Fishing & Aquaculture

A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria
River Basins Map | Angling Waters A-Z | Glenelg River basin

Angling Waters of the Glenelg River Basin 38

Bong Bong Lake or Bung Bung Lake (see Mombeong Lake) C 14

Clear Lake (see Walker Swamp) L 9

Flows through forest and farmland, mud substrate. No vehicle access to the headwaters. Contains mainly redfin av. 220g, (max. 1.6kg), river blackfish, short-finned eel, tupong, very occasional brown trout, southern pygmy perch, mountain galaxias, common galaxias, abundant Glenelg spiny crayfish, tench, variegated pygmy perch and Yarra pygmy perch.

Ess Lagoon, Casterton D 9
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1ha.

Not shown on the map, but located at the northern edge of Casterton. The water is subject to wide fluctuations in level and high summer water temperatures. Carries goldfish to 400g, redfin to 850g and tench to 1kg.

Freshwater Lake (see Walker Swamp) L 9

Glenelg River, Casterton D 10
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A rock-ramp fishway has been constructed at the Dartmooor flow gauge.

	Estuary perch

The Glenelg River is still considered in poor to moderate environmental condition, despite substantial rehabilitation works in the catchment and to riverbanks in recent decades. Unfortunately the effects of the sediment accumulated in the river will persist for many years with much of the river being shallow and relatively unproductive. Flow downstream of Rocklands Reservoir is also regulated.

This results in very low flows with parts of the river drying-up completely during summer and high water temperatures throughout the river.

Water temperatures as high as 31⁰C have been recorded during departmental surveys. In the upper section, (around Harrow) the new reduced flows have resulted in a new and smaller channel cut into the bed of the wider original channel. Vegetation such as canegrass encroaches into the old channel. Salinity is increasing. Stocking a range of native and introduced species in the past has not produced worthwhile results.

Upstream of Rocklands Reservoir

A number of smaller tributaries flow in low forest and farmland. (See Grampian National Park Streams) The main channel contains river blackfish, mountain galaxias, southern pygmy perch, dwarf galaxias, mosquitofish, redfin, goldfish and tench

Rocklands Reservoir to Balmoral H 6

Flows through forest with red gum riparian vegetation, mud and rock bottom. The section between Rocklands Reservoir and Fulham Bridge has extensive elongated pools up to 8.5m deep separated by shallow sections less than 3m deep and is a popular fishing area. Contains mostly redfin to 1.5kg but the average size is much smaller, some brown trout to 1.5kg, river blackfish, short-finned eel, Yarra pygmy perch, mountain galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, goldfish, mosquitofish, carp and dwarf galaxias. In the late 1990’s, Australian bass were illegally stocked below the dam wall.

Balmoral to Dergholm D 6

Flows on the edge of often steep forest, or through rolling farmland. Almost the entire length has good riparian vegetation of mature red gums. Substrate is predominantly sand. River width varies from 6-21m. Much of the river has shallow riffles more than 50cm deep, or narrow deeper channels flowing through canegrass, or around instream islands.

These shallow reaches separate extensive pools 1-4m deep. Access is restricted as the river often flows a considerable distance from the road and is not visible. There are only a few public access points from the road, such as at Bourke's Bridge on the Casterton/Edenhope Road, downstream from Mooree, or at Harrow. The river at Bourke's Bridge has good access to the river and camping sites although there are no facilities. Here the river has extensive pools and good riparian vegetation of tea-tree and eucalypts and a sand substrate.

Further downstream at Harrow, the river is quite small (less than 10m wide) and has shallow riffles 30cm deep. However there are deeper gutters and pools with sand substrate that provide some angling for redfin, and river blackfish. Access elsewhere requires passage through private property. Contains a few brown trout av. 220g, (max. 1.1kg), redfin av. 230g, (max. 1kg), short-finned eel, river blackfish, tupong, Yarra pygmy perch, common galaxias and flat-headed gudgeon.

