Brisbane tides
QLD fishing regulations
QLD marine parks
Return to QLD fishing map

Here’s a just a few landbased spots to try around Brisbane.

1. Brisbane River. Pinkenba rock wall is on the northern shore near the river mouth. It’s a fair walk out from the nearest parking area to this decaying rock wall, but there are plenty of bream and the occasional mangrove jack and threadfin salmon to be caught. Unfortunately this area has become quite littered in recent years. Note that a large rising tide may inundate parts of the wall. Elsewhere in the river, any foreshore might produce bream, but spots near manmade structure such as pylons are best. Big threadfin salmon have been caught far up the river on livebaits. Breakfast Creek mouth has easy access and fishes well at times, with some good mulloway and threadfin caught.
2. Brisbane River freshwater. The access points upstream have bass and cod, which have been stocked. Also, the superb Wivenhoe and Somserset Dams.
3. Shorncliffe jetty, near Sandgate. Pike, bream, whiting, squid, catfish and stingrays. Bream and whiting along the Sandgate foreshore wall at high tide.
4. Nudgee Canal. The lower section has good access, with whiting, bream, flathead and crabs. Nudgee Beach foreshore has whiting at high tide.
5. Redcliffe/Scarborough beaches. Many of these relatively calm beaches have rocky reef within casting range. Quality bream and flathead are common, with small snapper off the rocky points, and occasional cod.
6. Woody Point and Redcliffe have jetties. Also the Hornibrook Highway jetty. Many fishos do well at high tide fishing the shore near the jetties. Good run of crabs off Woody Point jetty.
7. Moreton Island. Great beach fishing on the inside and outside beaches. The sheltered inside beaches have flathead and whiting, while anything can show up in the gutters on the surf side.
8. Redland Bay has a good fishing jetty, mainly squid, flathead, bream and crabs.
9. The Logan River fishes well and has shore access in places, with mainly whiting, bream and flathead, and ongoing rumours of barramundi captures.
10. Canal estate rock walls. From southern Brisbane through to the Gold Coast are numerous canals. The rock walls are good fishing spots. Bream and jacks are the main target but it is surprising how many different species make their way through these canals, including bull sharks, mulloway, mud crabs, jacks and trevally.
11. Gold Coast beach rock walls. There are numerous small rock groynes through to Kirra. These have surf species and luderick. The sandpumping jetty at Southport produces regular mulloway and tailor.
12. Tweed Heads to Pottsville. Excellent surf and rock fishing with easy access to beaches and headlands. Look for the gutters. Tailor, flathead, bream, dart, mulloway and whiting.
13. The Tweed River has landbased access near the mouth, with bream, luderick, jacks and flathead the main catch. Footpaths along the river in places.

Please email any updates or corrections to fishfindermaps2@gmail.com

****

Some external videos filmed around the Brisbane are featured below.

Brisbane River landbased threadfin salmon

Brisbane River landbased night fishing

Tides
Burleigh Heads on Beachsafe
QLD fishing regulations
QLD marine parks
Return to QLD fishing map

Note: You need a fishing licence to fish across the border in NSW.

Here’s a few landbased and yakking spots to fish around the Gold Coast and further south into New South Wales.

