From this Saturday, 8 February 2020, the public and anglers will again be able to access Lake Sorell.

This will allow trout fishing for the remainder of the 2019‑20 brown trout season, which closes 3 May 2020.

The intense carp fishing effort has reduced the trout population but we expect it to rebuild naturally over the coming years. The trout population in Lake Crescent was low when it reopened in 2007. Anglers are now catching trophy trout.

With lots of rocky reefs and shallow sections, anglers should be cautious while boating.

Campgrounds and boat ramps are available at Dago Point, which will be the primary point of public access. Silver Plains Road will remain closed until public access is resolved.

Lake Sorell is naturally shallow at this time of year. The wind and water level affects the water quality. The water quality in Lake Sorell is similar to Lake Crescent, which provides some great fishing. Both lakes are slowly improving.

This will be a great opportunity for anglers to reunite themselves with the lake as it rebuilds as a recreational fishery and a chance for a new generation of anglers to experience Lake Sorell for the first time.

This is a major milestone in the Carp Management Program (CMP) but it is not the completion of the CMP and further periods of closure will be required at times to achieve eradication.

Estimates leading into spring 2019 indicated that there were less than 20 carp remaining in Lake Sorell. We have only caught five adult carp this season despite an intensive fishing effort. This means there are very few, if any, carp left in Lake Sorell.

Juvenile carp surveys in December 2019 and January 2020 indicated that there has been no carp recruitment again this year.

Because we are catching so few carp and because carp become less active as the weather gets colder we are able to open the lake, temporarily, to the public.

To keep up to date on CMP developments and access to Lake Sorell visit www.ifs.tas.gov.au