Fishing & Aquaculture

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

Angling Waters of the Thomson River Basin 25

Brown trout

Aberfeldy River, Aberfeldy C 12
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A clear wide (10-15m) mountain stream running through steep forest. Substrate is rock, rubble and gravel with areas of exposed stream bed and gravel banks. Extensive shallow riffles are separated by pools over 100cm deep. Most of the river is wadeable. Joins the Thomson River downstream of Thomson Reservoir. Access by conventional vehicles limited to the Walhalla/Aberfeldy Road (a narrow gravel road) and track crossings for 4WD vehicles.

Some off-road tracks may be closed during the winter. Provides a very pleasant fishing environment. Contains brown trout to 600g, short-finned eel, river blackfish, Australian smelt and occasional rainbow trout.

	Avon River

Avon River, Stratford G 12
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A broad (16-50m) shallow stream flowing from a forested wilderness area in the upper reaches, through flat open farmland. Substrate varies from rock and rubble upstream to extensive exposed gravel banks and small areas of sand, in the lower reaches, originating from severe channel erosion and stream deposition. There are very extensive pools exceeding 150cm deep along the river.

These are separated by shallow (20-40cm) fast flowing riffles. There is little instream debris because of frequent flood events and fast-flowing water because of the high gradient of the river. Access to and along the river is good. Above Stratford, contains some brown trout av. 170g, (max. 600g), Australian grayling, short-finned eel, long-finned eel, carp, some redfin and a good population of Australian bass. Other fish are common galaxias, dwarf galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, and southern pygmy perch.

Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969. The estuarine area extends for several kilometres upstream of the mouth and contains some black bream, abundant estuary perch, luderick, sea mullet, yellow-eye mullet, Australian smelt, flat-headed gudgeon and southern pygmy perch.

Barkly River, Glencairn C 8
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A very fast flowing river in steep forested country, rock and gravel substrate. A small river subject to wide fluctuations in flow. Access is limited to road crossings because of steep forested terrain. Not heavily fished because of the limited access and more accessible fishing waters nearby. Contains brown trout to 750g (av. 95g), some small rainbow trout to 200g, possibly both species of eel, river blackfish to 200g (av. 20g), Gippsland spiny crayfish and redfin to 200g. Not stocked because it has a self-sustaining trout population.

Cowwarr Weir, Cowwarr E 14
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Picnic facilities, non-powered boats only permitted. A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed.

A small weir, which regulates irrigation releases down the Rainbow Creek with the objective of maintaining maximum possible flow in the Thomson River. The Weir is very accessible around its banks. No boat ramp. Contains some brown trout, carp to 4kg and redfin. Fish from downstream can by-pass the Weir and move upstream into the upper Thomson River. A rock ramp fishway was built on the weir in 2000. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1991 but receives sufficient fish from the Thomson River.

Freestone Creek, Valencia Creek I 11
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A small, highly silted stream with limited access. Poor habitat values and not recommended as an angling water.

	Australian bass fingerlings

Glenmaggie Lake, Glenmaggie F 13
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176ha. 124,020ML. Caravan, camping and boat launching facilities.

An irrigation storage on the Macalister River surrounded by cleared and forested land. Level fluctuates widely and the lake is drawn down to very low levels in most years. Substrate is mainly mud with little aquatic vegetation. Carries predominantly carp to 5kg, (av. 800g), redfin to 1kg, (av. 400g), some brown trout to 1.2kg, (av. 300g), rainbow trout to 350g, short-finned eels and goldfish.

Bank fishing is successful when levels are adequate. Fishing for redfin is best in the spring and early summer. Despite regular stocking with brown trout, catches have severely declined when compared with fishing in the 1970's. Possible reasons are increased fluctuations in water level and competition with carp and redfin. Stocked with brown trout and Australian bass. Australian bass are being trialed in an attempt to provide an alternative species that might cope better with warm summer water temperatures. There has been a small number of bass captured by anglers indicating that some fish have survived and grown.

	Lake Guthridge

Guthridge Lake, Sale I 15
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28ha. 520ML.

A small lake situated within the town at the southern end of the main business district. Shallow with a mud substrate. Contains carp, short-finned eel and goldfish. Now stocked with rainbow trout yearlings for the 2^nd and 3^rd school term holidays for junior anglers.

Lake Guyatt

Guyatt Lake, Sale I 15
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Not on the map but located immediately south of Lake Guthridge. A small lake stocked with rainbow trout to provide fishing for local children in the 2^nd term school holidays.

	Heyfield Racecourse Dam

Heyfield Racecourse Dam F 14
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Not on the map. Small water stocked with rainbow trout in the 3^rd term school holidays for junior anglers.

Jordan River, Aberfeldy A 10
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A small (5m wide) clear, fast-flowing stream running through steep forested country, rock and gravel bottom. Access limited to road crossings and forestry tracks. Numerous deep holes (>100cm) but most of the river is wadeable. Contains brown trout to 600g, a few rainbow trout, short-finned eel and river blackfish over 350g in the upper reaches. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1962.