1. Burleigh Heads – the north bank of Tallebudgera Creek mouth has tailor and bream. Rock groynes on the south bank and along Palm Beach (and through to Kirra) have tailor, bream, luderick in winter.
2. For yakkers, Palm Beach Reef has spotted mackerel in summer.
3. On big tides Tallebudgera Creek has bream, whiting, flathead, luderick, jacks, jewfish, queenfish, trevally, tarpon, giant herring and occasional mud
crab.
4. Currumbin Creek fishes much the same as Tallebudgera Creek. Currumbin Rock south of the creek has most species, with mackerel in season. There are big flathead at the creek mouth in spring.
5. Elephant Rock (north) and Flat Rock (south) have tailor, dart and bream, flathead on edges.
6. Snapper Rocks has great landbased fishing with bonito, tailor and tuna off the rocks between Rainbow Bay and Point Danger.
7. The Tweed River’s north and south rock walls have bitumen paths, easy access for landbased fishing. Fish turn of tide. Mainly bream, tailor, luderick, flathead. Mulloway after rain.
8. A footpath follows the Tweed River in places. Flathead, bream, whiting.
9. Good rock fishing at Fingal Head. A rock gaff is needed.
10. Terranora Inlet has Foysters Jetty off Mingjungbal Drive. Upstream, Cobaki Creek/Terranora Creek has the Pioneer Jetty, off Kennedy Drive.
11. Tidal fishing extends to the Tweed River’s weir. Bass are stocked upstream.
12. Kingscliffe’s Cudgen Creek rock walls have most species. Luderick at bridge. Usual species in the surf.
13. Most species are caught off Norries Head. The road follows the coast. A permit is required to drive on beach.
14. Hastings Point has tailor, bream and luderick. A hole on the beach north of the creek has whiting, bream, tailor, mulloway. The local creek has luderick in
winter, occasional jack in summer.
15. Schnapper Rock near Pottsville has tailor, bream in winter, occasional snapper and mulloway.
16. Pottsville Beach usually has good gutters.
17. Mooball Creek has whiting, some jacks.
18. Black Rocks is out of casting range from the beach but the adjacent beach has tailor, bream, dart, mulloway – there is a carpark nearby.

For freshwater fishos, the Gold Coast’s Bjelke Petersen Dam has excellent bass fishing in summer.

Please email any updates or corrections to fishfindermaps2@gmail.com

****

Some external videos filmed around the Gold Coast are featured below.

Tallebudgera Creek baited camera

Tallebudgera Creek drone footage

Tweed River flathead and jewfish

Tweed River spearfishing

Fingal Head drone footage

Kingscliffe’s Cudgen Creek drone footage

Hastings Point fishing

Hastings Point fishing

Tweed Heads tides
Tweed coastline
Tweed bar crossing web cam
NSW fishing regulations
NSW marine parks

The Tweed River, Fingal Head and coastal reefs near Cook Island are the focal points for fishing in this region.

The town of Tweed Heads at the Tweed River mouth marks the NSW/Queensland border.

Starting at the Gold Coast’s Burleigh Heads and moving south, Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks are suitable for casting from a
canoe or cartopper, expect bream, whiting, flathead, with some jacks and trevally.

The Tweed River is a more serious venue.

The main arm of the river is about 60km long, and is tidal to a weir 2km upstream of Murwillumbah.

Significant Tweed tributaries are Cobaki Broadwater, Terranora Broadwater, Terranora Creek, Bilambil Creek, Rous River and Bilambil
Creek.

The Tweed River mouth rock walls have deep water, with quality bream, tailor, luderick, jewfish, jacks, flathead and whiting.

Jewfish are best during flooding when baitfish are pushed downriver.

Large flathead appear in the river in spring, as do queenfish.

In summer, spotted mackerel, sweetlip, cod, jacks, flathead, grunter, whiting and small mulloway are caught.

Squid are all year, while prawns are best in March-April just after the full moon, with mud crabs in summer.

Winter sees bream biting hard, as well as mulloway, luderick, tailor and hairtail.

For rockhoppers, Fingal Head, Cudgen, Norries and Hastings Point all have good rock fishing.

Fingal is probably best.

The nearby surf beaches produce tailor, bream, dart, whiting and mulloway.

Vehicles are not allowed on beaches in the Tweed Shire, but there are access points along the roads.

South of the Tweed the various coastal communities have good surf beaches.

For boaters fishing out of Weed Heads, there are three major reefs to explore within 9.25km south-east of the river mouth.

Of these the Nine Mile Reef, east of Cook Island, is most popular, as well as nearby South Reef.

Fidos also fishes well at times.

Further south are the excellent Windarra Bank and Black Rocks reefs.

The Nine Mile is a large reef 7.4km out from the coast, with strong currents usually hitting the steep north face.

This reef rises to about 8m but averages 12m to 24m.

The rubble bottom lies at 40m.

This reef and others in the area can break, so take care.

