EARLY settlers to Australia brought along all sorts of foreign flora and fauna into this country.
Land was cleared for livestock and crops and many of these introduced animals and plants played a big part in the growth of our country. However, there were plenty of mistakes made along the way. Some species and plants just didn’t adapt! Noxious weeds and pest species played havoc and still create a headache for farmers and our government who are constantly seeking solutions for eradication.
But not all foreign animals were imported for farming. Many were introduced into Australia’s for sport. Game animals, such as deer, and several freshwater fish species were introduced over 150 years ago.
Again, some of these were successful, others simply created an enormous environmental problem.
ABOVE: Taking MG’s latest ZSEV on a trout day trip outside Sydney.
The good news is, not all introduced species are created equal. Carp and redfin numbers multiplied and were out of control. Redfin also carried deadly diseases for native fish and carp created a giant environmental disaster in our Murray darling.
Trout on the other hand, while not everyone would agree, were more of a success story. They don’t carry diseases and their numbers are well managed. In fact, without regular fish stocking, trout would all but disappear from Australian waters. Of course they do compete for food with native fish. Thankfully, being a cold water fish, of the most part they don’t clash with too many native species.
ABOVE: A solid Snowy Mountains trout.
What and where?
There are three main specie of trout in Australia… well sort of. The popular varieties of trout in Australia are brown, rainbow and to a lesser extend, brook trout. Oh, and there’s the newly created “tiger trout”, a hybrid between brown and brook that has been introduced in recent years to control over populations of redfin.
Around the world there are many more species of trout in many different countries.
Trout live in cold water. In most parts of NSW that means you will only find them above 600m altitude. In some of the southern states such as Victoria and Tasmania, they can be found down to sea level.
For the most part, trout are mountain fish. The best places to fish for trout in Australia are higher altitude mountains. On the mainland, the Snowy Mountains in NSW and Victorian High Country are red hot spots to try. Even in the cooler Tasmanian climate, some of the best trout action is found in the higher altitude mountains.
ABOVE: A typical high country stream.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand, trout are practically everywhere. There are few places on earth that are better suited to trout. It’s one of the reasons New Zealand is such a sought-after trout fishing destination. Interestingly, Australia was the first country down under to receive trout before they were taken to New Zealand. The rest is history!
Once you understand the region where trout live, you can start to narrow down locations and increase your chances of catching one.
Access can be a problem in many areas. After all, trout are a freshwater fish and many of the rivers and creeks where they live are bordering private property.
My advice is to check your state’s rules on accessing rivers through private property. Typically, you’re allowed to fish if you’re within the river bed itself. Often this is possible, and other times it means you’re literally swimming. The best option is to ask a property owner for permission to fish a river, or alternatively, find a spot with public access.
Trout can be found in any water, from tiny creeks that you can jump over to big fast flowing rivers and lakes.
Lakes are a great option if you’re finding access difficult. There’s also usually more information available about lake fishing for trout and I find anglers aren’t so secretive when it comes to divulging precious tips for chasing trout.
Many of these lakes are hydro power lakes or water supply dams. There are many around across most of the southern states and new Zealand.
ABOVE: Keep fish wet if you intend to catch & release.
Boating options
While many of the smaller river and creeks are best fished on foot, the larger trout lakes are ideal for boating.
In NSW, Eucumbene Dam and Lake Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains are famous trout fishing lakes and have plenty of space for boating. Each lake has several boat ramps and accommodation nearby.
The area west of the Blue Mountains also has lakes such as Lake Lyall that holds trout.
Further south and Victoria is full of large trout lakes that allow boating.
You have several options when boating. You can troll, cast, or even just use the boat to access other parts of the lake and walk the banks.
Trout can be fussy eaters and are easily scared by large, noisy boats and walking the banks can be a great option.
If you have an electric motor or even an ultra quiet four-stroke engine, that will allow you to troll or slowly move along a bay and cast lures.
ABOVE: A small brook trout.
Moving slowly is the key!
