The attraction is a healthy population of wild brown trout, now native to this natural lake on the upper Lake River, enlarged slightly in 1911 and significantly in the 1960s.

Woods Lake has never been artificially stocked with trout and the quality of water, sometimes cloudy, has improved. Its level is maintained by Hydro Tasmania and the Inland Fisheries Service.

In a first-ever survey last October, the IFS found the average weight of Woods Lake browns to be 724 grams, or just over 1.5 pounds. Those sampled weighed up to a little over two kilos and one in five exceeded 1.34 kilos.  

What with improved access for vehicles and an angler’s daily catch rate remaining at the long-term average of 2.6 trout, little wonder Woods Lake is so popular.

All legitimate fishing methods are allowed, as they are on nearby Arthurs Lake and Great Lake.

Anglers continue to visit Four Springs Lake regularly, often in boats looking for trout moving among all the waterfowl.  

Meanwhile, the latest downpours have given welcome boosts to the levels of northern rivers like the North Esk. Some already running higher from last week’s rain include the upper South Esk and north eastern streams.

Conversely, reduced flows down Brumbys Creek of late pleased one keen fly fisher presenting well-sunken nymphs to take several brownies from fast water in the Second Weir.  

Tea tree beetles often collect on tea trees so fishing copies under or just downstream from bankside tea trees could be worthwhile.