Wahoo, cobia, kingfish and dolphin fish are popular targets.

Cobia of more than 40kg have been landed.

Mack tuna, longtail and yellowfin tuna are all caught.

The Tweed region has wider grounds variously called The Canyons, as well as reefy areas named after their respective depths.

July is usually good for boating with light westerly winds.

In winter striped marlin and yellowfin tuna are taken on the wide grounds.

Also in winter, reef fish such as pink snapper, teraglin, mulloway, pearl perch and tuskfish are biting.

The best action is usually early morning and late afternoon.

From July-Sept, yellowtail kingfish frequent the Nine Mile, with fish over 14kg common.

September usually brings the biggest kingfish, to 30kg.

Samson fish and amberjacks are generally caught all year.

The best game fishing in this area is in summer.

Trolling and livebaiting around bait schools works well.

The presence of bait is often associated with heavy rain in the Tweed River.

Black marlin inhabit the inshore reefs from January to April.

At the Nine Mile, wahoo appear any time from January to September, but March to June is best.

Cobia are all year, but best in spring/summer.

Spanish mackerel are best on the Nine Mile from Feb to May.

Mackerel tuna are thick all year, with occasional striped tuna, and small yellowfin in autumn/winter.

Access through the Tweed River mouth is usually good, but pick your weather and try to avoid the runout tide.

Please email any updates or corrections to fishfindermaps2@gmail.com

****

Some external videos filmed around Tweed Heads are featured below.

Tweed Heads rock wall fishing

Tweed Heads boat fishing

Tweed Heads flathead fishing

Diving a Tweed river bridge

Diving the Nine Mile Reef

Noosa Heads tides
Noosa coastline on Beachsafe
Great Sandy National Park – Cooloola Recreation Area
QLD fishing regulations
QLD marine parks
Return to QLD fishing map

Noosa has mainly whiting, flathead, tailor and bream in its large estuary, with mulloway, threadfin salmon and mangrove jacks also caught.

There is also good fishing off the headland and beaches.

Bass inhabit the upper reaches of the Noosa River.

Great Sandy National Park’s shallow Lake Cootharaba and upper Noosa River have wild bass, with most taken above the mouth of Lake Cootharaba.

The area accessible by 4WD from Harry’s Hut or by water from Boreen Point has long been a drawcard for Brisbane fishermen.

There are several campsites north of Harry’s Hut.

Motorised boats may not proceed past the third camp, the area above is for canoes only. Great Sandy National Park – Cooloola Recreation Area camping permits must be booked in advance.

The deep channels through Noosa’s tidal lakes have bream, whiting, flathead, tailor, school mulloway, mangrove jacks and luderick.

Threadfin salmon are caught in the channel that links Lake Cootharaba and Cooroiba, and large prawns are a regular catch in the same area.

A popular spot is the deep hole on the first bend heading north after Lake Coroiba.

There is another hole further north opposite the camping area near John’s Landing.

Lake Coroiba has flathead and whiting, while the lower Noosa River has most species on a seasonal basis – mangrove jacks and whiting are
best in summer, bream and tailor are best in winter.

Fishing in the estuary tends to be best after storms, when the water is discoloured.

When the water is clear, fish at night and use light tackle and the freshest baits, such as nippers.

Surf and rock anglers can fish north or south of the national park to find the best conditions.

Teewah Beach can be accessed by 4WD after catching the Tewantin Ferry to the north bank and then driving down Maximillian Road and The Cutting.

The beach offers good fishing in the ever-changing gutters for bream, tailor, dart, whiting and occasional mulloway.

Noosa Head has several rock platforms where tailor and large mulloway are taken, and the surf beaches to the north and south fish well at times for bream, dart, mulloway and tailor in season.

For boaters, Noosa Bar is constantly shifting and crossings must be done with care, best at the top of the tide.

Noosa has several reefs within 5km of land, and another set of reefs about 15km out.

A mix of southern and tropical species are caught on a seasonal basis, including coral trout, cobia, sweetlip, red emperor, cod, snapper, tuskfish, yellowfin
tuna and spanish mackerel.

