Blowering Dam is in the lower Snowy Mountains and Kosciusko NP, between Talbingo and Tumut.

The impoundment holds a great combo of native fish such as golden perch (yellowbelly), murray cod and cold water trout thanks to its location.

The water is usually clear, which makes for great sight fishing, but also requries good presentation of lures and baits.

The dam contains trophy murray cod that are usually well fed, strong fish.

While murray cod have been considered a summer fishery in years past, winter fishing has boomed in recent times, possibly because cod chase trout at this time.

Casting soft plastic lures to 200mm long over shallow areas will get the cod. The proven spots are grassy banks where trout feed.

Moor your boat and cast towards the bank.

Spring, autumn and winter are the prime times for murray cod.

Bait fishing from the bank with with yabbies or grubs works well.

Boaters should troll deep lures to 150mm long around rocks and logs.

Blowering is open to fishing all year, as there is no need for an annual closure as the dam relies on stocking for fish recruitment.

Millions of native fish and trout have been stocked into Blowering over the years.

There is great trout fishing to be had from the shore, and redfin and carp are also caught.

The dam is in a large valley with mountain country and forests making a superb backdrop to the camping areas.

There are five reserves along the Snowy Mountains Highway, which runs past the lake.

Fishos can also try the western side, reached through Batlow.

Golden perch are in the dam and fish best from September to December.

Use soft plastic and hard lures and cast at trees and rocky points.

Trolling at 4m to 8m depth also works well.

Trout are best in the cooler months.

There are rainbow and brown trout in Blowering. They both respond to small lures presented on light tackle, as well as fly gear.

Worms and mudeyes are the ideal baits for trout, either under a float or cast with a tiny sinker.

Weightless bait fishing from a boat works well in suitable conditions.

Redfin are great sport and respond to trout tactics.

There is no bag limit on redfin and they are great to eat.

Silver perch have also stocked in the dam, most notably in 2019 and 2022.

Silvers are notoriously hard to catch and make a new challenge for Blowering fishos.

Blowering conditions can change quickly, always be equipped with suitable clothing.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for freshwater fishing, including within stocked dams.

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NSW dam levels
NSW stocking histories
Sydney dam levels
NSW fishing regulations
Blowering Dam NSW Govt website

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The Tasmanian Government deployed five FADs off Tasmania’s East Coast in February 2021, with another batch to be deployed in October 2023.

The first FADs were installed at at Coles Bay (2), Binalong Bay, Pirates Bay and Wineglass Bay.

The FADs were deployed on trial. They are removed in April to avoid whale migrations.

A survey was conducted to understand recreational fishing around the FADs.

There were 203 fish reported caught around the FADs by survey respondents.

The species most caught were striped tuna (56), salmon (49), kingfish (30), albacore tuna (14) and bluefin tuna (5).

There were 49 species unspecified.

The most common form of fishing reported was trolling, followed by lure casting, bait fishing and fly fishing.

A total of 72% of FAD fishers said yellowtail kingfish were their target species, followed by albacore (41%) and bluefin tuna (31%).

Some fishos targeted striped tuna and salmon, and 16% did not say they had a target species.

Many survey respondents said they there was a lack of natural structure to hold pelagic fish in the state’s north-west, and FADs should be deployed there.

Tasmania planned to install two artificial reefs in late 2022.

The reefs would be made from concrete modules.

These were to be deployed off Turners Beach near Ulverstone, and in Great Bay in the south’s D’Entrecasteaux Channel.

The reefs were expected to provide better recreational fishing in areas where little natural reef exists.

Snapper is a key species expected to be attracted to the new reefs.

See FADs on the WFS Tasmania Map
Tasmanian Govt FADs and Reefs Page
Tasmanian fishing regulations
Tasmanian marine reserves

The town of Proserpine region is central to a range of great fishing opportunities.

The Proserpine River is a strongly tidal waterway that offers a real chance of tangling with wild barramundi, along with king and blue salmon and mud crabs.

