Shadow Lake, Tasmania: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Shadow Lake in the Central Highlands (Tas.) part of Tasmania. The country round it is rolling hill from end to end. Surface area is around 18 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Bank access stretches around 1.7 km in total. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Central Highlands (Tas.). For a base, Queenstown sits 46 km out. Deloraine is 78 km and Sheffield 80 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Shadow Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public wildlife records from this area list brown trout. Records come from public data, not from a stocking programme. At Shadow Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between July at about 2°C and February at about 11°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. March through May and September through November are the strong stretches. It sets the rhythm of the year at Shadow Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A campsite lies 280 m away for anyone staying over. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Forgotten Lake is 0.9 km distant. What applies at Shadow Lake may have changed since it was mapped.