Small black marlin visit the reefs.

There is a boat ramp at Boreen Point, also in Doonella St, Tewantin, and two ramps at Noosaville in Gympie Terrace.

Noosa fishing spots and tips

*Munna Beach and sandspit fish best on falling tide for whiting, flathead. Deep water near the jetty has mulloway at night, turn of tide.
*Munna Bridge holds baitfish and jacks, trevally, bream, tailor. Mulloway at night.
*Lions Park has family fishing for bream, whiting. Other species at
dusk and dawn.
*The island side of Sheraton Bridge has bank fishing around the pylons for jacks, trevally, bream and cod.
*Woods Spit has bream, whiting and flathead during the day and jewfish along the drop-off at night.
*The river mouth has a nearby carpark with variety of fishing, best near high tide. The rock wall has luderick, tailor and bream in winter. Whiting
are caught along the foreshores and mulloway, bream and trevally are in the deeper water.
*Pylons around Weyba bridges hold most species. Easy bank access.
*Little Cove is sheltered and is best at dusk and dawn on weekdays.
*Sheltered Winch Cove has some reef fish, especially after prolonged rough weather, as well as mulloway and tailor.
*The area from Fairy Pools to Hells Gate has deep water access for land-based game fishing, and is fishable in most winds. Big mulloway,
kingfish, trevally, cobia, sharks.

****

Some external videos filmed around Noosa are featured below.

Noosa flathead

Noosa River fishing

Noosa mangrove jacks

Noosa beach

Noosa bass

Port River tides
West Lakes tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Port River is a tidal inlet in Adelaide’s north. The inlet’s mouth is Outer Harbour, and it extends up past Torrens Island ultimately to a causeway weir that joins the West Lakes canal system.

The river’s North Arm extends around Garden Island and through to Barker Inlet, which is a nursery area for many species of fish.

The shallows of St Kilda lie to the north.

“The Port” is an important location for Adelaide fishos.

The main species are black bream and salmon trout, but mullet, mulloway, KG whiting, tommy ruffs, flounder, slimy mackerel, chow, snapper and flathead are also caught.

Big kingfish are found around the wharves near the Outer Harbour sea entrance.

Large snapper occasionally show up at Outer Harbour and within the inlet, and historically very big snapper were caught in the Torrens Island shallows at night.

Mulloway respond best to livebaits fished at low tide at night. Winter fishing produces some good fish, but they are caught all year.

Small western striped trumpeter (locally called “shitties”) are common in the river and make a good livebait for mulloway.

Some mulloway fishermen do well flicking lures under the lights of the three Port bridges near high tide.

Eagle rays, smooth rays and gummy sharks show up regularly and using lures avoids the attentions of these.

The Port has big black bream, which are a prime target for lure fishos.

Using lures instead of bait helps get past the many small bream. Crab baits also work well.

Local tubeworms are an effective bait and bloodworms are a seasonal favourite, but both attract pickers.

Peeled prawns work are also effective.

A boat helps when fishing the Port but there are some great landbased bream spots, including Snowdons Beach and the gravel foreshore near Birkenhead Tavern.

School of salmon trout move through the river and provide non-stop fishing when they are located.

The rock wall at Outer Harbour faces deep water and is a place where almost anything might be hooked, the author hooked and lost a small mako shark there many years ago, and caught large mulloway and snapper from the wall.

Mulloway, salmon trout and flathead are the usual catch at Outer Harbour rock wall, with leatherjackets and zebra fish in close to the rocks.

When sufficient weed has accumulated on the beach adjacent to the rock wall a species of worm that looks like an earthworm can be dug from the sheets, and these are good bait for whiting.

West Lakes fishing spots

West lakes is a marshland that was developed into a canal estate.

The lake is connected to the sea via pipes at the southern end but the tidal movement is small, consequently the water is clear and the fish are wary.

The canal system is a bream hotspot but it requires a finesse approach using fresh bait and light tackle.

There is a causeway weir into the Port River at the north end of West Lakes, with the area downstream of where the weir flows into the Port River being a good bream spot, although with an abundance of small fish.

