Activities
Trout on the South Esk, a short drive from Tower Hill
Trout on the South Esk River, a short drive from the farm. Licence required, and access only where permitted.
Tower Hill sits in the upper South Esk country, close to some of the best known trout water in north-east Tasmania. Fishing is self-guided. Bring your own gear and your own licence, and check the rules for the water you plan to fish before you go.
About our creeks: the creeks on our own land don't really hold fish, so we don't offer them as fishing spots. Please fish the public waters below instead.
Before you go (the rules)
- Inland waters need a licence. Anyone 14 or older needs a current Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) angling licence to fish any inland water in Tasmania, including farm dams. Juniors aged 14 to 17 get a free licence this season, and under 14s don't need one. Angling licence | Buy a licence
- Seasons vary by water. For 2026-27, most waters open on 1 August 2026 and close on 2 May 2027. The South Esk below the Storys Creek Road bridge at Avoca stays open to 30 May 2027. Rivers here are not open all year. Season dates and times
- Bag and size limits vary by water. Check the water in the IFS A to Z of waters, the Tasmanian Inland Fishing Code 2026-27 or the InFish app. Bag and size limits
- Keep what you need for the table. If you release a fish, wet your hands and keep it in the water.
- Sea and estuary fishing (Georges Bay, the lower Scamander) follows the marine rules. Recreational sea fishing rules | Sea size and bag limits
- Check, clean and dry your gear between waters, never move live fish between waters, and don't use willow as a rod rest.
- Rivers rise fast after rain. Check river levels before you head out: BoM rain and river data.
What swims in the South Esk and nearby creeks
| Species | Status | What the rules say |
|---|---|---|
| Brown trout | Introduced sport fish | The main fish of the South Esk. 220 mm minimum, bag of 5 in the river. |
| Rainbow trout | Introduced sport fish | Turns up now and then, mostly in the upper reaches. Same limits as brown trout in the river. |
| River blackfish | Native | 220 mm minimum, daily bag of 12. |
| Short-finned and long-finned eels | Native | 300 mm minimum, daily bag of 12, possession limit of 24. |
| Galaxiids (native minnows) | Mostly protected | 11 galaxiid species are wholly protected in Tasmania. Leave them be. |
| Freshwater crayfish (all species) | Protected, no take | Fishing for any freshwater crayfish is prohibited. |
| Redfin perch | Introduced pest | No bag or size limit. IFS asks anglers not to release redfin back into the water. |
| Tench, goldfish | Introduced pests | No bag or size limit. Don't spread them. |
| European carp, gambusia, mainland yabbies | Declared pest fish | You must not have them in your possession. Report any sighting to IFS. |
Australian grayling are protected. Release any grayling you catch straight away.
It is an offence to move or release live fish into any inland water without approval from the Inland Fisheries Service. Which of these species are present in a particular stretch varies, so treat this as a guide only.
Public fishing spots within a drive
Drive times are estimates only from Tower Hill. Allow extra time on gravel roads and watch for wildlife at dawn and dusk.
South Esk River, upper reaches (Mathinna area)
- Drive: about 15 to 25 minutes (estimate)
- Fish: mostly small, fit brown trout with the odd rainbow and the odd bigger fish.
- Access: IFS lists easy public access at the Mathinna Plains Road bridge and Griffin Park. Wadeable riffles and shallow pools suit fly, lure and bait.
- Season: 1 August 2026 to 2 May 2027.
- Some lower creeks in the area run through state forest. Fishing there is under your normal IFS licence and the forestry access rules for that land. Reach them by public roads only.
South Esk River, Fingal to Conara
- Drive: about 30 to 60 minutes depending on the access point (estimate)
- Fish: brown trout. Mayfly hatches and grasshopper falls in the warmer months.
- Access: IFS lists access at bridge crossings including Leona Road, Storys Creek Road and Bonneys Plains Road, some with the kind help of private landowners. Stay at the signed access points.
- Season: above the Storys Creek Road bridge at Avoca, 1 August 2026 to 2 May 2027. Below it, to 30 May 2027.
Break O'Day River
- Drive: about 30 to 40 minutes (estimate)
- Fish: brown trout. IFS calls it an iconic river with broad waters known for mayfly hatches, best known as a fly water.
- Access: joins the South Esk at Fingal, starting near St Marys. Use public road and bridge access only.
- Season: 1 August 2026 to 2 May 2027. 220 mm minimum, bag of 5.
St Pauls River
- The St Pauls is a South Esk tributary near Avoca, but it has no listing of its own in the IFS A to Z of waters. Check the Inland Fishing Code and InFish app for its rules and public access before you go.
Lake Leake
- Drive: about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (estimate)
- Fish: brown and rainbow trout, supported by stocking.
- Access: on the B34, about 34 km east of Campbell Town. Lures and flies only. Waters flowing into the lake, and 50 m below where they enter, are closed at all times.
- Season: 1 August 2026 to 2 May 2027. 300 mm minimum, bag of 5 with only 2 over 500 mm. Dry fly fishing is often best in November and December.
Tooms Lake
- Drive: about 2 hours (estimate)
- Fish: brown and rainbow trout, stocked by IFS.
- Access: inside the Tooms Lake Conservation Area, about 42 km east of Ross via the C305. All methods allowed.
- Season: 1 August 2026 to 2 May 2027. 300 mm minimum, bag of 5 with only 2 over 500 mm.
Scamander River
- Drive: about 50 minutes to 1 hour (estimate)
- Fish: trout in the upper reaches. Black bream are common in the tidal water.
- Access: the river meets the sea at Scamander, under the Tasman Highway bridge. Downstream of the A3 bridge counts as estuary and sea water, so the marine rules apply there.
- Season: freshwater reaches 1 August 2026 to 2 May 2027. Bream in marine waters: 25 cm minimum, bag of 5.
Georges Bay, St Helens
- Drive: about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (estimate)
- Fish: bream and other estuary and bay species.
- Access: public foreshore and jetties around St Helens.
- Rules: Georges Bay is a Shark Refuge Area. No taking of sharks, skates or rays, and no set lines or mullet nets west of a line from Grants Point to St Helens Point. Flathead rules recently changed and differ by zone, so check the sand flathead rules before you keep any. St Helens area restrictions
Forest Lodge Dam (private fishery, Pyengana area)
A private fishery on a working farm run by Pyengana Premium Meats. Earlier permissions have been withdrawn, so access is by booking only. It's $25 a day, kids under 18 fish free, and you get one day of free access with an order of Pyengana Premium Meat. Book through Pyengana Premium Meats. About 1.5 hours (roughly 95 km) drive from Tower Hill via Fingal.
Prices as advertised Oct 2026, check before you go.
A few fair notes
- Fishing depends on the weather, river flows and the season. We can't promise a catch.
- Respect private land. Only fish from public access points or where you have the landowner's permission.
- Take your rubbish home and leave gates as you find them.
Rules change. Always check the current IFS and Fishing Tasmania rules before you fish. Information current as at October 2026.
Public fishing access map
Fishing is under a normal IFS licence and forestry access rules. Access points are indicative.
Pairs with camping
Camp with us at Tower Hill and use the farm as a base for a few days on the water. Book your stay