The 2025/26 Tasmanian Fly Fishing Season: What We Learned

With the last weekend of April approaching and the 2025/26 season almost closed, it feels like the right moment to sit down and reflect on nine months of fishing across Tasmania's lakes and rivers.

From a strong opening weekend at Penstock Lagoon through to the hatches of late summer and autumn, the season offered plenty to be grateful for, along with the usual Tasmanian curveballs that keep every year interesting.

This is our comprehensive wrap-up of the 2025/26 season - covering what worked, where things fired, the flies that made the difference, and what we're looking ahead to in 2026/27.

For the full seasonal overview and what to expect when planning a trip, our fly fishing Tasmania guide is the best companion piece to this post.

The Season in Context

The 2025/26 season opened in strong form. Healthy rainfall in the lead-up to August had lake levels sitting in a great position, and early reports from across the highlands were encouraging.

Fish were in good condition coming out of winter, feeding hard to put condition back on after the spawning period.

Watch the video from opening weekend in the player below:

As the season progressed, weather played its familiar role. Variable conditions through the middle months kept the guides on their toes, and there were days where flexibility and local knowledge made the difference between a quiet session and a memorable one.

By late summer and into autumn, cooling overnight temperatures shifted insect activity into the warmest part of the afternoon - which became one of the defining patterns of the back half of the season.

"Tasmania always rewards the angler who's willing to adapt. This season was a good reminder of that. When conditions shifted and the hatches moved to the afternoon, the clients who trusted the process and adjusted their timing were the ones who really got among the fish. That's the beauty of this fishery - it gives back when you pay attention." Matt Stone, Trout Tales Tasmania

Where the Fishing Shone in 2025/26

Several waters stood out across the season, each offering something a little different depending on the time of year and conditions on the day.

Penstock Lagoon

Penstock was the season's standout performer and the clear highlight water of the year.

Nick had an exceptional opening weekend on the lagoon, with multiple healthy brown trout across a range of techniques - from slower wet fly retrieves in calm, sunny spells to faster pulls along windward shores as conditions shifted.

That early momentum set the tone for a consistent year on what is, in our view, one of the most reliable fisheries in the state.

Penstock Lagoon rewards a wide range of approaches across the season. Early on, wet flies and streamers on sinking lines were the go-to.

As the season progressed and hatches became more reliable, dry fly sessions in the late afternoon produced some genuinely beautiful moments. The spinner hatches through March and April were among the best we've seen on the lagoon in recent seasons.

Bronte Lagoon

Bronte delivered consistently through the summer months, with fish reported in outstanding condition.

The lagoon's open margins, reliable mayfly and spinner activity, and strong polaroiding opportunities made it a dependable choice through the peak dry fly window.

On the right day, with a light north-westerly and a decent hatch coming off in the afternoon, Bronte Lagoon is hard to beat.

Check out Bronte Lagoon featuring as a part of our wet fly fishing masterclass.

Herne Lagoon and the Currawong Lakes

Herne Lagoon fished well through the spinner hatch period, and the Currawong Lakes produced some genuinely impressive fish during our filming sessions out on the property this season.

Getting proper time on those waters ahead of the dedicated package launch has given us a thorough understanding of the fishery, and the quality of what's on offer there is something we're very much looking forward to sharing with clients.

The Rivers

River levels ran low through much of the season, which concentrated fish and set up excellent dry fly opportunities on the right days.

Fish size and overall condition was generally up across most rivers this season - a positive indicator for the health of the fishery.

The Tyenna River was a consistent performer for day trip clients coming out of Hobart, offering classic clear-water dry fly sessions when conditions aligned.

Late Season: The Afternoon Shift

One of the clearest patterns of the 2025/26 season's latter months was the timing shift driven by cooling overnight temperatures.

Cold mornings pushed insect activity well into the day, and the best fishing consistently arrived in the warmest afternoon hours rather than at dawn.

Red and orange spinner hatches were a real feature through late summer and into autumn, particularly across the highland lakes. Penstock, Bronte, Herne, and the Currawong Lakes all produced good spinner activity on the right days.

On the days where no visible hatches appeared, reverting to streamers and large nymphs was the productive call - fish were feeding hard in preparation for the spawning season and responding well to a more assertive presentation.