Within West Lakes itself some of the bream are stonkers, but the big ones can be hard to tempt.

Mullet, mulloway, squid, whiting, garfish and more are also caught in West Lakes.

The adjacent sea beaches are low energy locations good for large yellowfin whiting in summer, and yellow-eye mullet in winter.

These big whiting respond best to worm baits presented on light tackle.

****

Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed around Port River and West Lakes are featured below.

Port River aerial footage

West Lakes bream

Port River kingfish

Yakking around Garden Island

Tea Tree Creek Beach on Beachsafe
Morgan Beach on Beachsafe
Fishery Bay on Beachsafe
Lands End Beach on Beachsafe
Cape Jervis tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Cape Jervis, at the southern end of Fleurieu Peninsula 88km south of Adelaide, is the gateway to the waters of Backstairs Passage and Kangaroo Island.

The coastline here is mainly rocky, with some small beaches flanked by rock, reef and seagrass beds.

Boaters will find exceptional fishing, with good grounds along the coast and in the passage, and excellent KG whiting grounds at Kangaroo Island.

The Cape Jervis jetty is well worth fishing, with tommy ruffs (tommies) in winter and calamari and arrow squid in summer.

Beach fishing is at Fishery Bay to the south and Morgans Beach to the north, which are easily accessible by road. For those willing to walk from Morgans, Tea Tree Creek Beach north of Morgans Beach may produce larger resident fish such as leatherjackets.

Fishery Bay produces mostly smaller fish like mullet, juvenile salmon and tommy ruffs.

Rock fishing throughout this region produces leatherjackets, sweep, salmon trout, tommies, squid and garfish.

Species caught out wide include yellowtail kingfish, nannygai, tuna, snapper, harlequin, blue morwong, silver trevally, snook, gummy and school sharks.

In close, boaters will find KG whiting, squid, leatherjackets, red mullet, flathead and garfish.

Good offshore spots include grounds around Sanders Bank and south of The Pages.

Yilki Bay and West Island grounds produce whiting, sweep, red mullet, flathead and squid.

Squid are reliable when drifting broken or weedy grounds off Cape Jervis, and Wirrina to the north.

Rapid Bay, north of Cape Jervis, is arguably the best fishing jetty in the area.

Mainly garfish, KG whiting and snook are caught off Wirrina and Carrackalinga.

Shore-based fishing the relatively low energy beaches in this region produces yellowfin whiting in summer and yellow-eye mullet in winter, with salmon trout all year and the chance of salmon, tailor and mulloway.

North of Cape Jervis, Normanville has a 7km beach into which flow the intermittent Yankalilla River, Bungala River and Carrickalinga Creek.

Mulloway are a chance on the beach here when these creeks flood and the mouths open.

The beach is otherwise good for yellow-eye mullet in autumn/winter, salmon trout, flathead, silver whiting and yellowfin whiting. Normanville has a jetty that fishes well, and Haycock Point at the northern end is also worth trying.

Boats can be launched at Lady Bay and Normanville.

Some of the beach is narrow and steep, with seagrass growing to within 50m of shore.

Backstairs Passage itself is the home of big snapper (when you are allowed to catch them).

The Passage is not easily fished, being subject to strong currents and standing waves, and big sinkers are required even when fishing the turn of the tide.

When it is rough there is good fishing to be had in close along the coast out of the worst weather.

The Pages Island group in the passage includes a marine sanctuary and no-go zones.

There is a boat ramp within a marina at Cape Jervis.

Explore accommodation in the Cape Jervis region

Booking.com

****

Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed around Cape Jervis are featured below.

Cape Jervis jetty squid

Cape Jervis tommies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hoI3haBMA0

Cape Jervis offshore

Cape Jervis whiting and snapper

Normanville Beach drone footage

Driving from Adelaide to Victor Harbour, via Cape Jervis

Tasmanian fishing regulations
Tasmanian marine reserves
Tasmanian saltwater fishing seasons
Trout fishing spot access programs
Fisheries assessment reports
Buy a freshwater fishing licence
Tasmanian lake levels (hydro)
Tasmanian lake levels (govt)
Tasmanian lake webcams
Tasmanian river flows
Bag and size limits
Private Tasmanian trout fisheries
Return to the Tasmanian Fishing Map

Lake Pedder is a vast impoundment in south-western Tasmania, about a two-hour drive from Hobart.