Dergholm to Casterton D 8

The river flows through flat farmland then forested hills nearer to Casterton. There is good riparian vegetation of mature eucalypts. At Casterton, the river is 5-8m wide with an average depth of 50-80cm and gutters and pools 150cm deep. Substrate is sand. There is some fish habitat in the deeper water. River width varies at other locations from 4-40m with large areas of shallow riffle 10-30cm deep and some deeper gutters and pools up to 400cm.

The substrate is all sand and there is considerable sedimentation, which has filled many pools with sand. The river is accessible upstream from Casterton for about 22km via several side roads before moving some distance from the Casterton-Naracoorte Road.

The same species present in the upstream section (Dergholm to Balmoral) also occur in this section. The river is easily reached at several locations, with the main target species being short-finned eel, redfin and river blackfish.

Casterton to the coast C 11

Flows through forest and grazing land, sand bottom. There are extensive shallow sections but still some pools to 5m deep. Accessible from a number of tracks or through private property, please ask permission. Angling species are a few brown trout and rainbow trout from small self-supporting populations near Casterton, some redfin to 450g, short-finned eel and perhaps river blackfish. Contains the same species as upstream. Golden perch were stocked at Casterton in 1982-85.

The estuary
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This is one of the most popular recreational fishing locations in Victoria. Estuarine water extends up the river for about 60km, with most of it within the Lower Glenelg National Park. It is a wide (50+m) river with dramatic cliffs along its lower reaches and forest along much of its bank.

The entrance is always open to the sea with a deep-water channel, resulting in constant movement of fish between the sea and the estuary. It is very suitable for boating with 29 landing areas along the river and numerous boat launching sites, however beware of snags between Fort O'Hare and Pines Landing in the upper reaches.

Most landing areas have BBQ and picnic facilities. The river/estuary is also accessible from tracks within the park and there are numerous camping areas. One of the best is at Batterbys (check with Parks Victoria office at Nelson to book a camp site). The south-west walking track follows alongside the last 40km of river. Boats can be hired at Nelson and launched at Nelson, Donovans Landing, Sandy Waterholes, Sapling Creek and Pritchards and the estuary provides year round fishing. Part of the river flows in south Australia and in that section South Australian boating regulations apply. Victorian fishing regulations apply to the entire river with the exception that a Recreational Fishing Licence is not required in the South Australian section.

Australian salmon

Water skiing is permitted and occurs at the end of North Nelson Road and just upstream of Nelson in Taylors Straight. Twenty five estuarine species have been recorded in the estuary but the most common are black bream to 900g, yellow-eye mullet, Australian salmon, estuary perch, mulloway to 7kg with occasional larger fish, luderick, flathead and flounder. Baits recommended are sandworms, whitebait, shrimps, crabs and clickers.

Large numbers of undersized black bream are often present with resulting catches of few large fish. If possible keep trying different fishing locations. Spawning success of black bream in this estuary is often affected by low flow down the Glenelg River in drier years. This prevents the appropriate salinity levels required for bream spawning being achieved (see ‘Saline Wedges in Estuaries’).

Grampians National Park Streams L 6
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The Department has surveyed a number of the small tributaries of Tea Tree Creek and Scott Creek which drain the western side of the Victoria Ranges in the Grampians National Park and flow into Rocklands Reservoir. These include Hutt Creek, Deep Creek, Honeysuckle Creek, Graham Creek, Mosquito Creek, Camp Creek No 2, No 1 and No 3 Creeks.

Tributaries of Little Tea Tree Creek (Gap Creek, Alex Creek, Headworks Creek and Browns Creek) which drains into the upper Wannon River, have also been surveyed. Water is diverted from some of these creeks, to Hamilton. Stream width varies from an average of 2.1m during high flow periods to less than 1.2m during summer. Most creeks are less than 20-67cm deep and seldom more than 90cm. Substrate is usually sand.

