Trout and salmon specific regulations

Waters with seasonal closures

The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

The following regulations apply to rivers and streams in general. They do not apply to rivers, river sections and streams with specific regulations listed here.

Name of waterway/specific section Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
Rivers and streams (general) No minimum 5 salmonids per day, of which no more than 2 fish can exceed 35cm

Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in, or next to Victorian rivers, river sections and streams.

The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

Waters with varying bag and size limits

The following rivers have specific regulations that apply to certain sections along their course

Name of waterway/specific section Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
Nariel Creek (upstream of Colac Colac Bridge) 25cm 3 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in these rivers and streams.
Nariel Creek (all other sections) No minimum 5 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in these rivers and streams.
Mitta Mitta River (upstream of Lake Dartmouth) 25cm 3 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in these rivers and streams.
Mitta Mitta River (downstream of Peter's Bridge) No minimum 5 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in these rivers and streams.
Ovens River (upstream of Porepunkah) 25cm 3 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in these rivers and streams.
Ovens River (all other sections) No minimum 5 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. Yes. During the closed season, anglers must not take or possess salmonids in these rivers and streams.

other trout streamRivers with total fishing bans during the trout and salmon closed season

Sections of the Goulburn, Mitta Mitta, Tanjil and Kiewa rivers are closed to all hook and line fishing during the trout and salmon closed season, regardless of the fish species being targeted.

Please refer to the information and maps below to see the areas that are closed to all hook and line fishing during the trout and salmon closed season.

Goulburn tailrace

The section of the Goulburn River below Lake Eildon Pondage to Trawool Bridge and its tributaries are classified as a tailrace river and subject to the following regulations.

Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
No minimum 5 salmonids per day, of which no more than 2 fish can exceed 35cm

Yes – there is a total ban on hook and line fishing during the closed season. The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

During the closed season:

  • Anglers must not take or possess any fish from the tailrace sections of the river.
  • Anglers must not be in possession of a hook and line in, on or within 20 m of the Goulburn tailrace river below Lake Eildon Pondage to Trawool Bridge. This is an offence.

Map 1: Goulburn River and tributaries

Rubicon River

The Rubicon River is part of the Goulburn River tailrace. However, it's subjected to slightly different size and possession regulations.

Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
25cm 3 salmonids per day, of which no more than 2 fish can exceed 35cm

Yes – there is a total ban on hook and line fishing during the closed season. The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

The Kiewa River and tributaries

The section of the Kiewa River below Rocky Valley Dam to Keegans Bridge and its tributaries are classified as a tailrace river and subject to the following regulations.

Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
No minimum 5 salmonids per day, of which no more than 2 fish can exceed 35cm

Yes – there is a total ban on hook and line fishing during the closed season. The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

During the closed season:

  • Anglers must not take or possess any fish from the tailrace sections of the river(s).
  • Anglers must not be in possession of a hook and line in, on or within 20 m of the Kiewa tailrace river below Rocky Valley Dam to Keegans Bridge. This is an offence.

Map 2: Kiewa River and tributaries

Mitta Mitta tailrace

Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
No minimum 5 salmonids per day, of which no more than 2 fish can exceed 35cm

Yes – there is a total ban on hook and line fishing during the closed season. The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

During the closed season:

  • Anglers must not take or possess any fish from the tailrace sections of the river(s).
  • Anglers must not be in possession of a hook and line in, on or within 20 m of the Mitta Mitta tailrace river below Lake Dartmouth Pondage to Peters Bridge. This is an offence.

Mitta Mitta River & tributaries Tanjil tailrace

The section of the Tanjil River upstream from Lake Narracan to below Blue Rock Dam and its tributaries are classified as a tailrace river and subject to the following regulations.

Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
No minimum 5 salmonids per day, of which no more than 2 fish can exceed 35cm

Yes – there is a total ban on hook and line fishing during the closed season. The 2023 trout and salmon closed season on rivers and streams is from Tuesday 13 June until Friday 1 September inclusive. The first open day is on Saturday 2 September.

During the closed season:

  • Anglers must not take or possess any fish from the tailrace sections of the river(s).
  • Anglers must not be in possession of a hook and line in, on or within 20 m of the Tanjil tailrace river upstream from Lake Narracan to below Blue Rock Dam. This is an offence.

Map 4: Tanjil River and tributaries

Year-round trout and salmon fisheries

The following waters do not have a closed season and can be fished for trout and salmon all year

Name of waterway/specific section Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
The Merri, Hopkins, Moyne rivers and Mt Emu Creek No minimum 5 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm. No closed season.
Sea-run trout rivers No minimum 5 salmonids of which no more than 2 fish may exceed 35 cm.

The specified sections of the following waters contain populations of sea-run brown trout that provide angling opportunities for trout and salmon all year:

  • Aire River – downstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge
  • Avon River – downstream of the Stratford Railway Bridge
  • Ford River – downstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge
  • Gellibrand River – downstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge
  • Mitchell River – downstream of Princes Highway Bridge at Bairnsdale
  • Moyne River – downstream of the Toolong Bridge
  • Tambo River – downstream of the Bruthen Road Bridge.
Lakes and impoundments No minimum 5 salmonids per day. No closed season.

The following year-round trout and salmon fishing lakes have specific regulations that apply only to them.

Name of waterway/specific section Minimum legal size for trout and salmonids Bag limit Closed season
Lake Toolondo 45cm for brown trout and 30cm for rainbow trout. 3 salmonids per day.No closed season.
Hepburn Lagoon 45cm for brown trout and rainbow trout.3 salmonids per day. No closed season.
Lake Wendouree