The lake feeds nearby Lake Gordon with water for generating hydro-electricity, via McPartlan Canal.

Lake Pedder formed in 1971 when a controversial dam was completed and the original much smaller Lake Pedder was flooded.

The Gordon hydro scheme formed Australia’s largest freshwater impoundment. Lake Pedder has a 242 square kilometre area, and Lake Gordon is 272 square kilometres.

Pedder’s water levels are relatively static, but Lake Gordon has regular large drawdowns, exposing much of the bare shoreline. Gordon also often rises quickly.

Both Pedder and Gordon have tannin-stained water that is usually clear enough for lure and fly fishing.

Lake Pedder was famous for fishing in its early years as the trout grew huge on the abundant food supply, and multiple catches of trophy fish were common.

This has since changed.

The lake is still full of trout but they now average 500g to 1kg.

Big fish may exist but they are not common.

The lake is famous for its scenery.

This huge waterbody sees relatively little fishing pressure, and provides a true wilderness experience.

Unfortunately its landbased fishing potential is fairly limited.

What little shoreline is accessible does produce fish.

Boaters must watch the weather as this is alpine country and it gets rough and very cold at short notice.

Most fishing methods work at Lake Pedder.

The lake experiences some insect hatches, unlike Lake Gordon, which fluctuates too much to sustain insect hatches.

Midge fishing and windlane fly-casting works in the daytime.

Early mornings in summer and autumn are the best time for windlane fishing.

Some windlanes can carry many feeding fish.

Fly or lure fishing the shoreline is best in the morning and late afternoon.

Lure or fly type does not seem to be critical.

Trolling over structure often works, as well as deep trolling.

Any location with an inflowing creek is worth fishing.

In the 1980s Pedder’s big trout were often caught at night using surface lures, with braver souls saying winter was the best time to use this method.

One would think that with trout being abundant throughout the lake, there would be big cannibal trout caught.

Trout in Irish and Scottish lakes are known to grow large and prey on other trout, read about the original ferox trout here.

However there does not seem to be a record of a trout bigger than 1.5kg being taken from Pedder in recent times.

Lakes Pedder and Gordon are managed as wild trout fisheries.

Brown trout are the main catch, with a few rainbows.

Angling is allowed all year.

Lake Pedder is within South West National Park.

There are campgrounds at Teds Beach, Edgar Dam and Huon Inlet.

Camping fees do not apply but National Parks Passes are required.

There is a lodge at the lake with accommodation and a heated pool.

There are boat launch sites at Serpentine Dam, Strathgordon, Teds Beach, McPartlan Pass, Edgar Dam and Scotts Peak Dam.

Lake Pedder has two threatened native fish species present, the Pedder galaxias and swamp galaxias. Both have a maximum length around 10cm.

Nearby Lake Gordon has redfin, which may become established in Lake Pedder.

In recent times Lake Gordon has been drawn down to almost empty because of low rainfall, but it rises fast during rain events.

Book accommodation at Lake Pedder Wilderness Lodge

Booking.com

Some external videos filmed at Lake Pedder are featured below.

Lake Pedder fishing

Lake Pedder fishing

The original Lake Pedder

Saving the Pedder galaxias

Lake Pedder fishing

Tasmanian fishing regulations
Tasmanian marine reserves
Tasmanian saltwater fishing seasons
Trout fishing spot access programs
Fisheries assessment reports
Buy a freshwater fishing licence
Tasmanian lake levels (hydro)
Tasmanian lake levels (govt)
Tasmanian lake webcams
Tasmanian river flows
Bag and size limits
Private Tasmanian trout fisheries
Return to the Tasmanian Fishing Map

Lake Gordon is a vast impoundment in southern Tasmania, topped up by nearby Lake Pedder to provide hydro electricity.

