Fishing in Victoria

Victoria offers diverse, year-round recreational fishing opportunities – from freshwater rivers and lakes, to estuaries, inlets, bays, beaches, and offshore fishing.

Freshwater streams, lakes and reservoirs provide good catches from the shore or boat, with the most commonly caught species being trout, redfin, Murray cod and golden perch. The bays and beaches and offshore fishing grounds give anglers good opportunities to target snapper, King George whiting, flathead and kingfish.

Freshwater fishing
Fishing a fast flowing, freestone stream in the northeast of Victoria is an absolute joy. Streams such as Mitta Mitta and Kiewa in Victoria's High Country region are first rate trout streams while Lake Eildon and the Goulburn River, with its many tributaries, are Victoria's most popular trout fisheries.

Excellent trout fishing can also be found in lakes such as Wartook and Fyans in the Grampians region. The region contains a third of Victoria's lakes and few inland areas in Australia boast a greater variety of fish.

Similarly, with its multitude of public and private trout lakes, the sensational trout fisheries of the Goldfields region afford anglers a chance of catching trophy trout of exceptional proportions.

Anglers keen to tackle one of Australia's most prized inland species, the Murray cod have their best chance of doing so in the waters North of the Great Dividing range which are all part of the Murray River system. Waterways such as Lake Hume, Lake Mulwala, Lake Eildon, Goulburn River, Loddon River, Ovens River, Kiewa River and many areas along the length of the Murray River produce fantastic fishing for Murray cod and golden perch.

Five Premier Lakes are located in regional Victoria. These lakes are regularly stocked with rainbow trout (some in excess of 1kg) and they offer family friendly facilities and all abilities access for recreational anglers. Three Premier Rivers offer exciting opportunities for anglers.

Saltwater fishing
Located on either side of the Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay are major fishing attractions. Both consistently provide excellent catches of top quality table fish including whiting, gummy shark, squid, salmon, garfish, flathead, elephant fish and, notably, snapper.

The pristine waters of found within the Gippsland region are a delight to fish. Famed for such clean and unsullied estuaries as Mallacoota, Wingan, Tamboon, Sydenham and Marlo inlets, these areas among others are some of the best in Victoria to fish for bream, flathead and other typical estuarine species. The Gippsland Lakes and 90 Mile Beach areas are equally esteemed as fishing havens.

Phillip Island is renowned for its fishing by serious offshore anglers. Those who venture out into Bass Strait catch shark, tuna and kingfish. The area also offers excellent inshore fishing for inshore species such as flathead, snapper and whiting.

The Great Ocean Road provides access to some excellent offshore fishing grounds. Portland is the jewel in the crown in this region giving anglers exceptional opportunities to target snapper, tuna, mulloway and kingfish.