The Central Highlands is the best wild trout fishery in Australia and among the finest in the world. A week there changes how you think about fishing.
Why Tasmania Is Different
The Central Highlands of Tasmania holds more than 4,000 lakes and lagoons, most of which contain self-sustaining populations of wild brown and rainbow trout that have never been stocked. The fish grew up entirely wild, which means they eat selectively, spook at shadows, and fight harder than anything you have landed in a stocked mainland river. They are also, in many lakes, startlingly large — browns over 3kg are a realistic possibility in the right water at the right time.
I drove up from Hobart on a Sunday in late January, loaded with waders, a 5-weight rod, and more optimism than I had any right to. The road to Miena — the small settlement on the shore of Great Lake — takes you through a landscape that looks like nothing else in Australia: open buttongrass moorland, she-oak, and the dark water of countless lakes under a sky that changes constantly.
The First Lake
Arthur's Lake on a calm evening in midsummer is an extraordinary experience. The water is clear enough to see the bottom at 3 metres. Trout cruise the weed edges in water so shallow their dorsal fins are visible from a distance. This is sight fishing in its purest form — you watch the fish, present the fly ahead of its path, and either it takes or it does not. Nothing about it is passive.
I spent the first evening on the eastern shore and was refused comprehensively by four visible fish before a brown of around 1.5kg took a size 14 Elk Hair Caddis with complete confidence. It ran hard twice and then jumped — once, cleanly, about a metre above the water in the last light before the sun went down behind the Western Tiers.
The Lagoon of Islands
Two days later, a guide — a Tasmanian who has fished these waters since childhood — took me to the Lagoon of Islands. This is the premier sight-fishing water in Tasmania: expansive shallow lagoons connected by channels, with fish visible at distances that would be impossible in mainland rivers. Polarised glasses are mandatory. The guide spotted a fish at 60 metres that I could not see until he pointed out the exact ripple of its tail.
The Lagoon browns are enormous and extremely difficult. We moved eight fish in four hours. Three came to the fly. One was landed — 2.8kg, fully wild, in extraordinary condition. I held it in the water for longer than necessary before letting it go.
What You Need to Know
A Tasmanian fishing licence is required and valid for the season. Many premium waters are fly-only or artificial-only. The highland weather changes rapidly — sun, wind, rain, and cold can all occur in the same afternoon. Layer well, bring a waterproof jacket, and do not assume summer conditions. Browse our fly fishing gear range for everything you need — waders, leaders, and UPF sun protection for open water fishing.