The river has some wetland in the catchment, which makes the waterway more productive.

Proserpine Dam (Peter Faust Dam) is on the catchment and is stocked with barramundi and has produced many large fish.

Grunter, queenfish, flathead, whiting, fingermark, cod and bream are caught in the tidal water.

Nearby estuary spots are Repulse Inlet, and the Thompson and O’Connell rivers.

Along the coast are the Whitsunday Islands, usually fished by boat from Shute Harbour and Airlie Beach.

Further north is the coastal community of Dingo Beach and its nearby Gregory River estuary.

Proserpine River is subject to big tides and fishing trips must be planned accordingly.

On larger tides gutter fishing works well, when barramundi and salmon sit at the exits to mud drain as the tides flows out, waiting for passing bait.

Park your boat at a gutter entrance and cast lures and baits around the drain entrance.

King salmon can be found on deep bends, along drop-offs and on timber structures, but they also hunt the shallows on a rising tide.

Once the tide enters the mangroves the fishing gets harder.

Small mullet, herring and live prawns are the prime livebaits when fishing the river.

Casting and trolling lures is best when the water clears during small tides.

Fresh dead baits work on grunter, blue salmon and fingermark but are less effective on barramundi and king salmon.

Repulse Bay is north of the Proserpine River, and is known for producing big grunter and fingermark.

Repulse Creek is a large tidal inlet and it has many submerged rocks, and these hold fish. Expect bream, fingermark, cod, mangrove jacks and even barramundi.

Mud crabs are thoughout all the local creeks.

Crocodiles are also found here, so don’t take risks.

There is a caravan park near the river mouth.

Much of Repulse Bay is exposed mudflats at low tide so take care with your trip planning.

Proserpine Dam fishing

Fish the standing timber as this is where barramundi and sooty grunter usually congregate.

You will need heavy gear and good terminal tackle to stop the big fish around the timber.

Drop-offs, flats and shallow weedy areas in the dam can also fish well.

Warm weather is best for barramundi.

The dam’s barramundi are well fed on bony bream, freshwater gunter and redclaw crayfish.

In cold weather the barramundi can be hard to catch.

Trolling the main waterbody of the impoundment can work at times, use your sounder to locate feeding fish.

There are also saratoga to be caught.

Camping is now allowed at the lake after a major upgrade to its recreational facilities. There is lakeside camping areas with three pontoons, car parks, toilets and showers, improved roads and two washdown bays.

Fishing from the banks of the lake is only permitted within the recreational area of the lake.

A stocked impoundment is required to fish the dam.

Whitsunday Island fishing

Most of the Whitsunday Islands have flats that drop away into deeper water.

These are good spots to fish for golden trevally and queenfish.

Casting to coral bommies and ledges produces sweetlip, tuskfish, trout, cod and trevally.

Great reef fishing can be had at Hook Passage, the reefs off Bird Island, the north side of Haslewood Island, the north-east side of Hook Island, and the reefs of Apostle Bay.

Big spanish mackerel show up anywhere, but are more reliable on the pressure points off reefs around the outer islands.

Deep rubble and fern grounds between the reefs hold red emperor and nannygai.

Shallow waters around the islands just outside Repulse Bay can fish well but note the GBRMPA Green Zones.

Shute Harbour and Airlie Beach fishing

These communities, especially Airlie Beach, have man-made rock walls and some rocky foreshore that can be fished on foot.

Casting lures and livebaits around high tide produces barramundi, salmon, mangrove jacks, queenfish, trevally and more.

Reef fish also show up along the foreshores at high tide, such as bar-cheeked coral trout, sweetlip, tuskfish and cod.

Fishing the rock walls at night can be effective.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for the north.

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Proserpine River mouth tides
Great Barrier Reef regional zone map
Qld dam water levels
Qld stocked dam permits
Qld fishing regulations

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