Anglers across Victoria are set for more fishing luck, with more than 720,000 Australian bass and estuary perch stocked into 32 lakes and rivers for recreational fishers to enjoy.
Yarra Ranges residents can head to the Ferntree Gully Quarry for some fishing over the summer – the site has been stocked with 5,000 Bass.
Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos announced the stocking of these native species on 18 December and the 10 million fish this year will bolster native fish populations in waters across the state.
“We’re giving more anglers the chance to catch our native fish this holiday season, with families set to enjoy Victoria’s beautiful waters this summer,” Minister Dimopoulos said.
This has been made possible by the reinvestment of fishing license fees and the Government’s $96 million investment to support fishing and boating in Victoria over the next four years.
Minister Dimopoulos said the super stocking is boosting fishing for every Victorian.
“The investment in fishing and boating will help to build better facilities, stronger fishing clubs, and expanded fish hatcheries for everyone to enjoy,” he said.
Australian bass and estuary perch live in coastal flowing catchments and are highly prized by recreational anglers as iconic native sportfish which are capable of living for over 40 years.
Both species are stocked annually by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), which has released around five million bass and perch over the last decade.
Lots of these fish have reached catchable size and are now delivering outstanding fishing for Victorian anglers who, for bass, previously had to travel interstate for great lake fishing.
Waters that share in the 460,000 bass recently stocked include Lake Glenmaggie, which now enjoys 50,000 newly stocked fish, while 52,000 fish were stocked at Blue Rock Lake. Traralgon Creek now enjoys 10,000 extra bass and rivers such as the Mitchell have been stocked with 100,000 fish for recreational fishers to enjoy.
The population of bass have been boosted in the Snowy, Cann, Timbarra, Macalister, Latrobe, Avon, Tambo and Thomson rivers.
In Victoria’s south-west, Bullen Merri and Elingamite lakes both now enjoy 10,000 bass each.
Anglers are also set to snag one of more than 260,000 estuary perch that have been stocked in waters across Victoria.
Gippsland Lakes has been stocked with a super 98,000 perch, while Lake Tyers, Genoa River, Bemm, Snowy and Little Rivers now all have 10,000 perch each.
Lakers Cutting near Point Lonsdale has been boosted by 15,000 estuary perch and fishers at the Barwon can catch one of the 45,000 stocked fish, while 20,000 perch are stocked at Werribee. Upper Stony Creek Reservoir has been stocked with 24,000 estuary perch and Devilbend Reservoir on the Mornington Peninsula, which now has 9,000 fingerlings.
To see the full list of all 32 stocked waterways, visit vfa.vic.gov.au/bassandperch2023.
