The Best Fishing Spots in Victoria

In Victoria, recreational fishing offers a wide variety of waters from coastal bays and surf to estuaries, lakes and rivers, with popular spots including Port Phillip Bay, the Gippsland Lakes and the Murray River. Anglers target coastal species like snapper, flathead, bream, whiting, tailor and seasonal Australian salmon, while the surf and inlets can produce big mulloway (jewfish) and kingfish. Inland waters are known for brown trout and rainbow trout in alpine streams and reservoirs, and native targets like Murray cod, Australian bass and estuary perch in rivers and lakes. Whether you fish from shore, boat or kayak, Victoria delivers diverse species and year-round opportunities for recreational anglers.

Top Cities For Fishing

Sea Fishing

Altona Meadows (5 km to coast)
Balwyn North (19 km to coast)
Bentleigh East (7 km to coast)
Brighton (2 km to coast)
Brunswick (15 km to coast)
Camberwell (13 km to coast)
Carrum Downs (5 km to coast)
Cheltenham (4 km to coast)
City of Port Phillip (5 km to coast)
Clayton (14 km to coast)
Coburg (17 km to coast)
Cranbourne (17 km to coast)
Cranbourne East (16 km to coast)
Cranbourne North (19 km to coast)
Cranbourne West (16 km to coast)
Dandenong (14 km to coast)
Dandenong North (16 km to coast)
Deer Park (20 km to coast)
Endeavour Hills (20 km to coast)
Essendon (17 km to coast)
Frankston (0 km to coast)
Frankston East (1 km to coast)
Frankston South (2 km to coast)
Geelong (0 km to coast)
Glenferrie (12 km to coast)
Glen Iris (10 km to coast)
Hampton Park (16 km to coast)
Hawthorn (12 km to coast)
Hawthorn South (11 km to coast)
Highton (7 km to coast)
Hoppers Crossing (12 km to coast)
Kew (13 km to coast)
Keysborough (11 km to coast)
Langwarrin (5 km to coast)
Malvern East (8 km to coast)
Melbourne (8 km to coast)
Melbourne City Centre (8 km to coast)
Mornington (2 km to coast)
Mount Eliza (1 km to coast)
Mount Martha (1 km to coast)
Mount Waverley (16 km to coast)
Mulgrave (17 km to coast)
Narre Warren South (20 km to coast)
Noble Park (12 km to coast)
Northcote (16 km to coast)
Pascoe Vale (19 km to coast)
Point Cook (6 km to coast)
Preston (19 km to coast)
Richmond (10 km to coast)
Saint Kilda (3 km to coast)
Southbank (7 km to coast)
South Yarra (7 km to coast)
Springvale (13 km to coast)
Sunshine West (15 km to coast)
Thornbury (17 km to coast)
Truganina (14 km to coast)
Warrnambool (1 km to coast)
Werribee (12 km to coast)
Wyndham Vale (16 km to coast)

River Fishing

Murray River
Mildura

Lake Fishing

Lake Hume
Wodonga

Top Saltwater Fishing Spots

Western Port
Strong tidal flow and rich seagrass flats produce trophy snapper in spring, gummy shark and school shark year-round, abundant King George whiting in late summer–autumn, plus reliable calamari; productive grounds span from Hastings and Stony Point to Rhyll and Cowes, with channels and banks fishing well by both boat and land-based anglers.
Portland Bay
A southwest hub renowned for offshore southern bluefin tuna in late autumn–winter, inshore snapper and King George whiting, prolific salmon along the beaches and calamari over the weed beds; launching from Portland provides rapid access to headlands, reefs and deepwater drop-offs.
Ninety Mile Beach
Endless surf gutters produce dependable runs of Australian salmon in winter–spring, plus tailor, flathead and occasional gummy shark after dark; accessible stretches near Seaspray, Golden Beach and Woodside reward mobile anglers who read the banks and move between formed gutters.
Patterson River
A canalised estuary and boating gateway to the bay that fishes well for bream, estuary perch and night-time mulloway, with salmon and tailor moving through on tides; edges, bridges and marina structure near Carrum reward precise casts with soft plastics and vibes.
Corner Inlet
Sheltered shallows and channels produce excellent King George whiting, prolific flathead and reliable calamari, with salmon schools roaming the entrances; launch from Port Welshpool or Port Albert to drift expansive seagrass flats and tidal edges.
Port Phillip
Victoria’s busiest fishery with prolific snapper in spring–summer, year-round flathead and pinkie snapper, autumn runs of Australian salmon, and inshore squid over the weed beds; hotspots range from St Kilda and Williamstown to Mornington, Sorrento and Queenscliff, with both pier and boat anglers finding consistent action on the vast reef, rubble and channel systems.

