Fishing & Aquaculture

A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria
River Basins Map | Angling Waters A-Z | Mitchell River Basin

Angling Waters of the Mitchell River Basin 24

Clifton Creek

Clifton Creek, Bairnsdale J 13
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A small tributary of the Mitchell River with brackish water in the lower reaches. The freshwater contains southern pygmy perch, flat-headed gudgeon, carp, goldfish and both species of eel. The estuarine water contains good numbers of Australian bass, estuary perch, sea mullet, black bream, luderick, and occasionally trevally and tailor. Species and numbers of fish vary with water conditions. Australian bass are most often found in areas of slow-flowing, deep water near logs, or other instream objects.

Crooked River, Grant E 7
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	Crooked River

A wide river (15m) flowing in forested mountains, boulder, rubble and rock bottom. During summer much of the rubble riverbed is exposed allowing good walking access along the channel. Predominantly shallow runs. Accessible from the Dargo High Plains Road, via the Grant Township site, along McMillans Track to Talbotville. Contains numerous small brown trout less than 450g, some river blackfish, short-finned eel, Australian grayling and Australian smelt. Fishing is only good in high rainfall years. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Dargo River, Dargo F 8
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	Dargo River brown trout

A very steep gradient river flowing from forested mountain to farmland, rubble, gravel and rock substrate. Width is usually less than 10m, with mainly shallow riffles/runs and some pools to 100cm deep. Access is good in the lower reaches, where the gradient is lower, but is extremely difficult in the High Plains area.

Carries river blackfish to 400g, brown trout to 1.4kg, (av. 220g), some Australian grayling, Australian smelt, mountain galaxias, tupong, common galaxias, and both eel species. Trout fishing can be disappointing around Dargo and in the upper reaches but good elsewhere along the river.

Predominantly small brown trout because of the scarcity of deep water. Recent angling reports (2002) reveal some good catches of brown trout to 500g and some large fish in the Upper Dargo, mainly on worms and grasshoppers. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Humffray River, Dargo C 6
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Flows through forested mountains, rock and gravel substrate. This is a small stream subject to wide fluctuations in flow and water level. Relatively remote and not heavily fished. Accessible by 4WD vehicles only. Carries brown trout to 350g with occasional fish to 1kg, river blackfish, tupong, Australian smelt and common galaxias.

Mitchell River, Bairnsdale G 11
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A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed on the Bairnsdale barrage.

The upper reaches are the Wonnangatta and Wongungarra Rivers which join near Talbotville to become the Mitchell River.

Wonnangatta River Junction to Lindenow

Flows for 60km through forested mountains, with most of this length in a wide, steep-sided valley then through the Mitchell River Gorge. Upstream of the gorge, riparian vegetation is willows, blackberry and tea-tree. Substrate is extensive areas of boulders and rubble.

There are extensive deep pools (with some sand substrate) separated by long riffles. Submerged logs, and deep pools provide the major instream habitat. In the gorge, there is a series of rapids and pools, with boulder and rock bottom, and fast-flowing water. Riparian vegetation is wattle and tea-tree scattered along the granitic bedrock. There are scattered patches of sand in some pools. Accessible by conventional vehicle to Tabberabbera and the Mitchell River National Park, where there are walking tracks to the river.

Access along the river is difficult upstream from Glenaladale. Contains brown trout, some to 2kg, (av. 350g), some rainbow trout to 1kg, (av. 300g), abundant Australian grayling, small river blackfish, tupong, both eel species, Australian bass, common galaxias and Australian smelt. Fishing is most productive during the winter. Contains a self-sustaining population of trout and is not stocked.

Downstream of Lindenow

The river flows for 25km through a wide flood plain used for grazing and cropping, through Bairnsdale and into Lake King. The channel downstream of Lindenow is very wide (20m) with exposed gravel and rubble banks and extensive riffles and runs to 80-100cm deep. Some reaches have extensive deep pools (200-400cm). Riparian vegetation is grass, willows and occasional eucalypts.