All streams are in good environmental condition. They contain Australian smelt, common galaxias, mountain galaxias, dwarf galaxias, mosquitofish, redfin, southern pygmy perch, river blackfish, western carp gudgeon, flat-headed gudgeon, and northern burrowing cray, Engaeus lyelli, western cray, Geocherax falcata, and swamp cray, Gramastacus insolitus, as well as freshwater shrimp, Paratya australiensis. The main features of the fish populations are the abundance of mountain galaxias, the scarcity of exotic species and the small number of species in each water (0-5 av. 2). Angling is not recommended.

Grange Burn, Hamilton H10
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Small creek (<3m wide) flowing through grazing country. Mud bottom upstream, gravel and rock downstream. Series of small pools separated by narrow riffles, vegetation in the channel. Contains mostly redfin to 700g, goldfish to 1.3kg, short-finned eel and occasionally brown trout and rainbow trout which escape from Lake Hamilton.

Greenwald Reservoir, Winnap D 12
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A small fire-fighting supply dam beside the Mount-Gambier-Heywood Road, accessible by a road west of Greenwald. Stocked with rainbow trout in the early 90’s but discontinued due to lack of results. No information on fish present.

Hamilton Lake, Hamilton I 10
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25ha.

Hamilton Lake

A man-made lake with sometimes turbid water, located within the City of Hamilton on the Grange Burn. Popular with anglers. Contains brown trout, rainbow trout, tench and redfin. The lake is stocked annually with brown trout and rainbow trout. Stocked with golden perch in 1983-88. Poor returns to anglers although fish grew to weights in excess of 5kg. In 1999 the lake also received a trial stocking of estuary perch fingerlings.

Kangaroo Creek, Hotspur F 11
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Tributary of Crawford River flowing through farmland, mud and gravel substrate. Contains some brown trout, abundant small river blackfish, short-finned eel, mountain galaxias, southern pygmy perch and some redfin to 220g.

Konong Wootong Reservoir, Coleraine F 8
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60ha. 1,800ML.

Domestic water supply for Coleraine and Casterton. Surrounded by farmland and pine plantations, extensive weed beds. Best access via Reservoir Road off the Coleraine-Harrow Road. Contains brown trout average 1kg, maximum 2kg, rainbow trout, redfin to 1.6kg, (av. 460g), goldfish to 1.6kg, tench to 1.5kg and common galaxias. Stocked regularly with brown trout and rainbow trout. Non-power boating permitted.

Linlithgow Lake, Hamilton J 11
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900ha. 21,000ML.

A shallow brackish lake surrounded by grazing land. Carries only short-finned eel, some redfin and dwarf galaxias.

Mombeong Lake, Nelson C 14
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10ha. Also called Bong Bong Lake, Bung Bung Lake and Moniebeong Lake.

A very clear spring-fed lake situated behind coastal sand dunes in the Discovery Bay Coastal Park, sand bottom. Surrounded by grazing land, scrub and pine plantations. Can be reached by a track off the Portland-Nelson Road near the 54km post. Non-power boating permitted. Carries river blackfish, short-finned eel, Australian smelt, common galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, southern pygmy perch, blue-spotted goby and small-mouthed hardyhead.

Muddy Creek, Hamilton I 11
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Tributary of Grange Burn flowing through farmland, rock and mud bottom. Access is through private property. Contains brown trout to 600g, river blackfish, southern pygmy perch, common galaxias and short-finned eel.

Old Hamilton Reservoir, Hamilton I 10
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2ha.

Not shown on the map but located in Hamilton in a residential area. Deep water and open to bank fishing only. Contains predominantly redfin to 1kg and tench to 2.7kg.

Rocklands Reservoir, Balmoral J 6
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6,750ha. 348,000ML. Numerous camping sites and 3 boat ramps.

