5 top Tassie spots to catch your own dinner

The fishing alone makes a drive to Smithton worthwhile. Catch snapper and trevally from locations in town, or hire a boat and explore the estuary.

Top catches? Silver trevally flathead and salmon.

Locals will tell you about the huge, tasty garfish in George’s Bay and when they’re biting you’ll be jostling for a position on the jetties. Want to get serious but don’t have the gear? Get on a charter to the edge of the continental shelf for world-class deep-sea fishing.

What’s biting? Tuna, flathead, bream, salmon, trevally and more.

Early season (August) wet fly-fishing and lure casting around the weed beds is a highlight of Lake Leake fishing. Shore fishing is also superb—when the rainbow trout are biting—and if you bring your boat, you’ll find even more amazing spots on the water.

Local specialties? Trout of course—of the brown, rainbow and brook varieties.

Head to the upper reaches of the Meander River, where fly-fishing is the technique of choice. Closer to Launceston, the river is ideal for shore-based angling with bait or lures.

Typical catch? Brown trout, rainbow trout and river blackfish.

Anyone can throw a line at the public areas of the fishery and it’s almost impossible not to catch a fish. The staff will even clean the fish for you while you wait and barbecues are available allowing you to cook your catch on the spot.

What’s for dinner? Trout or salmon.

There’s no shortage of great places to fish in Tasmania and the best way to discover them is as part of a Tassie road-trip. So pack your esky, your rod and some waterproof gear in the boot of your car and start living your ultimate Tasmanian fishing adventure. And if you’ve had a great fishing experience in Tassie or have a top tip for the best places to throw a line, we’d love to hear your stories in the comments below.

Tasmania has more than 3,000 rivers, streams, and lagoons. For more great fishing ideas see Discover Tasmania.

Information included in this blog is correct at the time of publishing. Please contact individual operators for further information.