"Later starts became really productive through March and April. There's no point being on the water at first light if the insects aren't moving yet. Patience and timing - that's what the late season rewards. We started rolling out around midday most days and hitting the water just as things were warming up. The results spoke for themselves." Matt Stone

The Flies That Worked

A strong season's fishing tends to confirm what experienced Tassie anglers already know: having a well-rounded fly box and knowing when to switch is everything.

These were the standout patterns across 2025/26:

• Blue damsels - Consistently effective during the warmer afternoon sessions, particularly around lake margins where damselfly activity was high.
• Parachute dun - A versatile and reliable dry fly pattern across the mid to late season window. When trout were rising and the hatch was on, this was a first reach every time.
• Guides tag - A trusted nymph pattern that fished well in variable conditions and earned its place as a go-to when surface activity was limited.
• MKII woolly bugger - The late season workhorse. Particularly effective on sinking lines when fish were feeding sub-surface and the instinct was to eat something substantial.
• Orange bead black nymph - An excellent searching pattern on days where no visible hatches were present. The kind of fly that keeps you in the game when the surface is quiet.

Shop now: If you're keen to stock your box ahead of 2026/27, our online fly shop carries a curated range of proven Tasmanian patterns.

Season Highlights

A few moments from 2025/26 stand out as genuine highlights of the year beyond the fishing itself.

Opening Weekend at Penstock

Nick's success on Penstock Lagoon during opening weekend set a positive tone for the whole season. Strong catches of healthy brown trout across a mix of techniques gave clients a real taste of what Tassie fly fishing is all about right from day one.

For a full account of how that weekend unfolded, the opening weekend recap is worth a read.

Currawong Lakes Filming

Getting out to the Currawong Lakes for the filming sessions was one of the real privileges of the year.

Decent-sized fish, private water, and a spectacular setting - the footage captured there gives a genuine sense of what the location delivers.

We're very much looking forward to bringing clients out there from 2026/27 onwards.

Learn to Fly Fish Workshops

The Learn To Fly Fish workshops at 28 Gates Farmstay continued to be one of the most rewarding parts of our season.

Watching complete beginners land their first trout on a fly is genuinely one of the best things about this job, and we had workshop sessions running right through to the final weekends of the year.

If you've been thinking about giving fly fishing a go, keep an eye on the workshop dates for 2026/27.

New Zealand

Outside of the Tassie season, we were fortunate to take a couple of groups to New Zealand, alongside a personal trip for Matt.

Brilliant fishing, a spectacular setting, and some fantastic company on the water. It's the kind of experience that reinforces just how lucky fly fishers are to have these world-class destinations accessible to us, and something we'll be keeping a close eye on in coming seasons.

Check out some GoPro highlights from Matt's trip to New Zealand below:

Looking Ahead: 2026/27

As the closed season gets underway and the team takes a well-earned break, planning for 2026/27 is already in motion. The headline addition to next season is one we've been working towards for a while.

The Currawong Lakes Fly Fishing Package

The Currawong Lakes Fly Fishing Package is now live and taking bookings for the 2026/27 season. Set on a private 2,000-acre East Coast Highlands property near Lake Leake,

the package is built around three purpose-managed private lakes that deliver exceptional fishing in a genuinely exclusive setting.

What the package includes:

• 4 nights accommodation on the property
• 3 guided fishing days across the private lakes
• All meals catered by Matt
• Hobart pickup and return transport
• Six seasonal departures across the 2026/27 season
• $4,000 per person, with four spots per departure

"Currawong is genuinely unlike anything else we offer. Three private lakes, water the public simply can't access, and fish that see very little pressure. Combined with the food, the accommodation, and the setting, it's the kind of experience that stays with you." Matt Stone

Spots across the six departures are already filling. Head to the Currawong Lakes package page to view full details and check availability.

Can't wait until next season? Get a taste for a day out on Currawong in the full leangth feature video below...

Thank You for a Great Season

A season like 2025/26 is built on the people who join us on the water. Whether it was a single-day trip out of Hobart, an overnight in the highlands, a workshop session at 28 Gates, or a multi-day adventure further afield,

every client who fished with us this season contributed to what made the year worthwhile. We're grateful for every one of you.

We'll be back on the water for the season opening in August 2026. If you're planning your 2026/27 fly fishing trip to Tasmania, now is a great time to get in touch.

And for everything you need to know about fishing the season, our ultimate fly fishing Tasmania guide is the best place to start.

Tight lines for 2026/27.