TADPOLES AND SMALL FISH THAT SPEND ALL OR PART OF THEIR LIFE IN TROUT HABITAT

Because of their high protein count and high nutritional return trout will eat most small fish and tadpoles including their own young if given half a chance. Listed below as some of the small fish like creatures that trout eat as well as just a few suggested imitations.

TADPOLES

Whilst there are both land based and water based frogs all in fact must return to water to breed. Female frogs release eggs in the form of jelly looking substance with tiny black dots and the male frogs release their milk independently to fertilize them. tadpoles develop in the egg sacks prior to hatching in mass as juvenile tadpoles of around 3mm in length. they develop quickly eventually reaching up to 25mm in length. Throughout this development process they are vulnerable to trout and as they grow they are vied by trout as an attractive food source.  tadpoles are air breathers and must breach the surface regularly to take in air. If you watch tadpoles carefully you will see that they tend to live in the detritus matter or amongst drowned vegetation and aquatic weed and most of there movement is as the move to and fro the surface to breath. A fly placed in the path of a cruising trout or lifted from the bottom when the naturals are around can be a very exciting form of fishing with trout even chasing the fly right into the margins.

TADPOLE

WOOLLY WORM

GALAXIIDS, SMELT AND WHITEBAIT

Galaxiids are cigar shaped native fish that are found throughout Australia and other southern clines. Their are around 20 species in Australia and they size ranges generally from around 6cm to 12cm long but larger individual specimens are encountered. They are generally silver to pale olive in colour.

There are at least 3 species of Smelt distributed around Australia except for South Australia and they are similar in length but a little deeper in shape than Galaxiid. Smelt are often almost translucent with a tinge of olive.

Whilst land locked populations of both Galaxiids and Smelt do occur in lakes and lagoons that were once open to the sea most of the 20 or so species are found in coastal lakes , rivers and streams that allow access to the sea for spawning. In Tasmania a large percentage of the "Whitebait" taken is of the Galaxiid and Smelt families.

Whitebait are similar in appearance to Galaxiid and populate coastal waters particularly around Tasmania. they run up streams and rivers to spawn and their spawn runs often cross the spawn runs of both Galaxiid and Smelt as they move to sea to spawn.

Smelt type flies are generally used when targeting Galaxiid, Smelt and Whitebait feeders.

BMS

BLUE AND SILVER TEAL

GAMBESIA (MOSQUITO FISH), GOLDFISH (CRETIAN CARP) AND (WEATHER LOACH) AND JUVENILE REDFIN

All of these are introduced species which are unfortunately found in many of our water ways. They have probably been introduced by bait fishermen using them as bait. Because of their high protein content they are an attractive food source for trout.

Streamer flies and Killer style flies are often taken by trout feeding on these introduced species.

MRS. SIMPSON

TOM JONES

GUDGEONS AND GOBIES

Perhaps the best known Gudgeon to Australian fly fishers is the New Zealand Cockabully. There are also several species of similar fish in NSW and Victorian lakes and they are popular dietary supplements for trout when they can be routed out or are found in the open.

These fish seem to live in small family groups and their tendency to remain in tight cover probably keeps them relatively safe from trout. Trout that would target Gudgeons and Gobies will often fall foul of olive or brown flies of similar size as the natural fished in a jerky manner across the bottom.

YETI

MATUKA