According to Shane Mensforth, Tasmania offers an amazing array of angling choices that are within easy reach of all South Aussies.

As I wrote this piece in early May, Jetstar was offering flights from Adelaide to Hobart for $76. Without even thinking twice, I booked two seats for travel in late August. It’s just a two-hour direct flight, which means I can leave home in the morning and be fishing by mid afternoon the same day – if so desired.

I’ve been to Tasmania so many times in recent years and caught so many spectacular fish, I start to get withdrawal symptoms if I’m away for too long! And while this $76 one-way airfare is naturally well below the norm, even standard flights are pretty affordable. Offpeak holiday accommodation is reasonably priced too, and rental cars are freely available from either Hobart or Launceston. The other travel alternative, of course, is to hop aboard the Spirit of Tasmania ferry (which departs from Geelong and arrives in Devenport), but you’ll pay a lot more, particularly if you take your own car across.

Despite being an ‘average’ fly caster, I adore this style of fishing, and there’s no doubt it has been the major driving force behind my frequent trips to Tassie. I’ve been lucky to strike up great friendships with a couple of Tassie’s top trout guides, as well as a guy I used to teach who moved there from Adelaide and has helped me no end over the years. Some of the trout I’ve been fortunate enough to catch during my Tasmanian visits have been incredible, thanks mainly to the guides and their first class advice. Most of these fish have been hooked on fly, but I’ve also caught plenty on spin tackle in various waterways.

For those who may not be that interested in catching trout, Tasmania offers so much more, particularly for South Aussies. It has one of the best southern bluefin fisheries in the world, and it’s probably the most likely location in the country for adventurous anglers to lock horns with a broadbill swordfish. The bream are way bigger on average than we see here and, of course, the King George whiting are truly enormous along much of the North -East Coast. I’ve been fortunate enough to sample a good cross section of all these fisheries, and have rarely failed to be impressed.

Let’s take a look at what a visiting South Aussie angler can expect during a short or extended stay on the Apple Isle. We’ll go species by species to provide as much relevant info’ as I can pack into one article.