A large irrigation storage surrounded by forest. Camping facilities at the wall and some dry weather roads around the lake. Contains abundant redfin to 2kg, with most fish 450-770g, brown trout to 1.6kg, av. about 1kg, tench to 1.5kg, goldfish to 800g and some river blackfish. Redfin is the predominant target species and fishing is best around submerged timber when the lake is near full. Trout are stocked occasionally. Carp were detected in the reservoir in 2000.

Stokes River, Dartmoor E 11
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A very narrow river flowing through forested country, mud and gravel bottom. Surrounded by private property and access is not encouraged. Carries short-finned eel, tench, river blackfish, tupong, Australian smelt, variegated pygmy perch, common galaxias, short-headed lamprey, spotted galaxias, spiny freshwater crayfish and occasional brown trout to 700g.

Walker Swamp, Dunkeld L 9
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2ha. Also called Freshwater Lake.

A shallow lake which frequently goes dry, mud substrate. Surrounded by bracken and grazing land. Carries redfin av. 220g, max. 900g. Bank fishing is difficult because of prolific weed growth.

Wannon River, Cavendish F 9
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Above Nigretta Falls I 8

Rises near Dunkeld and flows 60km to Nigretta Falls. Areas of low forest and heathland scrub near Dunkeld but flows mostly through farmland. Access from several cross roads. The river at Cavendish has extensive reaches of deep water

(4-6m). Upstream the river is shallower and becomes quite low or dries up into a number of discrete pools, during summer. Contains redfin to 450g, some brown trout to 900g. small river blackfish, dwarf galaxias, mountain galaxias and southern pygmy perch. Wannon and Nigretta Falls prevent the upstream movement of migratory species.

Between Nigretta Falls and Wannon Falls H 10

This 8km stretch of river flows through a steep valley at Nigretta Falls then through moderate/flat farmland to the Wannon Falls located just downstream of the Glenelg Highway. Riparian vegetation is mature eucalypts, tea-tree and grass. River width is 12-15m. Pools are mostly less than 100cm deep with some deeper gutters present. During summer the riffles become very shallow with loss of wetted area. Substrate is rubble in the riffles and rubble, mud and rock in the pools. Debris, deep water and banks provide most fish cover.

This is a productive water carrying abundant river blackfish, redfin, some brown trout, unidentified pygmy perch, western carp gudgeon and reports of some Macquarie perch in past years. This section was stocked with this species between 1920 and 1929 and a remnant population was present as late as 1990 and may still persist. Access is possible at Nigretta Falls (where there is a picnic area with facilities) or by walking across private farmland from Nigretta Road.

Below Wannon Falls G 10

Caravan Park and picnic facilities at Wannon Falls.

Flows for 60km to the Glenelg River at Casterton, through moderately sloping then flat farmland. Has good riparian vegetation of mature eucalypts. Accessible mostly through private property. At the bridge on the Merino-Coleraine Road the river is 6-8m wide with extensive pools over 3m deep. There is abundant aquatic vegetation, a fringe of canegrass, sluggish flow and a mud substrate.

There is good habitat present at this site. Further downstream nearer Casterton, it flows through flat farmland with riparian vegetation of eucalypts but has become badly silted with very shallow water and a sand bottom. Little habitat for larger-sized fish and angling in these lower reaches is not recommended. Contains occasional brown trout to 1.3kg, redfin to 1kg, short-finned eel, tupong, tench, river blackfish, Australian smelt, Yarra pygmy perch, southern pygmy perch, common galaxias, flat-headed gudgeon, and western carp gudgeon.

The river downstream of Wannon Falls was stocked from 1913-1927 with estuary perch and in 1987-1990 with golden perch.

Sedimentation of Waterways
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	Ovens River sedimentation

Erosion of soils along riverbanks, results in various materials being suspended in the water column (suspended solids) or deposited over the streambed as sediment. Rivers always carry some suspended sediment but continual low flows may result in sediments being dropped before it can be carried out to sea. Sedimentation of the channel can also occur, under normal flow conditions, if abnormal amounts of material are being eroded from the banks.