Top Freshwater Fishing Spots

Ovens River
A Murray–Darling tributary known for Murray cod and golden perch in the warmer months and cool-season trout in upland sections; logjams, deep bends and willow-lined banks around Wangaratta and Bright reward spinnerbaits, surface lures and diving hardbodies.
Goulburn River
A blue-ribbon tailrace supporting superb brown and rainbow trout action below the pondage through winter–spring, while the lower reaches shine for Murray cod and golden perch in the warmer months; riffles, seams and deep pools around Eildon, Alexandra and Seymour suit fly, lure and bait presentations.
Lake Eildon
One of Australia’s premier impoundments for giant Murray cod (summer peak), solid golden perch in the warmer months, and cool-water brown and rainbow trout in winter–spring; rocky points, timbered arms and open basins all fish well, with trolling, casting and bait soaking productive for both shore and boat anglers.
Lake Hume
A large border reservoir producing chunky redfin, spring–summer golden perch, and cool-water trout, with occasional Murray cod; bait and lure anglers target rocky points, flooded timber and creek mouths, with good access from the Bonegilla and Tallangatta shores.

Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots

Tambo River
A bream specialist’s river with big winter black bream pushing upstream and summer–autumn fish on edges and flats, plus bycatch of luderick and flathead; stretches near Swan Reach and the lower estuary fish well with blades, prawn imitations and lightly weighted baits.
Yarra River
Urban access to estuary perch, bream and mulloway in the lower brackish reaches, with redfin and seasonal trout upstream; productive stretches include Docklands and Birrarung Marr downriver, and leafy pools and runs around Warrandyte for freshwater species.
Mitchell River
Feeding the Gippsland Lakes, the lower reaches are prime for edge-cruising bream and luderick, while upper pools and runs hold estuary perch and seasonal trout; bankside access and small boats excel around Bairnsdale and the silt jetties.
Maribyrnong River
A metropolitan estuary noted for hard-fighting bream, structure-loving estuary perch, and the occasional mulloway during warmer months; bridges, rock walls and moorings from Flemington to Avondale Heights are prime for vibes, crab imitations and lightly weighted baits.
Mallacoota Inlet
A pristine estuary famed for black bream, aggressive estuary perch, and summer–autumn flathead, with tailor and salmon pushing in on tides; the Top and Bottom Lakes, channels and snags near Mallacoota fish well with soft plastics, vibes and lightly weighted baits from both bank and boat.
Lake Tyers
Consistently produces chunky dusky flathead through the warmer months, quality bream around snags and edges, and roaming tailor; the Nowa Nowa Arm, Toorloo Arm and the main lake near Lake Tyers Beach respond to surface lures at dawn and soft plastics or vibes during the day.
Hopkins River
Flowing through Warrnambool, this river is celebrated for big bream around snags and rock bars, summer–autumn estuaries perch, and periodic mulloway in the lower reaches; the mouth, bridges and bends fish well with hardbodies, soft plastics and live baits.
Gippsland Lakes
A vast estuarine system famed for black bream, seasonal luderick, roaming flathead, and winter–spring salmon and tailor, with prawns and baitfish drawing predators; popular bases like Lakes Entrance, Metung and Paynesville give access to jetties, flats and channels that suit lure and bait fishing alike.
Barwon River
Below Geelong the estuary holds bream, salmon and mulloway along rock walls and channels, while upstream reaches produce redfin and seasonal trout; tidal flats, pylons and drop-offs respond to blades, small hardbodies and bait fishing across the seasons.
Snowy River
Iconic East Gippsland water offering bream and estuary perch in the lower estuary near Marlo, with upper reaches producing brown trout and rainbow trout; tidal channels, snags and sand flats respond to lures and bait, while upstream riffles suit classic trout tactics.