ANOTHER trophy trout has been caught from the West Coast and the Pieman River and it’s the fishing story of a lifetime. The 20lb club is an exclusive group and, for a lot of anglers, making the 10lb club is an achievement alone. It can literally take a lifetime to catch a trout of this size and some won’t, but if you’re in the right spot at the right time it can happen on your first trip. Just ask Quentin Alsford who went chasing trout in the Pieman River in October and managed to land a trophy female trout weighing 9.1kg or 20.1lb.
Fishing with his mate, Shane Diprose, they headed to the Pieman and on the first day Quentin caught his first-ever trout but the next morning was about to get a whole lot better. On the water trolling at 6am they spotted a circling sea eagle and went over to the area. That’s when Quentin’s rod buckled over. They knew they were on to a big trout and Quentin battled the brown for 10 minutes before it came to the surface with its big mouth open and gave them a look at its size. Shane grabbed the net quickly and, with the fish tired out after the fight, it was quickly netted and the celebrations began. Quentin called a mate to come down with a set of scales to weigh it. Once it was confirmed, Quentin could claim to be the luckiest and fastest fisherman to join the 20lb trout club with only the second trout that he’s caught in his life.
MEANWHILE, reports suggest both fresh and salt water fishing improved last week in the warmer weather. Fly anglers fishing for trout in the Highlands have had success using beetle, damsel, caddis, stone and may fly imitations and they’ve also had success with frog/tadpole imitations. Arthurs Lake is fishing the best it has for a few years. Areas like the Morass, Cow-paddock and Seven Pound Bay have given up some good conditioned fish as has fishing around the islands. Lake Echo’s water level has also risen and it’s fishing well again like last season. Wood’s Lake is still spilling which is when it fishes the best. Although a lot of small trout are being caught there are still trout up to and over 2kg available.
The Brady’s Chain including Lake Binney and Tungatinah Lagoon are still offering both brown and rainbow trout and Lake King William is offering its bag limit as well. In the saltier water Australian Salmon are moving through most estuaries as are Black bream which are starting to spawn.
The D’Entrecasteaux Channel is a great place to catch Calamari Squid, Sand Whiting and Flathead. Anglers are catching good numbers of flatties from Dodges Ferry through to Sloping Island and Marion Bay, Norfolk and Frederick Henry Bays are also good spots. Out deeper off Pedra Branca Southern Bluefin Tuna to over 70 kg are still being caught and Striped Trumpeter are also mingling around most reefs.
WATER levels at Laughing Jack Lagoon will be gradually lowered through November to prepare for work on the cofferdam outlet from January to March 2023.The campground and boat ramp won’t be closed but it’s suggested that anglers who wish to use the area take caution with water levels not expected to be back to normal until July 2023.
Tight Lines until next week.