Ever wanted to know some inside information on where people choose to go freshwater fishing in Victoria?
Of course, you do!
In 2018 the Victorian Fisheries Authority conducted a survey of state fishing licence holders.
Let’s see if we can dig down into this “inside” freshwater fishing information…
They crunched the numbers from 10,314 respondents to the survey.
They found the top 5 most popular Victorian freshwater fishing locations were (drumroll):
Murray River (NSW), Lake Eildon, Goulburn River, Yarra River and Lake Eppalock.
In the tabs to the right, you’ll find some of the data they found.
Getfished has put it into a quick view chart.
A grid showing how far you need to drive
Finally, the top spots have been placed on a map.
For the latest info check out our Fishing Reports Page.
| Location | Percentage | From Melbourne |
|---|---|---|
| Murray River (NSW) | 27.2% | 223 km |
| Lake Eildon | 24.7% | 235 km |
| Goulburn River | 17.6% | 115 km |
| Yarra River | 10.8% | 6.9 km |
| Lake Eppalock | 8.6% | 128 km |
Top 5 Victorian Freshwater Fishing Species
Let’s face it. Life can be pretty tough for the freshwater fishing weekend warrior fisho.
Not only have we got to work out where to go fishing – but we’ve also got to work out what to go fishing for.
Yes. These things are sent to try our mortal fishing existence.
The experts tell us to go out targetting a specific freshwater fish.
Rather than try and catch anything. Thus improving our chances of success.
But, which fish?
Starting out with a list of the most popular freshwater fish in Victorian rivers, creeks and lakes would be a good place to start.
Right?
So, Getfished is going to help you with that.
So, Getfished is going to help you with that.
Thanks to the state’s very own Victorian Fisheries Authority and their helpful survey of license holders.
Let’s take a captain cook at the results…
After surveying 10,314 fishos, their results give us an insight into the top 5 most popular Victorian freshwater fish.
Which are:
Murray cod, Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Redfin and Golden perch (Yellow Belly).
We’ve compiled these into tabs containing a handy chart.
A table with photos of the species.
Plus a tab dedicated to our own recommendations for bait you can try for each fish.
It is available in the tabs to your right of this text (above on a mobile device).
| Species | Bait |
|---|---|
 Murray cod | Hard Bodied Lure , Yabby , Scrub Worm , Bardi Grub , Cheese , Chicken , Freshwater Shrimp |
 Rainbow trout | Hard Bodied Lure , Freshwater Shrimp , Yabby , Crickets , Chicken , Scrub Worm |
 Brown trout | Hard Bodied Lure , Freshwater Shrimp , Yabby , Chicken , Scrub Worm |
 Redfin (English or European Perch) | Hard Bodied Lure , Yabby , Chicken , Scrub Worm , Bardi Grub , Freshwater Shrimp |
 Golden perch (Yellow Belly) | Yabby , Freshwater Shrimp , Chicken , Bardi Grub , Scrub Worm , Hard Bodied Lure |
| Species | Popular Places | Prefer To Catch |
|---|---|---|
Murray cod | Murray River (NSW) , Lake Eildon , Lake Mulwala (NSW) , Goulburn River | 40.7 |
Rainbow trout | Lake Eildon , Blue Rock Lake , Yarra River , Lake Purrumbete | 39.8 |
Brown trout | Lake Eildon , Lake Eppalock , Yarra River , Lake Purrumbete , Blue Rock Lake | 39.5 |
Redfin | Murray River (NSW) , Lake Mulwala (NSW) , Lake Eppalock , Blue Rock Lake , Ovens River , Mitchell River , Lake Eildon , Yarra River , Lake Purrumbete , Goulburn River | 38.3 |
Golden perch (Yellow Belly) | Murray River (NSW) , Lake Mulwala (NSW) , Lake Eppalock , Lake Eildon , Goulburn River , Yarra River , Ovens River | 19.8 |
Quick Note On Freshwater Species Popularity & Noxious Carp
Carp do not perform well in the most popular freshwater fishing species numbers.
I understand why. Most people loath catching them and so avoid them where they can.
However – targeting this introduced and noxious species can not only be fun you’re also doing the environment a huge favour by getting them out of the streams.
They can be used too!! While you must remove them from waterways and dispose of them humanely, some folks do eat them. There are some great carp recipes.
For myself – I use them as fertiliser. Throw them into the vegetable garden as steaks and dig them in. It’s seriously good fertiliser and you do pay for it over the counter otherwise.
If you know a keen gardener see if they’re interested!