Mitchell River downstream of Bairnsdale

Estuarine water is present downstream of the rock barrier at Bairnsdale. Here the banks are largely clear of trees or shrubs and the river is very accessible along its entire length, to the end of the silt jetties in Lake King. The lower reaches of fresh water downstream of Lindenow, contain the same species as upstream including Australian bass, as well as goldfish, carp, flat-headed gudgeon, southern pygmy perch, short-headed lamprey and broad-finned galaxias. The largest brown trout are caught in this locality in July and August. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Estuary fish are present downstream from the rock barrier at Bairnsdale. The most common species are black bream (26-30cm long) present in good numbers all year, yellow-eye mullet, luderick, estuary perch, some flathead (particularly in autumn around ‘The Cut’), garfish (upstream at the Butter Factory Wharf) and abundant carp. During summer, if flows are low and salinity increases, there can be a massive upstream movement of carp, with large numbers of carp congregating below the rock barrier. Black bream spawn in the estuary and large numbers of small fish are often present.

Moroka River, Dargo C 10
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Flows in forested mountains. A small stream that is relatively remote and not heavily fished. Accessible by 4WD vehicles. Low flow and water levels in summer. Carries small brown trout to 300g and occasionally to 500g. No other species have been taken in departmental surveys. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Prospect Creek, Bairnsdale I 13
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Small stream entering the Mitchell River near Bairnsdale. Silt and sand bottom. Seasonal fishing for tupong, and occasional brown trout. Also contains river blackfish, Australian grayling, common galaxias, southern pygmy perch and flat-headed gudgeon.

Victoria Lake, Loch Sport I 13
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11,500ha

• Ramsar listed

One of the Gippsland Lakes, surrounded by forest on the southern shore and scrub on the north. Boating facilities at Paynesville and Loch Sport. Carries black bream, mullet, flathead, trevally, whiting, garfish and skipjack (tailor) as well as other estuarine species.

Wentworth River, Tabberabbera G 10
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Flows in forested mountains, gravel and boulder substrate. Access is difficult, but there is a forestry track from the Omeo–Bullumwall Road. Carries abundant brown trout to 450g and abundant river blackfish, short-finned eel, tupong, Australian smelt and common galaxias. Reported to carry small rainbow trout. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Wongungarra River, Dargo D 7
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	Brown trout

Flows in forested mountains, boulder and rock bottom. Width varies from 10-20m with numerous pools to 200cm. Accessible in upper reaches only by 4WD vehicle. Carries brown trout to 580g, (av. 60g), river blackfish, Australian grayling, short-finned eels and Australian smelt. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1978.

Wonnangatta River, Dargo C 8
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Upper reaches of the Mitchell River

	Wonnangatta River

Rises in forested mountainous, (1,600m altitude), flows through a forested gorge with some cleared river-flats in the middle reaches near Talbotville. Gravel and boulder bottom. Average width 10 m with pools to 100 cm deep. It can have low water flow and shallow water during summer. Accessible in the lower reaches by conventional vehicle but elsewhere by 4WD. Good fishing at times and becoming more popular as increasing numbers of people visit the Wonnangatta-Moroka National Park.

Carries abundant river blackfish to 1kg with some fish to 2kg, abundant small brown trout average 200g, (max.1kg), short-finned eel, long-finned eel, tupong, Australian grayling, common galaxias, mountain galaxias and Australian smelt. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1978.

	Spotted tree frog

Spotted Tree Frog
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The headwaters of the Wongungarra River are one of only two sites in Victoria where the Spotted Tree Frog, Littoria spenceri, is known to still occur. The other site is on the headwaters of the Taponga River in the Goulburn River system. Originally known from thirteen sites in Victoria, this species is now extremely rare and is classified as endangered. Its survival appears dependent on the existence of pristine high alpine catchments and waterways.

The possible impact of trout on the different life stages of the frog is under investigation. Should any control measures for trout be considered necessary, they are unlikely to be significant for anglers as only small and remote tributary streams are involved.

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