmania also has many fishing spots that are hidden gems.

South Esk River – this is Tasmania’s longest river and one of the best trout rivers. It begins in the Ben Lomond plateau near Mathinna and runs through Fingal, Avoca, Evandale, Perth Longford and Hadspen. The river merges with the Meander River, and flows through Cataract Gorge to join the North Esk River at Launceston. From this arises the Tamar River, which flows into Bass Strait. The South Esk includes Trevallyn Dam near Launceston, also a fishing hotspot. The river’s two largest tributaries are the Macquarie and Meander Rivers, with lesser tributaries being the Nile River, River Tyne, Storys Creek and the Break O’Day River. This river has everything from fast races to long slow sections, depending where you choose to fish.

Penstock Lagoon – this shallow waterbody has a steady water level which allows insects to thrive. Great for dry and wet fly fishing for browns and rainbows. More Penstock Lagoon fishing info here.

Little Pine Lagoon – this relatively small waterbody is one of Tasmania’s best fly fishing locations. Anglers enjoy sight-fishing for tailing fish and dun feeders from boat and shore.

Great Lake – this huge waterbody has changed historically as the dam was periodically built higher. Brown and rainbow trout can be caught all year. The shores of the lake are quite barren when the water level falls, with tracks around the lake making fishing access easy. Great fishing can be had. There are summer beetle falls for dry fly fishing, and a special feature is open water sight fishing for trout cruising wind lanes, the big fish can sometimes be seen in the waves. More info here.

Arthurs Lake – a consistently popular location over the years. It produces big trout and also large numbers of smaller fish. Dry fly fishing is outstanding during insect hatches. Boaters can fish wind lanes, and there is good streamer wet fly fishing when trout are chasing galaxia. More Arthurs Lake fishing info here.

Brumbys Creek – this large lowland creek has cold water flowing in from the nearby highlands which ensures it fishes well through summer. There are mayfly hatches in spring, summer and autumn, and dry fly fishing can be outstanding. More Brumbys Creek fishing info here.

Western lakes – Tasmania’s highlands have a special wilderness fishery with dozens of lakes spread across the Central Plateau, west of Nineteen Lagoons. This area is traversed on foot and great care is required as blizzards can occur. There are not many trout in these shallow and often small waters but many fish encountered are trophies. Landbased sight fishing for brown trout doesn’t get much better.

Huon River – the Huon produced the biggest brown trout caught in Tasmania. It is a tough water though, flowing hard much of the year past banks lined with fallen timber. Summer and autumn sees the river fall and the stone river bed exposed. Spinning and wet fly fishing works. The annual sea trout run below Huonville often produces great fishing when the whitebait is moving. The lake also has many Atlantic salmon at times, being escapees from farm pens and hatcheries. More Huon River fishing info here.

Macquarie River – this slow lowland river is famous for hatches of red spinner mayfly. Drift boat fishing with a dry fly is popular, and bankside wading works too.

Nineteen Lagoons – these waters west of Great Lake can be reached via the road to Lake Augusta. This is wilderness fishery but with less walking required than the Western lakes. Try fishing flooded backwaters early in the season, and then sight fishing the shallows later in the year.

Lake Burbury – this large lake is open all year and produces huge numbers of mostly small wild rainbow and brown trout. Many styles of fishing can be employed. More info here.

Mersey River – most rivers in Tasmania have brown trout, but the Mersey has rainbow trout. Brown trout are caught in the lower sections.

Bronte Lagoon – a great place to try your hand at fly fishing. Be on the shores very early and you will likely see fish feeding in the shallows. Nearby Bronte Park has cabin accommodation and there are other lakes nearby, including the Bradys-Binney-Tungatinah chain. Brown, brook and rainbow trout are caught in Bronte.

Clarence Lagoon – the attraction of this small, shallow water is that it contains only brook trout. Catching them though can be tricky, rough weather might improve your chances, but be suitably equipped with warm weather gear. More Clarence Lagoon fishing info here.

Lake Pedder – the lake was famous for its giant trout after it was flooded, but the fish soon grew in number and shrank in size. There is now a huge number of mostly small brown and rainbow trout to be caught. Nearby Lake Gordon also has brown and rainbow trout, and redfin. Pedder has a more stable water level and arguably better fishing around the edges, but Gordon produces some big fish around the drowned timber. Pedder, being a huge impoundment, is worth a visit for the scenery, and there is accommodation near the main boat ramp. More Lake Pedder fishing info here.