If lure fishing isn’t your thing, bait fishing is another great option and can be undertaken successfully from the boat or from the shore. Often it’s matter of tying your boat up to some drowned timber in the lake and dropping down some worms or live bait such as yabbies. Check with the local rules and regulations to make sure the boat you use is legal in that area.
Fly fishing is another great tactic on trout and can be done in creeks, rivers and lakes. In the lakes, walking the banks is very effective. Another option is to slowly cruise around a quiet bay with the electric motor and cast towards the shore. There’s also the option of fishing wind lanes. These “wind lanes” will blow insects and other small food for the trout and concentrate it in certain areas. Find the lanes and you’ll find the trout.
Seasons
Trout are a cold water fish, and as we heard above, are found in cold mountain streams. Does that make them a cold season fish? Not at all. Yes, you can catch trout in winter and the lakes are still open for fishing while the streams are typically closed for the spawning season.
In my experience, however, some of the best fishing is to be had during spring and autumn, even summer, can have some great fishing.
As the water warms after a cold winter, the trout’s metabolism gains momentum and they begin feeding. Trout typically feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, plus small fish, yabbies and worms. Almost all of these things become more active in the warmer months and the trout gorge themselves all season.
Fly fishers love the warmer months. As the trout eat the hatching insects, fly fishers are able to “match the hatch” and imitate the many tiny insects that fly around and land on the water. It’s amazing just how small an insect will eat. When I occasionally kill a trout to eat, it’s interesting to check its stomach cavity and see what it had been eating. Sometimes there’s a yabby claw in there, and more often than not it’s full of tiny little insects.
Gear
Let’s start by looking at rods and reels. Trout don’t grow big by fish standards and they don’t fight as hard as many saltwater fish. Therefore you can afford to buy light gear. This lighter gear is more fun to use, cheaper to buy (mostly), and helps catch finicky fish.
Spin reels need to be 1000 or 2000 size and rods in the 1-3 or 2-4kg size. A rod between 6 and 7’6” is about perfect.
I prefer to use light braid between 6 or 8lb and a light fluorocarbon leader around 4-6lb depending on the location and clarity of the water.
There are so many great outfits suitable for trout. Incidentally, the same outfits used for bream luring are perfect for trout. Head to your local tackle store and ask to see some options.
Fly fishing outfits should be 4 to 6 weight with a floating line. You don’t need anything too extravagant if you haven’t fly fished before. Again, ask your local tackle shop for advice on what suits your needs.
Lures should be small and are usually minnow shaped. Rapala have a fantastic selection and are worth checking out. It’s also worth looking the tiny spinners such as Celtas. They’re fantastic for small rivers and creeks.
Fly selection is a little more complicated and many books have been written in this subject alone! Most fly shops or tackle stores sell a fly box selection with a small number of flies of each type. That way you can trial them and see what works before ordering any particular type.
Sunglasses
Believe it or not, sunglasses are one of the most important part of your fishing equipment. More importantly, these sunglasses need to be polarised. It’s also important to choose a pair that are designed for fishing and have suitable lenses.
Trout fishing often requires you to look beneath the water. Sometimes it’s spotting the trout or even spotting underwater structure or hazards that may become a problem with your boat.
Personally, I prefer a rose or bronze coloured lens for trout fishing. While grey lenses are better for saltwater fishing and deeper water, the lighter, brighter lenses will offer more contrast around areas of shadow and are a good all-round freshwater lens.
Some sunglass brands also make a dedicated low light lens. If you can find one of these, they’re fantastic for early mornings, late afternoons and overcast days.
Get troutin’
Trout are a fun fish to catch in southern Australia and new Zealand. They’re somewhat challenging, but I never get tired of the chase and variety that trout fishing really fails to provide.
Yet, while it can be challenging, it’s also simple fishing. All it takes is a small rod and reel, a handful of lures and flies and an afternoon wondering a mountain stream. You won’t regret it!
This story was originally published in the Nautilus Marine Magazine.