Most Victorian fishing can be done with a light spin outfit, but there is plenty of scope to specialise.

A 3kg spin outfit is ideal for gar, whiting, mullet, trout, redfin and bream. See eBay listings here.

A 6kg spin outfit is ideal for general Victorian saltwater and freshwater fishing. See eBay listings here.

A heavy-duty surf rod is needed for surf mulloway, snapper, kingfish and gummy shark fishing from the ocean beaches and the rocks, see eBay listings here. A lighter surf rod is otherwise better for chasing tailor, salmon, flathead and whiting in the surf.

For boat fishing, a shorter, stouter rod/spinning reel combo loaded with 10kg line is ideal for general reef fishing in water to around 20m deep, and can also be used to cast lures to pelagic fish. See eBay listing here. Rods around 7′ long are ideal for boat fishing.

Metal slice lures are ideal for Victorian salmon, tailor, kingfish, flathead and silver trevally. There are many types but the simple chrome styles are as good as any. See eBay listing here.

Soft plastic paddle tail lures are popular and effective all-round lures for Victorian estuary species, and these lures also work in freshwater locations. See eBay listings here.

Weighted jig heads are needed to rig most soft plastic paddle tail lures, although some have the jig head built in. See eBay listings here. It pays to use the lightest jig head possible, and light resin jig heads allow an angler to present a more realistic suspending lure action.

Sabiki bait jigs are great for catching yakkas and slimy mackerel, buy them on eBay here. Remove droppers if required to stay legally compliant, cutting a complete rig in half will usually make two legal sets.

For Victorian squidding, standard unbaited jigs are effective, see listings here.

Baited ‘spike jigs’ work well on large calamari squid. These jigs are cast under a float and left out until a squid takes the bait. Bait the jig with a small fish such as tommy ruff or mullet. These large baited jigs look clumsy compared with the smaller jigs more commonly seen, but they are effective … see listings here. The barbed version is even better if you can find them for sale.

Smaller squid can be targeted with baited spike jigs such as these … see eBay listings here.

The secret for successful squid fishing is to fish dusk, darkness and dawn, when the water is clear. Summer is usually best.

Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for surf and boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig where the sinker slides along the line, allowing a fish to easily run with a baited hook. See eBay listings for ball sinkers here, see listings for star sinkers here and for snapper leads here.

Hooks in mixed sizes (suggest 1# or #2 for whiting, 6# or #8 for garfish, 4/0 for salmon and flathead, 11/0 for large mulloway). See eBay listing here.

Ganged hooks (joined chains of hooks) are often used when fishing pilchard or garfish baits for salmon, tailor, mulloway and snapper. Listing on eBay here.

Flounder spearing is popular in Victoria. A submerged light is generally used to find the fish, see eBay listing here.

Shrimp and yabbies are great baits for Victorian freshwater fishing. Strict regulations apply to the type of gear used to catch them. Ebay sellers have a variety of yabby and shrimp traps, be sure to buy one that complies with local regulations.

Worms are also an excellent bait, see worm farm listings on eBay here.

Other items you may need are wire trace to stop fish such as barracoutta or sharks biting through your line, see eBay listings here, swivels to stop line twist when using spinning lures here, a filleting knife to clean your fish here, a burley bucket to attract fish to your area here, a waterproof torch here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, bait jigs to catch baitfish such as slimy mackerel or yakkas for bait here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, and of course a tackle box here.

Lastly, if don’t want to use traditional smelly baits, you can try a commercial bait product such as this.

BOATS FOR SALE in Victoria – see current eBay listings here.

Check out Parsun outboards on eBay

Much freshwater fishing involves casting or trolling lures around timber, so a lure desnagger quickly pays for itself. The simplest type of desnagger is dropped down on a cord … see them on eBay here.

Shrimp and yabbies are great baits for freshwater fishing. Strict regulations apply to the type of gear used to catch them. Various eBay sellers have yabby and shrimp traps, be sure to buy one that complies with local regulations.

Worms are also an excellent bait, see worm farm listings on eBay here.

For a fair dinkum true blue Aussie lure desnagger, try this one … eBay link here.

A 1-3kg spinning rod-reel combo (eggbeater style reel) is ideal for trout, bass and redfin. See eBay listings for light spin combos here.

A 3-6kg spin outfit is ideal for yellowbelly and small cod. See eBay listings here.

For chasing larger cod in dams, and barramundi in northern dams, a dedicated 10kg baitcaster outfit is required, load it up with 15kg braid if big fish are expected or if there is a lot of timber in your dam.