There are many other fisheries throughout Tasmania, from large lakes to tiny creeks. Annual rainfall affects the rivers and lakes to some extent, and annual fish stocking, research this when planning a trip.

Tasmanian fishing regulations
Tasmanian marine reserves
Tasmanian saltwater fishing seasons
Trout fishing spot access programs
Fisheries assessment reports
Buy a freshwater fishing licence
Tasmanian lake levels (hydro)
Tasmanian river flows (govt)
Tasmanian lake webcams
Tasmanian river flows
Bag and size limits
Private Tasmanian trout fisheries
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Penstock Lagoon is a special highland fishery that has stable water levels which allow aquatic life to flourish.

Penstock was built in 1916 as a water storage for the since closed Waddamana power station.

Today the storage is managed as a fishery.

Water levels are usually highest in spring but do not change much through the year.

Penstock has varied habitat, from marshes to rocky shorelines.

Most of the waterway is shallow, around a metre deep, with some timber and rocks.

Fishing is by fly only.

There are no reliable spawning rivers feeding the lagoon so there is little natural recruitment of trout.

This fishery relies on regular stocking, and both brown and rainbow trout are released.

There is a bag limit of two fish and the open season is usually from around August to May.

Penstock is one of the most consistent mayfly waters in the highlands.

Large hatches occur, with duns appearing from November to March. Overcast days are best, and hatches usually peak from about 11am to early afternoon.

Spinners occur at Penstock, with fish feeding on them along the edges of marsh and sometimes well into the lagoon. Calm afternoons are best for spinners.

The small caenid mayfly hatches early, from before dawn to sun-up, from about November to February.

Penstock has plenty of terrestrial insects like gum beetles and jassids that interest trout at times, usually in summer.

The western shore’s marsh sees brown trout in the shallows early, with an evening session also possible.

Springs sees fish chasing frogs in the marsh, with tadpole and nymphs bringing the fish on to December.

Blind casting the rocky shores works when trout are chasing baitfish.

Drifting the lagoon with wet flies also works, but it is the prospect of enjoying the visual styles of fishing that many Penstock anglers enjoy.

The lagoon has a healthy native fish population, with climbing galaxias, spotted galaxias, Great Lake paragalaxias and Shannon paragalaxias present.

Eels are also in the lagoon.

There are two designated camping areas and a boat ramp on the western shore. The maximum period for camping is 14 days.

As the lagoon has an average depth of only a metre a designated 50m wide corridor for petrol-powered boats has been created.

This corridor runs from boating channel at the ramp end of the lagoon to Crisps Point on the east side, down the centre of the lagoon towards Lily Pond at the southern end.

Boats traversing the lagoon must be in the corridor, which is marked by white buoys in the lagoon.

Boating outside of the corridor should be by electric outboard or rowing.

A 5 knot speed limit applies throughout.

Penstock Lagoon’s numbers 1 and 2 canals above two white posts on opposite banks of those canals are closed to fishing.

Fishing from a boat within 100m of a shore angler is prohibited unless the boat is moored.

Freezing conditions can occur quickly, carrying suitable warm weather gear is a must.

Penstock is a unique fishery that is well worth a visit if you are fly fishing tragic.

Tasmanian fishing regulations
Tasmanian marine reserves
Tasmanian saltwater fishing seasons
Trout fishing spot access programs
Fisheries assessment reports
Buy a freshwater fishing licence
Tasmanian lake levels (hydro)
Tasmanian river flows (govt)
Tasmanian lake webcams
Tasmanian river flows
Bag and size limits
Private Tasmanian trout fisheries
Return to the Tasmanian Fishing Map

Email updates or corrections to [email protected]

Queensland’s Mary River marks the barramundi’s southern limit on the East Coast, with regular catches in the river and occasional fish from the labyrinth of channels, flats and tidal creeks that make up the Great Sandy Strait into which the river flows.

The 290km river begins at Booroobin in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. It flows through the towns of Kenilworth, Gympie, Tiaro and Maryborough before emptying into the sea at River Head on the Great Sandy Strait, between the mainland and Fraser Island, 17km south of Hervey Bay township.

The river has 19 tributaries, including Tinana Creek, Munna Creek, Obi Obi Creek, Yabba Creek, Wide Bay Creek, Six Mile Creek, Deep Creek, and Susan River.

