Trout fishing in Tasmania - Beyond the West - Column

Trout fishing in Tasmania - Beyond the West - Column

The fish are big, bright, plentiful in the high lakes of this island near Australia,
Nestled in the rugged highlands of Tasmania--2 hours by car from the island's main cities--are thousands of lakes and streams where anglers from around the world seek some of the biggest and brightest wild trout in the South Pacific.

Brown trout weighing more than 30 pounds, rainbow trout weighing as much as 17 pounds, and brook trout weighing 5 to 6 pounds have been caught here.

I hired a local guide to take me on an early-morning excursion at Arthurs Lake near Tasmania's heart. Settled in a boat off the eucalyptus-fringed shore, we caught 4- to 7-pound brown trout. Later, during a stay at London Lakes Lodge, I stalked brown trout on nearby lakes with a fly rod and small dry flies. The lodge cleaned and cooked my catch.

WHEN TO GO, RATES

The best season to visit Tasmania is during Australia's spring and summer (roughly September through April), when daytime temperatures reach the mid-70s. Constant winds then aerate the lakes, while hatches of mayflies, caddises, and gum beetles create classic conditions for fly-fishing.

Rates at London Lakes Lodge are $385 Australian ($312 U.S.) per person from August 1 through September 30, and throughout April, and $550 Australian ($446 U.S.) from October 1 through March 31. Rates include guide, tackle, lodging, food, and transportation. The lodge is closed May 1 through July 31. To make reservations, phone SoPac: (800) 445-0190 in California, (800) 551-2012 outside California. The lodge also offers backpack and helicopter fishing excursions.

Hiring a professional guide independently costs $250 to $300 Australian per day ($203 to $243 U.S.), including transportation, boat, and tackle; rates are often negotiable. For a free list of guides, write or call Australia Naturally, 2121 Ave. of the Stars, Suite 1270, Los Angeles 90067; (310) 552-6352.

You'll need a Tasmanian fishing license ($20 Australian for 14 days), available there at bait and tackle shops.

At night, drive cautiously to avoid hitting slow-moving wombats and kangaroos. Poisonous snakes are common along lakesides and in the bush; watch your step.

Sunset, April, 1992 by Ben Davidson