Soft plastic paddletail lures are popular and effective all-round lures that work particularly well in stocked dams. See eBay listings here. Choose the smallest sizes for trout, redfin and bass, and large sizes for golden perch, murray cod and barramundi.

Soft plastic grubs work well on redfin and trout. See eBay listing here.

Weighted jig heads are needed to rig most soft plastic lures, although some have the jig head built in. See eBay listings here. It pays to use the lightest jig head possible, and light resin jig heads allow an angler to present a more realistic suspending lure action.

Bibbed hardbody minnows work well, choose the smallest sizes for trout, redfin and bass, and large sizes for golden perch, murray cod and barramundi. When chasing large murray cod and barramundi in dams choose good brands like Classics or Reidys, as these strong fish tear apart the split rings and hooks on cheaply made lures.

There are many lures suitable for chasing trout, but a proven favourite is the Tassie Devil. See eBay listings here.

Another proven favourite is the Rapala Trout 3cm minnow. See eBay listings for this and similar lures here.

Where bait fishing is permitted, ball sinkers are ideal for bait fishing. See eBay listing here.

Floats are useful for suspending a bait. The polystyrene floats in the following listing are slid onto the line and a stopper is placed above the float to set the depth fished. For most impoundment fishing, use the smallest size. See eBay listing here.

Alternatively, especially where the water is clear and shallow, use clear bubble floats.

Fly fishing combos, complete with rod, reel, tapered leaders, flyline and flies, are available in various sizes. A 3-weight is OK for small trout rivers while a 6-weight is better for lakes. See eBay listings here.

Good-quality tapered leaders are important when fishing with light line. See eBay listings here. These are an item where it might pay to invest in a quality brand.

Carry an assortment of flies for trout fishing. See eBay listings here.

Floats are useful for suspending a bait. The polystyrene floats in the following listing are slid onto the line and a stopper is placed above the float to set the depth fished. See eBay listing here.

Quill floats are ideal for trout fishing with mudeyes, shrimp and worms.

Hooks in mixed sizes are needed for bait fishing. Suggest 4# to #8 for trout and redfin. Use 1/0 or larger for golden perch. See eBay listing here.

Hooks up to around 1/0 are suitable for bait fishing with shrimps, use smaller hooks for earthworm baits.

For trophy murray cod and barramundi, extra large hooks and lures are needed, and a knotless landing net should be used to land these fish for release, as it minimises damage to the scales and skin.

Lastly, when trout fishing, if don’t want to use traditional smelly baits, you can try a commercial bait product such as this.

Much Murray River fishing involves casting or trolling lures around timber, so a lure desnagger quickly pays for itself. The simplest type is dropped down on a cord … eBay link here.

For a fair dinkum true blue Aussie lure desnagger, try this one … eBay link here.

Shrimp and yabbies are great baits for fishing the Murray River. Strict regulations apply to the type of gear used to catch them. Ebay sellers have a variety of yabby and shrimp traps, be sure to buy one that complies with local regulations.

Worms are also an excellent bait, see worm farm listings on eBay here.

For rods and reels, a 3-6kg spin outfit is ideal for most Murray River bait and lure fishing. See eBay listings for light spin combos here. If you are chasing big murray cod, you’ll need something heavier.

Soft plastic paddle tail lures in the smaller sizes are effective all-round lures for Murray River species, see eBay listings here. Choose large sizes for cod, and smaller sizes for other fish.

Weighted jig heads are needed to rig most soft plastic paddle tail lures, although some have the jig head built in. See eBay listings here. It pays to use the lightest jig head possible. Light resin jig heads allow an angler to present a more realistic suspending lure action, but the light weight makes them harder to cast long distances.

Floats are useful for suspending a bait. Polystyrene floats are slid or clipped onto the line and a stopper is placed above the float to set the depth a bait is fished. See eBay listings here. Small quill style floats are useful in all freshwater fishing but for some reason are not much used in Australian fishing. Try a worm or shrimp suspended under a quill float next time you fish the Murray or a trout stream. Clear bubble floats are useful for Murray fishing when the water is clear.

Ball sinkers are ideal for river bait fishing, using a running sinker rig where the sinker can slide along the line, allowing a fish to run with a baited hook. See eBay listings for ball sinkers here.

Hooks up to around 1/0 are ideal for the Murray bait fishing, with fine-gauge hooks best for livebait fishing. See eBay listings here.

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