Frederick “Ricky” Bassett, of Perth (Tasmania), retired recently and decided to buy a licence and return to trout fishing after a few years off. His mate, Neil, had recently bought a new boat. Along with Neil’s brother Ian, they took the boat to Huntsman Lake to give it a run.

They trolled lures. Neil caught four brown trout with Ricky and Ian not getting so much as a bite. As each fish was wound in Neil tormented Ricky and Ian, saying “this one hasn’t got a tag in it, maybe the next one I catch will !”. They moved to deeper water north of the boat ramp where Ricky quickly caught two fish. Neither were tagged. Ricky hooked a third fish and as it came to the boat the orange tag was obvious. Excitement grew but they didn’t have a landing net! It was a strong fish and the lure was dangling precariously from the trout’s mouth! Neil leant over the side and with great skill and a vice like grip grabbed the trout and lifted it into the boat.

The trout has been confirmed as one of the two tagged trout released into Huntsman Lake as part of the Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion. The mates are going to use the money to fund future fishing trips together.

Fifty tagged brown trout have been released into waters around Tasmania for the 2021-22 Angling Season. Each tag is worth $2,000* to the angler that returns the fish to the Inland Fisheries Service (*conditions apply).

The waters and number of tagged trout still to be caught are:

Designated water	Number remaining
Arthurs Lake	5
Briseis Mine Hole	Was 2 now 1
Bronte Lagoon	2
Craigbourne Dam	Was 2 now 1
Curries River Reservoir	2
Huntsman Lake	Was 2 now 1
Lake Burbury	5
Lake Leake	Was 3 now 2
Lake Mackintosh	5
Lake Parangana	2
Lake Pedder	5
Lake Rosebery	5
Lake Rowallan	2
River Derwent	Was 3 now 2
yingina / Great Lake	5

The tags are orange and have unique identifying details.

For more information and full Terms and Conditions go to www.ifs.tas.gov.au