'Hooked on Lakes' fishing, fresh seafood and fun

21 January 2026

If you love fishing and fresh seafood, then head to the free ‘Hooked on Lakes’ event at Lakes Entrance on Sunday 8 March (Labour Day long weekend).

Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Acting CEO Luke O’Sullivan said ‘Hooked on Lakes’ includes kids fishing clinics, tours, demonstrations, plenty of delicious local seafood and the Pierce Brothers rocking the stage into the night.

“The popular event is a chance for families to have some fun together while learning about recreational and commercial fishing, boating and aquaculture plus it’s a great excuse to visit beautiful Lakes Entrance,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“The port of Lakes Entrance is home to an offshore commercial fishing fleet that catches prawns, flathead, gummy shark, school whiting, squid, pilchards and rock lobster, lots of which feature in local restaurants and can be purchased at the Lakes Entrance Fishermen’s Co-op (LEFCOL).”
Based at the Lakes Entrance Foreshore Reserve, the free event will run from 11am till 4pm, with live music, food and drinks continuing through until 8pm and includes:

*Shuttle bus tours to LEFCOL;
*Seafood cooking demos;
*Fish filleting and preparation tips from local co-op LEFCOL;
*Food stands selling seafood including Mitchelson Fisheries;
*Free 'Come and Try' fishing clinics for kids run by Fishcare;
*Kids Zone filled with fun activities for youngsters including fish themed craft activities, story time and much more with the Fisheries education team;
*Fishing and outdoor swap-meet, where you can donate, trade or pick up recycled fishing and outdoor equipment;
*Aquaculture Hub to learn more about the Victorian aquaculture industry with free samples of Victorian-grown produce;
*Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating (WIRFAB) network leaders providing a range of fishing and boating tips;
*Fish dissections with fisheries scientist Dr Corey Green to discover the fascinating anatomy of popular species;
*The Better Boating team explaining Victoria’s biggest ever boat ramp construction program;
*Stalls with representatives from Seafood Industry Victoria, Leftrade, AFMA;
*OzFish running aquatic ecology sessions; and,
*Local pop up market run by Lakes Entrance Action and Development Association.

To find out more about ‘Hooked on Lakes’ and to book activities go to: Hooked on Lakes Entrance.