Fishing & Aquaculture

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

Angling Waters of the Portland Basin 37

Aringa Reservoir, Port Fairy L 10
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14ha. 185ML .

A disused reservoir surrounded by grazing land, rock bottom with extensive aquatic vegetation. Access is off the Port Fairy-Hamilton Road, 6.5km from Port Fairy, through private property (‘The Rocky’). Follow the track to the left past the house and through two gates. Please ask for permission to enter. Contains brown trout and rainbow trout to 1.3kg. Also contain some redfin to 1.2kg. Mudeyes are usually the best bait. The weed growth can at times make fishing difficult. Stocked regularly with brown trout and rainbow trout.

Arrondoovong Creek, Branxholme H 2
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This tributary of Camp Creek flows through farmland, gravel and mud bottom. Public access only at road bridges but the creek here tends to be choked with cumbungi. Access to better areas is through private property and permission must be obtained. Contains short-finned eel, tench, river blackfish, common galaxias, mountain galaxias, southern pygmy perch and possibly small redfin. Not recommended as an angling water.

Branxholme Reservoir, Branxholme G 2
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1ha.

A former railway storage, 2.5m deep, abundant aquatic vegetation. Only bank fishing is permitted. Contains redfin to 1kg.

Bridgewater Lakes, Cape Bridgewater B 10
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200ha.

A series of five natural coastal lakes surrounded by farmland and sand dunes, sand and mud bottom. Contains a unique assemblage of native fish including Australian smelt, common galaxias, southern pygmy perch, river blackfish, dwarf galaxias and Yarra pygmy perch. Also contains redfin, tench, and mosquitofish. No longer stocked with trout to protect threatened fish species.

Camp Creek, Branxholme H 3
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Flows through farmland, mud and rock bottom. Easy access through private property but please obtain permission. Carries only short-finned eel, and river blackfish to 150g. Not recommended as an angling water.

Condah Lake, Lake Condah H 6
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280ha.

Surrounded by bush and open land. Dry in most years and when full rarely carries fish except for short-finned eel.

Darlot Creek, Tyrendarra G 7
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Flows through stony rises, scrub and grazing land, rock and mud bottom. Abundant aquatic weed. Contains abundant river blackfish, some short-finned eel, tench, common galaxias, mountain galaxias, southern pygmy perch, Yarra pygmy perch and tupong.

Eumeralla River, Codrington I 8
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A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed at the flow gauging station.

Flows through scrub and grazing land to Yambuk Lake, mud and gravel bottom. Abundant aquatic vegetation in many parts, but the upper reaches have been modified into a steep-sided channel. Contains short-finned eel, tench, goldfish, tupong, river blackfish, mountain galaxias, southern pygmy perch, flat-headed gudgeon, dwarf galaxias and Yarra pygmy perch. Reported to carry an occasional brown trout. The lower estuarine section carries estuary perch, Australian salmon, yellow-eye mullet and black bream.

Fitzroy River, Heywood D 7
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Flows through stony rises, swamps and farmland, rock bottom. Public vehicle access to the riverbank only at Heywood, the Princes Highway Bridge and the public boat ramp at the river mouth. Contains short-finned eel, tupong, river blackfish, short-headed lamprey, pouched lamprey, common galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, mountain galaxias, southern pygmy perch, and Yarra pygmy perch.

The estuary section extends approximately 16km and contains black bream to 800g, estuary perch to 1kg, flounder, yellow-eye mullet, Australian salmon and sea mullet. There are reports of brown trout at some times of the year. There is access to the estuary through private property at Wrights Bridge (please ask permission). The estuary provides boat and bank fishing all year round with shrimp, crabs, sandworms, minnow, whitebait and clickers being popular baits.

Brown trout

Moyne River, Port Fairy M 8
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A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed at the flow gauging station.

Flows through grazing land in a series of runs and pools, mud and stone bottom. Sluggish flow in summer. Carries short-finned eel, tupong, tench and some brown trout. Also common galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, mountain galaxias, short-headed lamprey, and southern pygmy perch. The estuary extends 4.8km inland from the mouth at Port Fairy. This section contains mainly estuary perch, mullet and Australian salmon, but black bream to 800g, barracouta, flounder, snapper, whiting, yellow-eye mullet, trevally and occasionally mulloway are also caught. The whole area is open for bank fishing and boats can be launched at Port Fairy. Best baits are cray tail, sandworm, shelled prawn, squid, crab and clickers. Stocking trial with finclipped brown trout yearlings underway currently. Also stocked with brown trout by the Warrnambool Fly Fishers.

Shaw River, Yambuk K 9
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Flows through grazing land to Lake Yambuk, mud bottom. Has low summer flows. Carries short-finned eel, pouched lamprey, spotted galaxias, common galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, short-headed lamprey, southern pygmy perch and tupong. A small population of brown trout to 600g is reported to be present. Local knowledge is useful for fishing in this river.

Surprise Lake, Macarthur I 6
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12ha. 8,000ML.

Situated in an old volcanic crater in Mount Eccles National Park. Very steep banks, rock bottom. Access requires a steep climb down the bank. Boats cannot be launched. Reported to contain some redfin and an unidentified galaxiid species. Not recommended as an angling water.

Surrey River, Heywood C 8
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A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed at the flow gauging station.

Flows through stony rises, swamp and grazing land, rock bottom. Access is restricted to road crossings. Water level fluctuates widely and in summer flow is low and water temperature high. Contains short-finned eel, common galaxias, tupong, southern pygmy perch and Yarra pygmy perch. Also reported to contain occasional brown trout and river blackfish. The estuarine section is 2-3 km long and contains black bream, yellow-eye mullet, flounder and Australian salmon.

Tower Hill Lake, Tower Hill N19
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344ha. 3,100ML.

A shallow freshwater lake located in a volcanic crater. Carries no angling fish species.

Yambuk Lake, Yambuk J 10
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80ha. Camping facilities.

An estuary fed by the Shaw and Eumeralla Rivers and surrounded by sand dunes, sand and mud bottom. Boat and bank fishing are possible throughout the year. The lake also provides boat access to the lower reaches of the inflowing rivers. Most common angling fish are black bream to 700g, yellow-eye mullet, Australian salmon, estuary perch to 1.6kg and flounder. Short-finned eel, tupong, Australian smelt, common galaxias and flat-headed gudgeon also occur. Popular baits are shrimp, crab, sandworms, minnow, white bait and clickers.

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