# Southport Lagoon



## wrasseman (Jul 28, 2006)

Wow, what a place - yakking heaven. I headed out to southport lagoon yesterday, unfortunately with a very late start. The track in was remarkably easy despite the fairly dire warning signs though it did take about 30-40min to go just 5.9km (definitely 4wd only). Nevertheless upon arrival i was greeted by a glorious area of sheltered water - a lot larger than anticipated- with a few interesting looking islands in the middle. After launching I was disappointed to find that much of the bottom in the nearby shallows was covered with intermittant filamentous green weed which would make lure fishing difficult. Bibbed HBs were a waste of time and even weedless rigged SPs were picking the stuff up. Nothing for it but to explore further afield and find some less weedy spots. As I'd promptly forgotten my mental map of the place I (there was a map showing water depths and seagrass beds at the launch site) I simply headed out between a couple of islands towards the mouth and soon found some fishable areas. On my first drift flicking a small spoon, I scored a solid hookup to a nice flattie and after a couple of pics back he went another followed shortly after (camera went flat on this one so appologies for the few and dodgy pics) before I decided as the wind had dropped and I had no drift to head out to the mouth and see what was about there. On the way I periodically stopped for a cast and continued adding to my tally of flatties. Unfortunately at this point the wind came up quickly building to 30-35kts and blowing in exactly the wrong direction slowing me down substantially. When the rain came as well I decided to head back towards the car as I didn't want to get bogged on the way out if the rain really bucketed down so I never made the mouth, or the fishy looking back end of the lagoon. Trolling my way back, I picked two small salmon and another flattie (only undersized one for the day), and just off from the car I had a final drift for another nice flatty. In the end the tally for about 2-3hrs fishing was two salmon, what I think was a whiting (dropped boatside before I got a good look) and about seven or so flatties, all but one reasonable sized for tas. Although I didn't catch anything great or get onto any of the flounder this place is renowned for (as a species collector that was my real goal) I'll be back. As it recieves little fishing pressure I'm sure a more concerted effort could turn up some very pleasant surprises in this waterway and it is tailor made for yakking, I just need more time to explore it.
col.


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## jimmy34 (Apr 20, 2007)

Nice one Col, I will join you next time you go exploring there. Can't do Saturday's tho......


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## pescado (May 17, 2007)

Looks like a great spot there col. Is that a dusky or sand flathead? Flounder love SPs - weirdest fish to catch hey, just this crazy vibrating thru the line...


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## Duane (Oct 20, 2007)

Sounds like a good spot for a day trip.

Any idea of what Hastings Bay (next bay up) is like? I had a look on google earth and it looks like it would be 2wd accessible.


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## Blaen (Jul 4, 2006)

NIce one Col,

Don't show these guys too many photos of our pristine water ways or else we will have an invasion :lol:

I still reckon it's a good place for us to try a day trip from Hobart


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## wrasseman (Jul 28, 2006)

jimmy34 said:


> Nice one Col, I will join you next time you go exploring there. Can't do Saturday's tho......


What"re you doing friday? or Sunday?


Duane said:


> Sounds like a good spot for a day trip.
> 
> Any idea of what Hastings Bay (next bay up) is like? I had a look on google earth and it looks like it would be 2wd accessible.


By up you mean north ie. Lune river mouth? if so definitely 2wd accessible through southport but not sure where seaward limit for lune river is so may not be allowed to fish atm. I have pulled both trout and flatties from there though. Also heard of a spot in the lower Lune that's reputedly dinamite for bream, salmon and trout but it'll have to wait for next season.



pescado said:


> Looks like a great spot there col. Is that a dusky or sand flathead? Flounder love SPs - weirdest fish to catch hey, just this crazy vibrating thru the line...


Sand flathead, no duskys in tas. the big ones we get here are blue spots.



Blaen said:


> NIce one Col,
> 
> Don't show these guys too many photos of our pristine water ways or else we will have an invasion :lol:
> 
> I still reckon it's a good place for us to try a day trip from Hobart


Magic yakkin spot, longish daytrip from hobart but certainly doable and camping friendly too. 4wd only though.

Cheers
Col.


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## Duane (Oct 20, 2007)

wrasseman said:


> By up you mean north ie. Lune river mouth? if so definitely 2wd accessible through southport but not sure where seaward limit for lune river is so may not be allowed to fish atm. I have pulled both trout and flatties from there though. Also heard of a spot in the lower Lune that's reputedly dinamite for bream, salmon and trout but it'll have to wait for next season.


Found this on the DPIW site.


> Lune River: bream fishing area from a line across the river at Echo Island upstream to the first rapids.


from http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/We ... 8459C?open


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## wrasseman (Jul 28, 2006)

sounds good to me. might have to head down i reckon.


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## john (May 6, 2008)

Sounds a must visit. 
The 4WD track sounds fun too. 
What about Reserche? Is it fished out? Nice camping spot. 
Would love to do a convoy trip down there sometime. 
Need some experience targeting fish other than the trusty flattie. 
Just got some st's and a large sailing rudder so frothing at the bit to give them a burl.

Cheers 
John.


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