Nineteen Lagoons is a common name for the near western lakes in the River Ouse and Little Pine catchments in the vicinity of Lake Ada and Lake Augusta. The Nineteen Lagoons area is accessed from the Lake Highway at the Liaweenee Canal. The Lake Augusta road which is 13km long, and is closed to traffic in the early part of the trout season due to the Augusta Dam spilling across the road. It is always advisable to contact the Rangers Station based at Liawenee to check before planning a trip. Vehicles are permitted in well-marked tracks to Double Lagoon, Howes Bay Lagoon, Lake Augusta, Carters Lakes, Rocky Lagoon, Lake Ada and Lake Botsford. It is important for the preservation of the land surrounding area of the lakes that vehicles remain on the formed roads and tracks. All other lakes in the area are accessible by foot.

These lakes have no shelter and are exposed to cold southerly winds and it is not uncommon to be faced with blizzard conditions any time of the year. It is advisable to always pack protective clothing when venturing out here. The plateau is 1150 metres above sea level, with heavy snowfalls and iced up lakes in the winter months. Most lakes are very shallow and wadeable.

Lake Botsford, the Carter Lakes, Little Blue Lagoon and Rocky Lagoon are regularly stocked with adult trout from Great Lake, during the Liaweenee  spawning run. A Large number of waters in this area are classed as wild Brown Fisheries as they sustain natural spawning. Fish sizes in these waters vary from 0.7-1.5kg, but it is not uncommon for fish up to 2.5kg to be caught.

The Carter's Lake and Howell Lagoon Bay are reserved for fly fishing only and Ada Lagoon, Lake Ada, Lake Botsford, Lake Kay, Lake Flora, O'Dells Lake and Rocky Lagoon are reserved for the use of

Most lakes in this area are ideal polaroiding waters with sandy or silt bottoms, but be warned the trout can be very spooky and utmost care must be taken. A little chop with clear blue skies are generally the best conditions in the summer months. Excellent fishing to tailing trout in the early months from October to December can be had, as the trout fossick for tadpoles and frogs. During the summer months good dun hatches occur. For the fisherman who likes to troll, Lakes Ada, Augusta and the Augusta Dam are the only waters that are advisable to use boats on. Trolling on these waters is very productive, but spinning from a drifting boat is the recommended way to fish on these shallow lakes.

My favourite flies in this area are the Redtag, Rob's Dry, Black Spinner, Green Barred Matuka, Woolly Bugger and a Brown Nymph

Bag Limit for Western Lakes are 5 trout per angler    

Photos: J. Scatchard