Fact Sheet for Lake King William

Introduction:

Hydro Tasmania created Lake King William in 1950 with the construction of the 70m high Clark dam across the Derwent River. In the late 1960’s a further 6 metres was added to the dam wall, increasing the storage capacity of the lake. The lake is heavily drawn upon for electricity generation and undergoes large fluctuations in water level throughout the year. Brown trout were present in the system before completion of the dam but 100 000 yearling rainbow trout were introduced upon filling of the lake. Subsequent stockings of rainbow trout continued through the early 1950’s but despite these stockings it is brown trout that dominate anglers catches. The many creeks and rivers that flow into King William provide limitless spawning facilities which has resulted in a large population of small trout in the lake.

Fishing Information:

Trolling is a reliable way to catch large bags of predominantly brown trout, with spinning and baitfishing also very productive at times. The best areas for fishing are in the northern end of the lake and the Guelph basin. Fly-fishing can also be very productive with dry fly activity, particularly on evening in the north west corner of the lake and the Guelph basin. The water is clear enough to polaroid, which can be productive on some of the steeper shores.

Region:

Central

Other Fish:

It is unlikely there are other fish present at Lake King William.

Facilities:

A large boat ramp at the southern end of the lake is useable at all water levels, four launching areas at the northern end of the lake do not always reach the water due to the highly variable water level of the lake.

Regulations and Species