Victorian Fishing Report

Victorian Fishing Reports are collated and updated several times each week. They are based on reports submitted to Getfished and various websites where reports are shared.

In Victoria the most popular fishing environment so far this year, based on calculated reports, has been Saltwater with 408 reports. Of those 386 were Landbased.

The most popular fish species targetted by fishos has been Calamari with 102 reports.

In saltwater locations Mallacoota was most often recorded. While the most reported freshwater fishing spot was Karkarook Park.

Top 10 Fishing Spots This Year

For Latest Reports, Rather Than The Summaries Please See The Latest Fishing Reports Page.

Fishing Reports

#1 Saltwater Fishing Report Datapoints YTD

Species	Calamari	102
Bait	Earthworms	39
Lure	Soft Plastics	55
Location	Mallacoota	16

Last Updated: January 21, 2023

#1 Freshwater Fishing Report Datapoints YTD

Species	Rainbow Trout	101
Bait	Earthworms	39
Lure	Soft Plastics	55
Location	Karkarook Park	42

Last Updated: January 21, 2023

Species Fishing Reports

Top 5 Bait Reported

Fishing Reports 2023 By Month

Aug is the busiest fishing month so far in 2023 with 316 reports.

Landbased/Boat/Kayak Reports

Landbased, is currently the most popular so far in the last 12 months. With 386, reports.

Top 10 Fish Reported During The Last 12 Months In Victoria

Species	Reports	Information	Bait/Lures
Calamari Sepioteuthis australis	102	Season: All Year Round Known commonly as Squid or Calamari. Best fished when waters are clear with little turbulence. Top times can be during June to September.	Fish mounted on squid bait jigs Most common Calamari or Squid method is a dedicated artificial Squid Jig
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss	101	Season: All Year Round Seasonal Note: Has a Closed Season in Some States of Australia. Victoria’s Trout Season can be checked on the Victorian Fisheries website.	Earthworms, Soft Plastic Lures, Spinners, Spoons, Flys
Murray Cod Maccullochella peelii	76	Season: All Year Round. More Active during Warmer months. Closed season between September and early December. Common for schools to move through, chopping up the water before moving on. Can be common during cooler months.	Earthworms, Scrubworms, Chicken Breast, Cheese. Hardbodies, Stump Jumpers, Surface Lures, Soft Plastics
Australian Salmon Arripis trutta	75	Season: All Year Round Common for schools to move through, chopping up the water before moving on. Can be common during cooler months.	Bluebait, Chicken Breast, Flathead Fillets, Mullet Fillets, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Sandworms, Squid Hoods, Squid Tentacles, Whitebait, Whiting Fillets
Redfin Perca fluviatilis	73	Season: All Year Round Seasonal Note: Sometimes known as English Perch. Can be less active in warmer weather. Also known as English Perch. Imported and considered invasive. Please do not return to water.	Earthworms, Chicken
Tuna Thunnini sp	54	Season: March to October
Garfish Hemiramphidae sp	43	Season: All Year Round.	Maggots, Whitebait or Bluebait Pieces, Bread Doung, Pipies, Prawn, Squid pieces, Sand worm.
Whiting Sp	37	Season: November to April Generic Name for a number of Whiting Species found in Australia.
Yellowbelly Macquaria ambigua	37	Season: All Year Round. More Active during Warmer months. Excellent native species that is reasonably prolific. Other common names include Golden Perch and Callop.	Earthworms, Scrubworms, Chicken Breast, Cheese. Hardbodies, Stump Jumpers, Surface Lures, Soft Plastics

Victorian Fishing Report Fishing Report Hotspots

Bays

Bay fishing often produces different species compared to our surf beaches when it comes to saltwater fishing. Bays also often play the role of fish nurseries.

Beach

Victoria’s beach fishing locations are some of the finest in the world. For the most part, they are composed of small grain sand.

Boat Ramps

There are a number of public boat ramps around Melbourne and the wider area of Victoria. These are located on the bays and inlets as well as freshwater lakes and rivers.

Estuary fishing in Victorian offers some great angling environments. From the far south-west coast, the central region with the Yarra and Maribyrnong, the massive Lakes Entrance and surrounding waterways.

Creeks

What kind of fishing tackle should I use to fish creeks? Creeks are nearly always narrow waterways. The exception is where they meet the sea in an estuary system where the creek can often become wider.

Freshwater

Freshwater fishing in Victoria includes a wide variety of habitats and climate zones. From cool mountain streams to mighty inland rivers to broad estuaries emptying into bays, Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.

Geelong Fishing Reports

Geelong fishing comprises of the Corio Bay area, moving out into the broader Port Phillip Bay. While Freshwater is mainly the beautiful Barwon River.

Goulburn River Fishing Reports

Lakes

Many of Victoria’s freshwater lakes are man-made being created by damning rivers. However, some are in fact the result of volcanic action.

Melbourne Fishing Reports

Melbourne Fishing Opportunities Fishing in Melbourne is a popular pastime for both locals and visitors alike. Melbourne is surrounded by a diverse range of fishing spots, from freshwater creeks and rivers to the bays and open ocean.

Piers

Piers offer some of the best Autumn fishing in Melbourne (and Victoria), for land-based anglers. Much of the closest is to be had around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays.

Port Phillip Bay

Port Phillip Bay is one of the largest inland seas in the Southern Hemisphere. Connected to Bass Straight and the associated Southern Ocean.

Portarlington

Portarlington fishing goes right back to the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Where people would come by ferry to the township to take a holiday.

South Gippsland

Rivers

River fishing in Victoria is actually divided, for the most part, into three kinds. The slower moving, wide and deep, warmer and mighty rivers to the north of the Great Dividing Range.

Rock Fishing

Popular Victorian Rock Fishing Hotspots What kind of fish can be caught off Rocks? Most rock walls are located off coastal ocean spots, bay or estuaries in Victoria.

Saltwater

Victorian saltwater fishing includes a number of unique environments and local fish species. Fishing for snapper is almost synonymous with Port Phillip and Western Port bays.

Surf Fishing

Victorian saltwater fishing includes a number of unique environments and local fish species. Fishing for snapper is almost synonymous with Port Phillip and Western Port bays.

Western Port Bay

Western Port Bay has a number of piers that offer excellent fishing oppotunities for a larger variety of fish species.

Victoria’s – Great Fishing Locations

The Twleve Apostles Victoria

Victoria, Australia offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities. Both native and introduced species.

While a lot of saltwater fishing in the state takes place in and around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays there are many other coastal and freshwater fishing spots worth investigating.

Browse some of the best fishing spots in the state below. You can also check out our Fishing Victoria FAQ

Seasonal Fishing Tips

Autumn Temperatures, in waters such as Port Phillip and Western Port Bays, range from an average of 17.3 c in March down to 14 – 15 c degrees by the end of the season.

Some species, such as Snapper and Whiting are generally past their Summer peak in Autumn. So, while catches are still common they become less so as the season progresses. Whiting begins their migration to Western Victoria and South Australian waters where they breed.

As the water cools, depending on the year’s over-all weather, fish activity begins to drop. Species such as flathead can become a little harder to catch (though still in good numbers) while Bream continue on for many months. Species such as Australian Salmon and Tailor and Gummy Sharks continue in good numbers. Garfish start coming onto the bite in many places. While squid remains plentiful. Particularly if the water remains clear from estuary flooding outflows.

By the end of April and into May the risk of hypothermia if immersed in the water becomes high and the onset is very quick. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that small craft boaties and kayakers “dress for immersion.” That means thermal clothing (not wool or cotton) designed as layers that wick away moisture are strongly recommended.

Bream Fishing Tips Video