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| Fishing & Aquaculture |  |
A
Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria
River
Basins Map | Angling Waters A-Z
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Kiewa River Basin
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Clover
Dam
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Angling Waters of the Kiewa River Basin 2
Clover
Dam, Bogong H 14
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3ha. 290ML.
Not on the map but located on the east branch of the Kiewa River approximately 2km downstream of Lake Guy. It is a small pondage reservoir for the Kiewa hydroelectric scheme, surrounded by steep forested country. Contains brown trout to 2kg and is not stocked.
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Bogong
Dam (Lake Guy)
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Guy
Lake, Bogong H 14
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17ha. 1,480ML.
Also known as Junction Dam, this stores water for the hydroelectric scheme. It is picturesquely set in steep, bush-clad mountains adjacent to Bogong Village and contains brown trout to 2.5kg. It is not stocked because of the ample spawning which takes place upstream.
Kiewa
River, Mount Beauty E 5
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See also: Brown Trout Habitat
 Brown trout |
Two main tributaries (East Branch and West Branch of the Kiewa River) flow through steep valleys and join just downstream of Mount Beauty Pondage. The East Branch rises near Falls Creek and has a large reservoir (Rocky Valley Storage) on its headwaters and several smaller dams downstream (Pretty Valley Pondage, then Lake Guy or Junction Dam then Clover Dam). It is the smaller of the tributaries and contributes only a small flow into the main channel of the Kiewa River downstream of Mount Beauty township.
The west branch rises near Mount Hotham and then flows in steep forested mountains, before reaching the township of Mount Beauty, where it flows into the Mount Beauty Pondage. Flow in the upper Kiewa River system is highly regulated. Many of the smaller tributaries are totally diverted into power stations or storages. Water is diverted from the West Branch to the West Kiewa Power Station or to Clover Dam. Flow in the Kiewa River downstream of Mount Beauty is also regulated by releases from the Mount Beauty Pondage.
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East
Kiewa River
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East Branch H 14
Flows in a steep forested
valley with access only from several tracks. Width is around 10m with riffles
20-30cm deep, boulder rubble and sand substrate. Contains brown trout, rainbow
trout, redfin and blackfish. Not recommended for angling. Desilting of dams
has left large quantities of silt in the stream. Care should be taken if wading
the stream because of this 'quicksand'.
West Branch G
14
The river flows for 60km
through forested mountains with much of its middle and upper reaches accessible
only by 4WD tracks. The river upstream of the diversion point into the power
station is a wide un-regulated river with rapids and cascades. Rubble, rock and boulder substrate.
The diversion point
is 9km upstream of Mount Beauty township. The 6km of the river immediately upstream
of Mount Beauty township is inaccessible. The upper 3km can be reached from
an unmade road from Mount Beauty township to the power station diversion portal.
However the road is some distance above the river except at the portal. Flow
in this 9km section of river is severely reduced by diversion into the power
station.
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West
Kiewa River
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Kiewa River downstream of Mt. Beauty Pondage E 9
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| Kiewa River downstream of Mt.Beauty Pondage |
A good flow is maintained downstream of the Pondage with minimum releases of 60ML/d or natural flow whichever is lowest. At times higher flows occur. The river flows in flat farmland with a rubble and gravel, then sand substrate. Riparian vegetation is largely exotic species such as willows with more native trees in the lower reaches.
There is some bank erosion.
Access is good from a main road running up the Kiewa Valley and from cross roads.
The 30km section between Mt. Beauty and Gundowring is least affected by sedimentation,
contains good trout stocks and is the most popular trout fishing area. The river
is 13-20m wide with riffles 20cm deep, runs 50-70cm deep and extensive pools
70-100cm deep during normal (60-100ML/d) flow conditions.
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Kiewa
River below Mt Beauty
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 Murray cod |
The lower reaches downstream of Dederang contain a natural self-sustaining population of Murray cod which has been supplemented by regular stocking of Murray cod. Has regularly been stocked with Murray cod downstream of Dederang. The Kiewa River and tributaries upstream of Keegan's Bridge (Dederang) are closed to all hook and line fishing during the salmonid closed season (from midnight on the Monday of the Queens Birthday long weekend in June until midnight on the first Friday in August).
Mountain
Creek, Mount Beauty H 13
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Rainbow
trout
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An important spawning and nursery creek for trout from the Kiewa River. Flows in Crown Land with some sedimentation in its lower reaches. Contains mostly rainbow trout to 220g, some brown trout and blackfish.
Mount
Beauty Pondage, Mount Beauty G 13
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36ha. 713ML. Picnic area with all facilities.
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Mt Beauty pondage
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A regulating basin for the hydroelectric scheme and located on the outskirts of the town. Access is via Lakeside Ave or Embankment Drive. Water level fluctuates regularly because its function is to absorb the power generation surges from upstream and provide an even flow downstream.