Macalister River above Lake Glenmaggie

Macalister River, Maffra E 10
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Above Lake Glenmaggie D 10

Headwaters in forested mountains, with extensive deep pools and fast runs, rock and rubble bottom. Downstream from Licola, the gradient decreases and the river becomes wider and slower. Near Mt Useful Creek (15-20km upstream of Lake Glenmaggie) the river flows through farmland with riparian vegetation of grass and willows on one bank and forest on the other bank.

There are wide pools separated by substantial riffles. Substrate is rock, rubble and gravel. Further downstream, the banks are more eroded resulting in the pools becoming filled with sediment. There are wide fluctuations in flow and water level and very high turbidity during floods. Conditions for trout have deteriorated due to loss of habitat and competition for food and space from carp and redfin, which have moved upstream from Lake Glenmaggie.

Macalister River

Contains brown trout to 750g, numerous redfin to 400g, (av. 120g), river blackfish to 100g, Gippsland spiny crayfish, carp to 2.2kg and possibly some eels of both species. Best fishing is in spring and autumn. Stocked regularly with brown trout and rainbow trout by the Department to compensate for the loss of spawning habitat. Creel survey underway to evaluate the contribution that these fin-clipped trout make to the fishery.

Below Lake Glenmaggie G 13

Flows through farmland, with riparian vegetation varying from some forested sections with wattles and eucalypts and other sites with grass and willows. Substrate is rubble and gravel and areas of sand or mud. Water type is fast runs and riffles with slow flowing pools. Carries brown trout av. 300g, (max. 1.6kg), also redfin av. 100g, (max. 700g). Short-finned eel and carp to 2.7kg are common in the lower reaches.

The river immediately below the Lake Glenmaggie wall produces very good brown trout in spring and autumn. Stocked regularly by the Department with fin-clipped brown trout.

McLennan Strait L 15
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Connecting channel between Lake Wellington and Lake Victoria in the Gippsland Lakes. Contains black bream, yellow-eye mullet, tailor, estuary perch, Australian bass, both species of eel, carp, tupong, abundant Australian smelt and flat-headed gudgeon.

North Cascade Creek, Thomson Reservoir B 12
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A small fast-flowing tributary of the Thomson River, running into the western side of the Thomson Reservoir, through native forest. Access is from the Thomson Valley Road. Width is 2-3m with cascades and rapids and shallow water less than 50cm deep. Sand and boulder substrate. Contains small brown trout and rainbow trout.

	Estuary perch

Perry River, Perry Bridge J 13
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Flows through flat farmland. Good riparian vegetation and aquatic habitat. The freshwater section dries up in some years but there is always some fishing near the mouth for estuarine species such as estuary perch, black bream, mullet and luderick. Contains carp, both species of eel, common galaxias, dwarf galaxias, broad-finned galaxias, goldfish, southern pygmy perch and flat-headed gudgeon.

Rainbow Creek, Cowwarr E 14
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An anabranch of the Thomson River formed by floods in 1952. Most of the stream flows through flat farmland and access is limited to road bridges. Channel width is 10m but the wetted area is often much narrower. Riparian vegetation is grass, willows and planted native trees. Rock and gravel substrate and some deep pools over 100cm. Wide fluctuations in water level and flow and flash floods are common. Suitability for fishing is limited by the low flows, which are imposed on the river, whenever possible, to minimise further erosion.

Contains redfin to 340g, (av. 220g), brown trout to 400g, average size very small, carp to 4.8kg, (av. 1.4kg), tupong, abundant river blackfish to 80g, Australian grayling, Australian smelt and southern pygmy perch. Was stocked during the 1990’s with fin-clipped brown trout but produced poor returns to anglers. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1997.

Rawsons Dam, Rawson C 14
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Not on the map. When water conditions are favourable, it is stocked with rainbow trout in the 2^nd term school holidays for junior and disabled anglers. Contact the DPI office in Traralgon for a list of the school holiday stockings in the local area.

Shaw Creek, Glencairn E 8
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A small, fast, clear tributary of the Macalister River flowing through remote, dense forest and open farmland, gravel and mud bottom. Low summer flows are common. Popular for fly fishing due to a healthy population of small trout which rise well to a fly and the ease of casting on the button grass plains through which the river flows. Contains abundant brown trout to 320g and occasionally to 600g, (av. 100g), some small rainbow trout and short-finned eel. Access is limited and difficult, requiring local knowledge. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1983.

South Cascade Creek, Thomson Reservoir B 12
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A small (2m wide) fast-flowing tributary of the Thomson River. Runs into the western side of the Thomson Reservoir through pristine native forest. Cascades and rapids with shallow water and a boulder and sand substrate. Contains abundant small brown trout and rainbow trout. Fishing is not permitted within 200m of the full supply level of the reservoir.

