Inland Fishing Regulations Apply Protect our Waters Inland angling regulations and licensing requirements Recreational anglers have a responsibility to look after apply upstream from a straight line running from fisheries resources for the benefit of the environment River Derwent Dowsings Point on the western shore to Store Point on and future generations. the eastern shore. • Do not bring live or dead fish, fish products, animals or aquatic plants into Tasmania. Anglers • Do not bring used fishing gear or any other Angling Regulations freshwater recreational equipment that may be damp, wet or contain water into Tasmania. Check, Access To fish for all species upstream of the Bridgewater clean and dry your fishing equipment before Bridge or to take trout or Atlantic salmon downstream entering Tasmania. REGION: SOUTH of the Bridgewater Bridge to a line between Dowsings • Do not transfer any freshwater fish, frogs, tadpoles, Point and Store Point, you must hold a current Inland invertebrates or plants between inland waters. Angling Licence unless you are under 14 years of age. • Check your boat, trailer, waders and fishing gear A summary of the regulations are contained within the for weed and other pests that should not be Tasmanian Inland Fishing Code. transferred before moving between waters. • Do not use willow (which is a plant pest) as a rod Method Season support as it has the ability to propagate from a Upstream of the Bridgewater cutting. Bridge: Fly fishing From the first Saturday in August to the Sunday nearest Artificial lures the 30th April. Report any unusual fish captures or algal sightings Bait fishing Downstream of the immediately to the Inland Fisheries Service. Bridgewater Bridge: Open all year round. Report illegal activities to: Bushwatch 1800 333 000 Bag and Size Limits: Species Minimum size Bag limit Brown trout, Rainbow trout, 220 mm 12* River blackfish Bream** 250 mm 10 Justin Causby * Total daily bag limit of 12 fish is for all species CONTACT DETAILS combined ** Inland Angling Licence not required to take bream 17 Back River Road, A project funded by the Australian Government downstream of the Bridgewater Bridge Recreational Fishing Community Grants Programme New Norfolk, 7140 Ph: 1300 INFISH www.ifs.tas.gov.au BL10925 Inland Fisheries Service Getting There Plenty River, a tributary of the River Derwent, in 1864 marked on the map include Gretna ,Bushy Park, 3. Downstream from the Bridgewater Bridge. and released into the wild the following year. A wild Rayners Corner, Hayes, Railway Bridge, Windsor Corner, This section of the river is open to angling all year The River Derwent rises at Lake St. Clair and flows population of brown trout is maintained in the River Bryn Estyn and New Norfolk. Canoe Tasmania grades round. Methods and target areas including shore and south to Hobart. This brochure refers to a 75 km section Derwent and its tributaries through natural recruitment. these sections of the river as 2 (Medium) to 1 (Easy). boat based angling are similar to the section upstream of the river from Gretna to just downstream of the Sea-run trout are a feature with small numbers of wild Specific advice can be found at: of the Bridgewater Bridge however marine species and Bowen Bridge in Hobart’s northern suburbs. and escapee rainbow trout and escapee Atlantic salmon www.paddletasmania.canoe.org.au many more bream will be encountered in this area. Sea present. The estuarine section of the River Derwent is fisheries regulations apply to marine species. Excellent described as the best black bream fishery in Australia. From a dry fly fishing point of view, evenings are access for shore based angling is available throughout Access Rules terrific when you get caddis hatches (November to the residential area of Hobart’s northern suburbs. Boat the end of February) and first light until sunrise from ramps are available at Bridgewater, Old Beach, Austins Foot access for anglers has been provided by the Recreational Fishery Management November to the end of the season is brilliant to fish Ferry, Montrose Bay and Prince of Wales Bay. goodwill of public and private landowners and is The River Derwent is managed as a wild fishery on Caenids. Grasshoppers often bring the big fish out in a privilege not a right. If access is not specifically sustained through natural recruitment. The River late January through to March and mayflies are present identified then you must ask for permission or you Health Warning Derwent is also managed as a recreational whitebait from November to the end of the season. Black spinner may be trespassing which is a criminal offence. Please fishery. Separate rules and regulations apply to whitebait. feeders can be found on calm days on the inside of big DO NOT EAT ANY BREAM FROM THE RIVER respect private property and abide by the access rules Check the IFS website for details. bends in the river. Wet fly fishing with nymphs, fur flies, DERWENT and code of conduct to ensure the continued use of yetis and woolly buggers can be effective throughout the All fish contain a small amount of mercury - even those these areas. Angling Notes season. from the open ocean. This influences how much you can • Do not stray into paddocks or trample crops safely eat. If you eat fish caught in the River Derwent • Avoid disturbing stock The River Derwent is best described in three sections. Bait fishing in the slower pools and backwaters and lure downstream from New Norfolk it is best to • Do not climb on fences casting with spoons, bibbed minnows, blade spinners and avoid eating fish from other sources in the same week. • Leave gates as you find them 1. From Gretna to New Norfolk. soft plastics in the broken water and at the mouths of Fish, including trout, should not be eaten more than • Do not cut down or deface trees for wattle grubs Generally deep, fast, difficult to wade and with tributaries is productive. Best colours are as always, green TWICE a week*. • Report any unusual fish captures or algal sightings overgrown banks this section of the river is challenging and gold and black and red. * Some people should further limit their consumption to the Inland Fisheries Service for shore based angling. River flows can be critical to to ONCE a week. • Report illegal activities to Crime stoppers angling opportunities in this section and can affect both 2. From New Norfolk to the Bridgewater Bridge. • Pregnant and breastfeeding women and women 1800 333 000 wading and canoeing. Flow data is available from Bureau Renowned as an early season fishery the most planning to become pregnant of Meteorology website at productive months are from the beginning of the season • Children aged six years and younger www.bom.gov.au/tas/flood/rain_river.shtml in August until November when resident and sea run trout chase migratory whitebait. Late afternoons, Native Fish Management Code of Conduct Flows at ‘Derwent Rv at Macquarie Plains’ below 0.9 evenings and first light are the best times. Opportunities m are good with flows at 0.7 m or 0.5 m ideal. Flow at for shore based angling are shown on the map and good Australian grayling are present in the River Derwent and • Be aware of and comply with fishing regulations. ‘Derwent Rv blw Meadowbank Dam’ can also assist in boat launching facilities are located at Millbrook Rise and are wholly protected species. River blackfish are also • Respect the rights of other anglers and users. predicting flow further downstream. Bridgewater. Anglers should focus on the edges of rips present upstream of New Norfolk. • Protect the environment and currents, flooded margins and weedbeds and the • Carefully return undersized, protected or unwanted When wading it is recommended that anglers wear mouths of gutters that connect the marshy flats to the catch back to the water. Pest Fish Management a lifejacket and use a wading staff at all times as river river channel. Fly, lure and bait fishing and trolling are all • Fish species and other organisms must not be flows can fluctuate due to power station operations productive. Trout – resident and sea run, Atlantic salmon The pest fish, redfin perchPerca ( fluviatilis) and tench relocated or transferred into other water bodies. at Meadowbank Lake. In any event most fish are taken and bream may all be encountered. Live bait may be (Tinca tinca) inhabit the Derwent catchment. If either of close to the bank under overhanging vegetation. used in tidal waters and is a popular method of fishing in these species are caught, anglers are asked to humanely this section. The capture of live bait other than whitebait kill the captured fish and dispose of appropriately. Background Canoeing, drift boats and inflatables in tidal waters is allowed at certain times. Check the This section provides excellent opportunities for drift The first brown trout introduced to the southern details in the Tasmanian Inland Fishing Code. fishing for experienced anglers from suitable craft – hemisphere were hatched at the Salmon Ponds on the inflatables, kayaks and canoes. Entry and exit points Hollow Tree Colebrook Magra Hamilton Dysart Glenora River Derwent B10 N 01 N kilometres 01 N Elderslie kilometres Styx 021 ROAD Bagdad A10 kilometres ELDERSLIE ROAD B61 COLEBROOK ROAD For access beyond ROCKS C184 River Boyer River this point contact FERRY Tynwald BOYER Ellendale David Howell ESPLANADE Park 0409 611 993 GORDON A10 ROAD Y New Boyer ROAD Norfolk Mill RIVER B61 HIGHWA GLENORA RD Macquarie Plains B62 ONSLOWS LYELL Derwent Showground iver ROAD R Bushy Park GLENORA Broadmarsh RIVER DERWENT MARINE B62 Plenty R CONSERVATION AREA C615 Derwent ROAD Plenty A10 Y LYELL HIGHWA Sorell Creek Campania B62 Lachlan Mangalore River ENLARGEMENT 1 ENLARGEMENT 2 ENLARGEMENT 3 Hayes Bridgewater Gretna B10 River Please observe Westerway R Bridgewater Gagebrook Tea A10 Bridge Tyenna Derwent N Granton GO A10 RDO Karanja 012345 N kilometres Tree RIVER B61 B32 ROAD Old Pontville Austins Beach NO FIRES NO SHOOTING NO DOGS NO LITTERINGNO CAMPING National Park SEE Ferry UNLESS OTHERWISE Brighton IDENTIFIED ENLARGEMENT 1 New Norfolk Glenora Rosegarland Claremont C184 L Otago Macquarie YELL Inland Angling Licence required for all fishing.