These two impoundments together make up Australia’s largest water storage.

Both lakes contain brown and rainbow trout, and Gordon has redfin, which will likely eventually become established in Lake Pedder.

Lake Gordon is characterised by fast-changing water levels from hydro draws, which leave much of the bare bank exposed.

Lake Pedder’s water level fluctuates far less.

Both lakes have tannin-stained water that is usually clear enough for lure and fly fishing.

In recent Lake Gordon has been drawn down to almost empty because of low rainfall, but it rises fast during rain events.

The lake is vast at about 272sqkm when full, and is not heavily fished, so the fish are not educated and often aggressively take lures.

However distances to the best spots by water are great, and submerged timber is a navigation hazard, especially near low water.

Lake Gordon fishes best with rising water levels, and can be a difficult location to find fish when it is falling.

After rain, try the arms of shallow bays, with fish feeding anywhere water is rising over new ground.

For boaters, the locations where streams flow in are worth a try.

A good spot is Adams Bay, which has a spectacular waterfall entering from Adams River.

The Gordon River inflow is a great area that tends to fish well regardless of the lake level, unlike other spots. Huge boulders lie on the bottom here and there are large eddies in the current.

Fish with lures where the river enters the lake, and expect some big fish.

Lake Gordon is chockers with small redfin, and large trout feed on these.

Strangely, the trout here do not seem to go mad on summer gum beetles as they do on other lakes, and mudeye and other insect hatches are rare because the water levels change so much.

Insect hatches are better on nearby Lake Pedder because of the more stable water level.

Other good fishing areas to try include:

Ragged Basin – empty at low levels but otherwise a good spot. It is popular mainly because it has a boat ramp off the Gordon River Road.

The north end of Holley Basin and Pokana Bay fish well when the level is rising.

If you launch at the power station ramp between the water intake and the dam wall then Knob Basin is good with a rising water level.

Boyes Basin is perhaps the best area of all, accessed from Clear Hill Road.

Launching here is done off the loggers road and it can be hard even with 4WD. Take a chainsaw in case trees fall over the track.

You made need to obtain a key from Forestry Tasmania – ask if the track gate will be locked.

Trolling Boyes Basin can be successful. Use deep trolling methods if the fish are hanging low.

Elsewhere, the former river bed fishes well and at low levels this can be done followed simply by going through the timber.

For many, redfin are a highlight of the lake rather than a nuisance feral fish. There are some big redfin, to 2kg+, but a lot of small ones mixed in.

Some external videos filmed at Lake Gordon are featured below.

Lake Gordon fishing

Lake Gordon from the air

Lake Pedder fishing

Victorian trout fishing spots stocked for school holidays
Recently stocked Victorian trout fishing spots
Victorian dam levels
Melbourne dam levels
VIC fishing regulations

Being a relatively cool state with areas of reasonably consistent rainfall, Victoria has some great trout fishing at times, but with strong seasonal fluctuations in fishing quality.

Some of Victoria’s rivers and lakes support natural recruitment of trout, while others are stocked with trout and other salmonids.

The annual stocking regime includes thousands of fingerlings as well as some “school holiday fish” that are big enough to be caught immediately.

See this link for the latest school holiday stocking schedule.

Trout were introduced into Victoria in the 1860s and stocking continues today.

2019 Salmonid Stockings
Brown trout 412,502
Rainbow trout 536,390
Chinook salmon 50,000
Cheetah trout 2,450
Total 1,001,342

Brown trout are the main salmonid species caught, along with a good number of rainbows and a small resource of chinook and Atlantic salmon.

Brook trout were stocked in Lake Purrumbete in 2016 as part of a two-year trial stocking.

A hybrid between brook and rainbow trout, dubbed “cheetah trout”, were stocked in Lake Purrumbete in 2019.

Redfin and native Australian fish are caught alongside trout in most Victorian trout waters.