Stratford Reservoir, Stratford I 13
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1ha.

A small storage surrounded by flat, partly timbered country. Contains mainly eels. Last stocked with trout by the Department in the 1960’s but produced poor results.

Thomson Reservoir, Walhalla B 12
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2,200ha. 1,123,000ML. Domestic water storage - NO FISHING

A major storage constructed on the Thomson River upstream of its junction with the Aberfeldy River. The Thomson Reservoir is a domestic water supply reservoir, part of Melbourne's water supply and managed by Melbourne Water. The reservoir and all inflowing waters within 200 m of the full supply level is closed to fishing and public access under Melbourne Water By-Law No1, Water Supply Protection. It provides water to Melbourne via a tunnel to the Upper Yarra Reservoir and also releases irrigation water downstream to Cowarr Weir for Gippsland.

Thomson River, G 14
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A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed at Easton Weir.

Brown trout

Above Thomson Reservoir A 10

A clear fast-flowing stream running through steep forests. River width is 4-8m. It is predominantly shallow riffles but there are numerous deep pools and gutters over 100cm deep. Rock, rubble and coarse gravel bottom. Most of the river is wadeable. Access limited to road crossings and forestry tracks and many of the smaller tracks are subject to a seasonal closure from May to November. The area provides pleasant fishing with large brown trout from the reservoir entering the river during May/June. Contains brown trout to 1.2kg, a few rainbow trout, river blackfish up to 500g and used to contain short-finned eel. (Juvenile eels returning from the sea would now find it impossible to pass upstream over the reservoir wall).

Thomson Reservoir to Cowwarr Weir C 14

Flows its entire length through steep forests with dense native riparian vegetation. Channel width varies from 6-14m downstream of the dam to 20-40m at Bruntons Bridge. There are extensive reaches of fast water and riffles, and numerous deep pools usually at least 150 cm deep and often up to the maximum depth recorded in the river, of 490cm at Bruntons Bridge. Substrate is almost all a mixture of rock, boulders, rubble and gravel, with small areas of sand in the pools or on bends. Access is limited to a few road crossings. There is access by conventional vehicle to downstream of the dam, to the flow gauging station (off the Narrows Track), Walhalla, Coopers Creek and Bruntons Bridge.

The Low Saddle Track, (off the Narrows Track) is accessible only by 4WD because of its steep gradient. The best fishing area is from the dam wall downstream along the Narrows Track/Road, but some walking is necessary to reach most of the river. Carries some brown trout to 1.5kg but mostly smaller, good numbers of large river blackfish to 800g, both eel species, tupong, small Gippsland spiny crayfish, Australian smelt, common galaxias, pouched lamprey, short-headed lamprey, southern pygmy perch and occasional Australian grayling downstream of the Walhalla Road bridge.

Platypus are abundant. The numbers of all fish are low at the Coopers Creek and Bruntons Bridge road crossings and these are not good fishing areas although the latter site is a very pleasant picnic/camping area (no facilities). Operation of the reservoir has evened out most of the fluctuations in flow. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Below Cowwarr Weir F 14

Flows through flat farmland and discharges into the La Trobe River upstream of Lake Wellington. Has deep pools with slow runs and occasional riffles. Turbid water, sand and gravel substrate. Instream logs, willow roots and patches of instream vegetation provide fish cover. Riparian vegetation is river red gums and willows. Contains some brown trout av. 220g, (max. 750g), some river blackfish, both eel species, Gippsland spiny crayfish, carp, tupong, redfin, Australian grayling, Australian smelt, common galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, and southern pygmy perch. There are estuary perch in the lower reaches near the La Trobe River. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Valencia Creek, Valencia Creek H 10
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Flows through forested hills, rock and gravel bottom. A small stream and its deeper sections have silted up, reducing its value as fish habitat. Subject to wide fluctuations in water level and flow. Contains a few brown trout usually less than 220g but some to 700g, also both eel species, Gippsland spiny crayfish, river blackfish and tupong. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Wellington Lake, Sale K 11
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14,000ha. Ramsar listed

The largest, shallowest and least saline of the Gippsland Lakes. Main species are carp to 11 kg, mullet, estuary perch, both eel species and very occasionally brown trout.

	Wellington River

Wellington River, Licola E 8
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A fast flowing, shallow stream running through forested mountains, rock and gravel bottom. Water level and flow fluctuate. Lower reaches are readily accessible and popular for trout fishing. Contains predominantly small brown trout, maximum 325g, small rainbow trout, both species of eels, abundant river blackfish, Australian smelt and small Gippsland spiny crayfish. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1983.

Whitelaw Creek, Thomson Reservoir A 11
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A small fast flowing tributary of the Thomson River headwaters. Access is limited. Contains abundant small brown trout.

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