September can be hit and miss in Tasmania’s south and although spring is in the air there is still plenty of wind, rain and snow on the cards!

With generally unsettled weather and a good chance of snow melt run off, the fishing can be difficult at times with the saltwater fishing the slowest to recover from the cooler months.

That said keen anglers will still get amongst the odd bream in the estuaries plus an array of other species including yellow eye mullet, mackerel, Atlantic salmon, sand flathead, cod and the occasional garfish.

Although the traditional saltwater fishing can be tough it is quite the opposite with the freshwater scene where the 2013/14 trout season is now in full swing.

September offers some superb sea run trout and resident fishing with fisheries such as the upper Huon and Derwent rivers popular locations.

Depending on flows, the Huon River can be an exceptional early season trout fishery with both resident and sea run trout on offer.

Anglers will be closely monitoring the annual whitebait run with the tail end of September and October being the peak of the fishery.

Anglers will do best to concentrate on the Huon, Esperance, Lune and Catamaran rivers.

Fly anglers will do best if the often fickle whitebait turn up in large numbers when the fishing can be very exciting.

It is recommended anglers use either a floating line or an intermediate. The BMS remains the local ‘go to’ fly pattern.

Soft plastics are very effective on sea trout, especially when fished on light weight jig heads. Hardbodied lures like bibbed minnows are also effective, especially in deeper pools or fast running sections.

Bait anglers can do well although the fishing is often a little slower; the rewards are there for persistent anglers with some larger than average specimens about. Locals prefer to use prettyfish (hardyheads) or sandies. In flood conditions the humble worm can also be effective.

Comparable to the above, anglers will catch Atlantic salmon throughout the channel using similar techniques. Besides trout and salmon, other sportfish still remain relatively inactive during September, hence bait anglers have the most success.

With a berley trail consisting of mussels, fish pieces, tuna oil and bread anglers will attract flathead, juvenile Australian salmon, cod, mullet, mackerel and the occasional warehou (snotty trevally).

Land-based anglers will do best when fishing from local jetties scattered throughout the channel including Margate, Gordon, Kettering and Woodbridge.

Boat anglers do best trolling the channel with winged lures or silver slices where they will catch the occasional juvenile salmon or barracouta. If after a feed of table fish it is recommended that anglers anchor their boat on the edge of a drop off and use a berley combination to attract flathead, warehou and garfish.

Fishing an unweighted bait as well as a running sinker rig fished on the bottom is the best bet.