Floods move sediment along the river but it is often dropped in the channel as flow decreases or, into the estuary, as has occurred in the Glenelg and Snowy Rivers.

The main problem from sedimentation is that it fills in the deeper areas of the river, changing the natural structure of pools and riffles to one of an even depth. It also covers the natural substrate with sand or silt. The river becomes a shallow, fast-flowing waterway with an even depth and a sand bed. The normal variety of different types of substrate material, various water velocities and water depths, and the different cover sites used by biota such as logs, boulders and gutters along the banks, are lost.

There is now only one habitat instead of the many different habitats present in a natural river. The result is that every species of aquatic biota and age class of each species, including fish, has lost some particular habitat necessary for their survival. Each individual uses different habitats at different periods of their life cycle and even during their daily activities. For example fish rest during the day in areas with a preferred water depth, a specific range of water velocity and in some shelter area that shades them from direct vertical view. This can be deep water, or provided by the structure of the channel, or instream debris. During feeding activities, they may move into shallower, faster-water areas with gravel and rubble substrate to feed.

This variety of habitat, essential for their survival, is lost when sedimentation occurs. Some more sedentary biota such as certain species of macroinvertebrates can only live in habitats such as gravel and rubble in riffles.

They will die if this is covered by sand and the species will be lost from that location. Fish may be able to move somewhere else but sedimentation can bury the areas, such as aquatic vegetation and gravel/rubble, which produce their food, or even destroy their spawning sites. The new sand beds now become one of the most unproductive substrates for food production and provide no opportunities for survival or hatching of spawned eggs.

Sedimentation also forces juvenile fish from their areas of shelter in the riffles, out into areas with little cover where they are exposed to predators. Pools which provide areas of permanent habitat and refuge for larger-sized fish during low flow events, are lost or reduced in extent. Less fish survive the summer resulting in fewer large fish for anglers to catch. Sedimentation may cause many other adverse effects such as, direct death of fish from clogging of their gills, turbid water reducing their ability to find food, or long term effects from poor water quality and pollution, resulting in stunted growth rates and increased mortality rates.

The shallow water may be occupied by vegetation that could not establish when water depths were greater. Water temperature may increase, particularly if the normal shade provided by riparian vegetation is lost. Fish with very specific habitat requirements will be lost perhaps to be replaced by introduced species, better able to survive the degraded conditions.

Sedimentation is a major problem in many Victorian rivers. It results from erosion of the banks into the river even at moderate flows. Erosion is accelerated if the natural riparian vegetation that binds and holds the soil in the bank has been removed. This breakdown of the soil is accelerated by stock, or even people, continually walking down to the water's edge. The need to stop excessive bank erosion and further sedimentation is now well accepted by the community. Farmers are urged to fence-off riverbanks and control access by stock. The State Government is funding research, education and replanting of riverbanks with native vegetation.

Once the banks are stabilised the amount of sediment entering the river will be reduced to a normal level that the natural flow regime can cope with. In many regulated rivers, such as the Glenelg, the natural flow regime has been lost and flows are now considerably less than normal. Unless flows can be increased, such as is now occurring in the Snowy River, it will take a long time for these rivers to restore themselves to a natural condition, with a variety of habitats and biota. A river can restore channel form including pools and riffles and clean substrates through the natural action of flowing water. This not only restores instream habitats and therefore more and larger fish for anglers but also increases the amount of water in the channel which is available to farmers for offstream use.

Anglers can assist this whole process in a practical way by not disturbing banks when fishing and also by not digging for bait close to the bank. Avoid trampling vegetation or clearing it from areas along the water edge where you decide to fish. Once the first step to reduce bank erosion, and therefore sedimentation, has been achieved, the next more difficult requirement is to increase particularly summer flow in the regulated rivers.

© The State of Victoria