Fourth in our series of opening weekend options is the most popularly fished river in the state, the River Derwent. With the lower reaches open all year round, the Derwent has already given up some large fish over the past couple of months, with silver sea run brown trout starting to feature in recent weeks.

The lower Derwent is best suited to lure and fly angling, although bait fishing can also be successful. The best spots this time of year are from New Norfolk downstream, with good fishing in the Bridgewater/Granton area through to Boyer.

To spice things up, we have released two tagged brown trout into the lower Derwent worth $5,000 each as part of our 2025-26 tagged trout promotion.

With one of the state’s best early season river fisheries right on the doorstep of the capital, it is a great option for those not wanting to travel too far. Also, there is always potential to catch one of the much larger than average trout that the Derwent produces each year.

For further information on the River Derwent check out the InFish App, and the River Derwent Anglers Access brochure.