There are two impoundments on the river, being Gympie weir and the Mungar barrage, with several dams on tributaries, being Borumba Dam on Yabba Creek, Baroon Pocket Dam on Obi Obi Creek, Six Mile Creek Dam on Six Mile Creek, Cedar Pocket Dam on Deep Creek, weirs Talegalla and Teddington and a barrage on Tinana Creek.

Tidal fishing access for boaters is generally done from Beaver Rocks ramp 11km from the mouth, or River Head at the mouth, which is 35km downstream from Maryborough township.

Barramundi prefer the turbid water of the tidal river rather than the clearer waters of the adjoining Great Sandy Strait, but don’t expect the numbers of barramundi you may find in rivers further north.

There is however a real chance of catching a trophy saltwater barramundi or threadfin salmon in the Mary River.

Though barramundi are present, the main saltwater catch is whiting (summer, tin can and diver species), flathead, southern and pikey bream, tailor, blue and threadfin salmon, mangrove jacks , northern and southern jewfish, perch (which look like a small jewfish), cod, mud and blue swimmer crabs, and prawns.

There are many drying banks in the upper river and fishermen who explore on a falling tide may become landlocked in creeks or stuck on a sandbank, so explore first on a rising tide.

The river between Beaver Rocks and River Head consists of flats and channels that provide plenty of fishing opportunity.

Beaver Rocks, near the ramp at Beaver Rocks Road, is a popular area about 11km upstream of River Head, near the rivers Crab Islands. The rocks are at approx 25 29.718S 152 51.063E. There is a boat ramp 2km downstream from Beaver Rocks.

Beaver Rocks has deep water that fishes well, along with nearby flats around the Crab Islands.

A strong current flows through the channels, especially on the runout tide. Fish the turn or rising tide for best results.

flathead are found at the mouths of small creeks and gutters, as well as over tidal flats, especially near channels.

Whiting and flathead move over the flats on incoming tides.

Jewfish, bream and cod are found in the deep holes, and tailor chase bait in the deeper areas of the estuary.

On big tides, try fishing for barramundi with lures or livebait at the mouths of the larger draining mud gutters.

Barramundi should be targeted in warm weather. Being large fish with a distinctive shape, barramundi can be located with diligent use of a good sonar unit.

Prawns are best from around January.

Further upstream, a rocky area to watch for is Leslie Rocks at approx 25 30.596S 152 45.928E. More foul ground exists upstream towards Dundathu at approx 25 28.814S 152 44.677E. Look for warning and channel markers.

Mary River freshwater fishing

Good freshwater fishing can be had on the Mary River freshwater right up to around Gympie.

Bass are stocked in the freshwater section of the Mary River, and sooty grunter and saratoga are also caught. Mary River cod are present.

Associated impoundments Lake Borumba and Baroon Pocket dams produce loads of bass. Borumba has bass, Mary River cod and saratoga.

Access points to the Mary River around Gympie include the kayak run from Kidd Bridge to Widgee Crossing. Normanby Bridge to Kidd Bridge or Fisherman’s Pocket is arguably best for fishing.

Also try the river near Six Mile Creek.

Freshwater barramundi can be caught at Lake Lenthall, on the headwaters of the Burrum River just to the north.

Note that the Mary River has saltwater crocodiles throughout.

Also note that Australia’s Northern Territory also has a Mary River, a famous barramundi fishing area.

Outside the Mary River mouth, the Great Sandy Strait includes a vast labyrinth of drying areas and channels with great fishing for whiting, flathead, bream and more.

The channel should be navigated on a rising tide with plenty of spare fuel. Channels are marked through the strait.

Reef fish are caught around most deep lumps and bumps, with the flats and associated channel edges providing mostly flathead, whiting and bream.

Nearby, the east side of Fraser Island is famous for its annual tailor run, with sharks and jewfish also taken.

Hervey Bay’s long Urangan Pier is a very popular landbased spot that produces big fish.

Occasional bonefish and permit occur in this area, with bonefish sometimes caught in deep water off Fraser island’s Rooney Point, but golden trevally and queenfish are the more likely catch for those chasing sportfish in the shallows.

Slatey bream (blackall), pink snapper, coral trout, cod and sweetlip are caught on local reefs.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for the north.

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Maryborough tides
River Heads tides
QLD fishing regulations
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QLD stocked waters
QLD dam levels
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