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Anglers Access Program brochures Trout Fish Tasmania brochure Tasmanian Inland Fishing Code

Allowed Angling Methods

To check the angling method rules for a specific water:

Download in the InFish App
Check the Tasmanian Inland Fishing Code

You can only fish inland waters with a rod and line using either bait, artificial lure or fly.

Many inland waters allow all three methods, but there are some waters only one or two of the methods are allowed.

You can only have one rod and line – unless you are licensed to fish with two rods at the same time (except for lakes Mackenzie and Augusta, where bait fishing is restricted to one handheld rod and line).

You may use two rods at the same time to fish for bream in specified bream (indigenous fish) waters (check Schedule 1 of the Inland Fisheries Regulations 2019).

A single line must have no more than

  • two lures; or
  • two baits; or
  • one lure and one bait; or
  • three artificial flies.

You must be within eight metres of your set rod and able to see it at all times.

It is illegal to look after another person’s rod and line, even if you have a current licence.

Bait fishing

Bait fishing includes natural, artificial or manufactured baits (for example ‘Powerbait’) or similar.

It is an offence to use or possess bait in waters reserved for artificial lure or fly-fishing, National Parks and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) (except lakes Mackenzie and Augusta where a single, handheld rod is allowed).

It is an offence to use frogs, freshwater crayfish or ground bait (berley) at any inland water.

You may not use fish or fish products as bait in any inland waters other than those sections of rivers subject to tidal movement.

Collecting bait

You may use either a handheld landing net or a seine net to catch live bait, other than whitebait, in the section of rivers subject to tidal movement from 29/7/23 to 28/4/24.

The landing net must have:

  • a handle length of less than two metres
  • a mesh size of greater than or equal to 12 mm
  • an opening of not more than one metre in diameter.

The seine net must:

  • not be more than six metres long and one metre deep
  • have a mesh size between 12 and 30 mm.

Strike indicators

Only a purpose-built strike indicator is allowed to warn of movement in the rod or line while set rod fishing.

Plants such as willow, a noxious weed, should not be used, as it can propagate. Bottles, jars, cans or similar objects made of plastic, glass, aluminium or any other metal are not permitted.

Enclosed traps

You cannot possess or use enclosed traps near, or in, inland waters in Tasmania.

This includes all opera house nets and bait traps.

This style of trap is banned because of their potential to seriously harm or kill wildlife.

These traps have been responsible for animal deaths including platypus and water rats. The animals find their way into the traps but cannot find their way out and drown.

It is also illegal to take or possess any sort of freshwater crayfish in Tasmania. This includes the introduced pest species (like mainland yabbies) and all native species (like the giant freshwater crayfish).

Illegal equipment

You cannot:

  • Use or possess nets other than a whitebait, seine or landing nets.
  • Leave rods unattended or set deadlines.
  • Use spears or firearms.
  • Use electrical, electronic, sonic or ultrasonic devices capable of influencing fish movement.

Illegal activities not only affect fish populations but can also affect other wildlife.

Please report illegal activity to 1300INFISH as soon as possible.