The best Victorian trout waters are Goulburn River (between Eildon and Molesworth), Rubicon River, Acheron River, Steavenson River, Tanjil River, King River, Ovens River, Kiewa River, Mitta Mitta River, Lake Catani, Lake Eildon, Lake Purrumbete, Lauriston Reservoir, Hepburn Lagoon, Newlyn Reservoir, Tullaroop Reservoir, Lake Toolondo, Lake Hume, Lake Bullen Merri, Lake Wendouree, Eildon Pondage and Lake Dartmouth.

For a full list of Victorian waters recently stocked with trout click here.

There are also many privately stocked dams.

Trout stocks in some waters are periodically assessed by fisheries staff and report cards are released.

Wild Trout Health Report Cards

Summary of wild trout streams (2015-2018) (PDF – 502.9 KB)
Buckland River
(PDF – 1.4 MB)
Howqua River
(PDF – 1.4 MB)
Jamieson River
(PDF – 1.4 MB)
Upper Goulburn River (above Lake Eildon)
(PDF – 1.4 MB)
Traralgon Creek
(PDF – 1.4 MB)

When choosing a trout fishing location it pays to assess various destinations to determine which are fishing well.

Fishing quality varies with the vagaries of the seasons, both on the short and long term.

Localised rain events provide fish with food as water levels rise and this produces fatter, healthier fish.

Rain can discolour water in otherwise clear streams and lakes.

A general rule is to fish using lure or fly in clear water, with bait more productive in discoloured water.

Consecutive years of good rain bring on the best overall trout fishing.

Here’s a summary of Victoria’s trout fishing regions.

Victoria’s north-eastern trout rivers

The high country rivers hold naturally spawned brown and rainbow trout.

Spots to try include the upper Yarra and Goulburn River catchments, the upper Ovens and King Rivers, and the Nariel and upper Murray River catchment streams.

The Mitta Mitta River is well regarded.

Any cold clear-water creeks flowing into these systems are likely to hold fish.

Try fishing just before and after the closed seasons for best results.

Victoria’s crater lake trout fishing spots

The state has unusual volcanic crater lakes that are deep and fertile and produce big fish.

Lakes Bullen Merri and Purrumbete are famous for producing trophy brown trout, with fish to 5kg caught each year, along with rainbow trout and chinook salmon.

The trout caught in these lakes are few, probably because the big fish are cautious, but their size makes it worth the effort.

Try casting lures near the shorelines in mornings and afternoons.

Deep trolling can work well on chinooks and rainbows.

Victoria’s southern trout rivers

These coastal rivers are stocked annually.

The Hopkins, Merri and Moyne Rivers all have good fishing at times, with sea runners in late winter/spring.

Try casting lures while walking the banks when the water is dirty, or use a fly rod when the water is clear.

Other mostly smaller coastal rivers and creeks, such as the Barham (near Apollo Bay), Aire and Gellibrand also turn on good fishing and all may produce occasional sea runners.

Victoria’s highland lakes trout fishing spots

Moorabool, Wendouree, Newlyns, Hepburn, Bostock and Tullaroop impoundments are places worth fishing in the Ballarat region.

Winter fishing can be good in these locations when big trout are chasing smelt and feeding on mudeyes.

Look for deep water near flats or weedbeds and the fish won’t be far away.

Victoria’s western lakes trout fishing spots

Tooliorook, Deep Lake, Toolondo and Lake Bolac are stocked and have good trout fishing, but with season variations.

Trout fishing tips

Studies show that Victoria’s stream-dwelling trout tend to head far upstream during hot weather, possibly because there is more shade and cooler water in the upper reaches of rivers.

Use the lightest possible tackle for best results in clear water.

Tiny soft plastic lures are often successful on trout, but bigger fish will take minnow lures.

If you hike into a remote section of stream you may find better fishing.

Pay attention to the weather, and river and lake levels, and don’t expect instant results if this is your first shot at trout fishing.

****

Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external trout fishing videos filmed around Victoria are featured below.

Victorian trout fishing tips

Victorian alpine trout fishing

North-east Victorian streams trout fishing

South-west Victorian streams trout fishing

Lake Purrumbete

Lake Bullen Merri chinook salmon