About the Guide

This fishing guide is produced by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA). Please contact the VFA If you wish to make comments about the guide or to obtain further copies.

For more information about the VFA, visit the website at www.vfa.vic.gov.au or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

ISSN 1442-7494

Copyright © Victorian Fisheries Authority, 2024 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

All requests and enquiries should be directed to the Victorian Fisheries Authority Customer Service Centre (call 136 186) or email contactus@vfa.vic.gov.au.

Authorised by Steve Dimopoulos, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne

Design, production, print management: Celsius Design

Project Manager: Joel Peterson

Photographs: Michelle Couling, Dave Anderson, Anthony Forster, Marc Ainsworth, Ruth Beeby, Kate Rogers, Jo Fyfe, Shea Bloom, Corinella Angling Club, Karla Smith, Nikki Bryant, Brian Mottram, OzFish, Alex Wood and Sam Fawke.

Illustrations: Alexis Beckett, Krystii Melaine, Paul Lennon, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Illustration © R.Swainston/ anima.net.au, AFN/Trevor Hawkins.

Front cover: Macquarie perch stocking into the Buffalo River.

This publication may be of assistance to you, but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequences which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

The 2025 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide includes changes to regulations. These are:

• Full protection for Macquarie perch in all Victorian waters. See here for details.
• Removal of the Murray cod closed season in Lake Eppalock, Cairn Curran Reservoir, Lake Nillahcootie and Eildon Pondage. See here for details.
• Removal of the bag limit for black sear urchin. See here for details.

This publication is a guide only. Fishing rules can sometimes change between editions. It is the responsibility of fishers to be aware of any changes that are made to fishing rules and regulations. You can do this by:

• routinely checking the Fisheries Notices
• contacting the Customer Service Centre on 136 186
• following us on social media

This publication may be of assistance to you, but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequences which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
This publication is a guide only, it does not replace the Fisheries Act 1995, or other Acts and subordinate legislation applying to, or affecting recreational fishing. This guide summarises the law at the time of publication and cannot be used as a defence in court. Fishing laws change from time to time. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are acting within the law.