Mayflies, midgers and tailers are all current highlights as the brown trout season comes to an end. The South Esk continues to have excellent black spinner falls and baetid dun hatches, with a few hours of rising trout being found most days (excepting frontal-weather system days). The Lower Meander still has the odd hopper feeder, and occassional baetid sippers, and the Lower Macquarie still features sporadic afternoon red spinner falls, and foam-line sippers.

Up in the highlands and we have had some great midge and tailing trout feeders at Bronte Lagoon, and literally hundreds of fish to target at Pine Tier Lagoon.

These end-of-season sightfishing highlights are the norm for Tassie. Target the stable weather and sheltered waters, and have a great end to the season.

Fresh news from the IFS website, the gate to the Nineteen Lagoons is due to open today! Lookout out tailing trout, here we come…

Here’s the latest news from around the state:

A rapidly rising Great Lake is littered with dead worms, which will provide awesome sight fishing opportunities along the edges as soon as we get a couple of consecutive warm days. Lake Augusta is also producing excellent sight-fishing in high water conditions, however the gate out West is still shut. Lake Huntsman is the pick for tailing trout, early and late, with the chance of good midge-hatches during the day.

The St Patricks is running consistently high, but very clear, likewise the upper North Esk which stays clear until near its confluence with Burns Creek. The Meander is high and murky, but the South Esk is reaching fishable levels and clearing. The Upper Macquarie is primed for the upcoming mayfly hatches, at a nice and high level and reasonably clear for this time of year. Great news is that Brumbys is up and flowing again, and look for good beetle falls over the next month.

That’s all for now, but look out for this season’s first newsletter next week.  Until then, you can check out our new flyshop at www.flyshop1864.com.au for some great Orvis gear, along with products from Recycled Waders, Loon, Dr. Slick and Rio flylines. We have some great value fly tying materials being added for the site next week.

Thanks

Daniel, Simone, and our new edition, young Sidney James!

March 2, 2011 mini-report:

Autumn is here, and so are the autumn mayflies. Black spinner and beatids are beginning to show on the Lower Macquarie, Brumbys, South and North Esk, and St Patricks Rivers. Our Pheasant Tail Black Spinner has been the best pattern, though the Shaving Brush has also been reliable. Hoppers are around in sporadic numbers (typically on the warmer days), with action on the Lower Macquarie and South Esk – as per usual, the WMD Hopper has been our best pattern. Both raft fishing and wade fishing have been great during periods of stable weather.

 Ants have also made an appearance last week, on the Lower Mac and Brumbys, where sippers were undone with CDC F Flies.

Most rivers are running at great heights, though the Meander River is unpredictable at present.

Late dun hatches have continued through to late February on Penstock and others, as has general dry fly fishing during bright spells on the plateau. Recent snow on the mountains will see a drop in water temperature, and fish move to shrimp-beds.

If you are keen for some dry fly fishing and mayfly hatches on the rivers, then now and the next two months is the time. Just drop us an Email http://www.riverfly.com.au/contact