There are extreme fluctuations in water level in the Pondage from November to February but during March to May there are consistently low water levels. Contains redfin, brown trout to 2.5kg and rainbow trout and has become a very popular fishery. Best bank fishing is along the wall. Extensive weed growth up to 1m deep provides cover for fish.
Baits such as mudeyes, presented under a float, which keeps them free of the weed beds, take good-sized trout. Stocked annually with brown trout and rainbow trout.
Pretty
Valley Creek, Falls Creek H 16
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Has a low summer flow which results in small-sized trout. Covered by snow during winter. The upper reaches (Cope Creek) flow into Pretty Valley Pondage and this is an important spawning creek for fish from Pretty Valley Pondage. Abundant brown trout to 350g (av. 30g) and mountain galaxias. Trout are too small for most anglers.
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Pretty
Valley pondage
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Pretty
Valley Pondage, Falls Creek H 16
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16ha.
A storage for the Kiewa hydroelectric scheme (which also acts as a settling basin for silt) located on the East Branch of the Kiewa River in the Bogong High Plains. Receives water from the Rocky Valley Storage via a diversion tunnel. Wide fluctuations in water level. Covered in ice and snow in winter but is fished at other times of the year. Contains brown trout to 1.4kg (av. 500g), with abundant small trout in the adjoining streams.
Rocky
Valley Storage, Falls Creek H 16
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Rocky
Valley dam
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265ha. 28,370ML.
Located above the snow line, this is the main storage of the hydroelectric scheme. It is surrounded by snow grass plains and freezes over in severe winters. Access is from a good unsealed road around three sides and which is usually impassable in winter.
Water level fluctuates and there is little aquatic vegetation. Contains brown trout to 1kg, but predominantly small fish (av. 300g) and the occasional rainbow trout to 300g after stocking. (Rainbow trout cannot spawn successfully because of snow and ice still present during their spawning time in early spring). Trout were in poor condition in 2001/02. Trout stocking was discontinued after 1987, when it was shown that abundant brown trout spawning occurred in the inflowing streams and aqueducts.
Sumption
Garden, Wodonga C 3
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2.5ha. Toilets.
Located in a park on the northern fringe of the town at the junction of the Hume Highway and the Hume Freeway. Recently stocked with golden perch.
Yackandandah
Creek, Yackandandah C 6
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Rises in forested mountains then flows through farmland downstream of Yackandandah. The upper reaches (Nine Mile Creek) flow in forest with native riparian vegetation. Width is 3-5m with predominantly shallow riffles 30cm deep and small pools to 70cm deep.
Fast flowing with cascades and rapids, rubble and boulder substrate. Accessible from tracks. Some sedimentation and low water levels during summer in the lower reaches. Access is not easy in the lower reaches of the Yackandandah Creek and local knowledge is useful in locating good fishing water. Contains abundant small brown trout with some fish to 1.2kg, some rainbow trout to 300g, small redfin, mountain galaxias and small Murray spiny crayfish in the upper reaches and tributaries.
Brown Trout
Habitat
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 Brown Trout |
Good quality brown trout can only be produced in rivers where habitat conditions are suitable. Extensive local and overseas research has identified the types of habitat preferred by trout and which give the best spawning success and survival, as well as fast growth rates, resulting in good numbers of larger fish. The ideal trout stream should have spawning areas of gravel, with water depths 20-100 cm deep and fast flowing water, 30-100 centimetres per second (cm/sec).
Water temperature during the spawning season (May/June) should be about 2-12oC. Adult brown trout prefer to rest against the bank, protected from overhead view, and in water more than 45cm deep but with water velocities between 5 and 30cm/sec. They prefer to move, feed and forage in water more than 45cm deep, although they can pass through barriers and riffles with shallower water. Extensive areas of water over 70cm deep will facilitate good growth rates resulting in numbers of large-sized fish. Extensive areas of coarse substrate (gravel and rubble) in water 20-100cm deep, and with water velocities of 30-100cm/sec, will produce good quantities of macroinvertebrates (eg mudeyes, mayfly, stonefly, snails and shrimp) to provide food for fish growth.
The optimum water temperature range for best metabolism of this food and therefore maximum growth is from 7-17oC. Juvenile trout seek cover and protection from larger predatory fish by living in riffles with coarse substrate and water depths of 15-45cm. The juvenile trout avoid the higher water velocities, which often occur in the riffles, by sheltering within the coarse substrate.
Any river in Victoria with such conditions will produce good numbers of large brown trout. The most significant limiting factors in the production of large brown trout in Victorian rivers are high water temperatures and a scarcity of water over 70cm deep. The reason why the Kiewa River produces good numbers and size of brown trout is that their preferred habitat conditions are present in this river. Closed seasons, bag limits or size limits help to share the catch; stocking is useful if spawning has failed but, in the absence of good habitat, regulations or stocking won't result in good numbers of large river trout in the anglers creel.
| Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia |
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