NSW Recreational Fishing Licence
When you're fishing in NSW waters, both fresh and saltwater, you're required by law to carry a NSW fishing licence. This also applies when spear fishing, hand lining, hand gathering, trapping, bait collecting and prawn netting. There are some exemptions, which include if you are An adult assisting persons under the age of 18 to take a fish using a single rod or to take prawns using a single dip or scoop net. A person fishing in a private dam with a surface area of two hectares or less. An...
Why Have Bag Size Limits
Regulations apply to help ensure healthy and sustainable fisheries for future generations. Size limits allow fish to reach maturity and complete their breeding cycle while bag limits help to make sure everyone gets a fair share of the resource, and that a species is not overfished. Abiding by these regulations will help conserve and maintain our freshwater recreational fisheries. Legal lengths apply to most freshwater fish. These lengths are specific to each fish and try to reflect a size when...
Shrimp Trap
Maximum dimensions 0.6 x 0.5 x 0.5 m Mesh size 13mm maximum, calculated across the diagonal. Entrance funnels Inner hole maximum width of 35mm in order to keep out larger animals. Maximum number Unless otherwise specified, one trap may be set, used or in your possession. Identification The position of any trap must be marked at, or above, water level by a tag with the owners name. Maximum dimensions Net attached to no more than two hoops, rings or frames not more than 1.25 m at their greatest...
Handhauled Yabby Net
length, measured along the headline. Mesh size 40mm maximum, calculated across the diagonal. Note Can only be used in ground tanks, bore drains or lagoons. Must be continuously and manually propelled not set or staked. FISHING IN THE LOWER MURRAY RIVER CATCHMENT The Murray River provides excellent angling for golden perch, Murray cod and carp in summer, and trout and Murray crayfish in winter. The whole of the Murray River to the South Australian border is covered by NSW laws, except for parts...
Baits
Dragon fly larvae mudeyes are excellent bait for trout and other freshwater species and are best fished under a small float, or in conjunction with a bubble float rig. Grasshoppers are usually fished unweighted with a greased line and make excellent bait for trout. Shrimp may be fished singly, or several at a time, and are great bait for most freshwater species. Earthworms and scrubworms may be fished singly or several at a time, and are excellent bait for most freshwater species. Large grubs...
Trout and Salmon Fishing
NSW offers some of the premier trout fishing in Australia. Brown, rainbow and brook trout are found in the cooler highland reaches of many NSW rivers. In a number of rivers trout have established naturally reproducing populations. In other waters NSW Fisheries, in conjunction with angler groups, maintains populations by annual restocking with fry and fingerlings. Atlantic salmon is stocked primarily into Burrinjuck Dam and Lake Jindabyne and the populations are maintained by annual stocking....
General Rules For Line Fishing For Native Fish
Please see page 30 for trout and salmon line fishing rules. Rods and lines must be attended ie no more than 10 metres from you and in your sight . They may be rigged with no more than two hooks per line. If you wish to carry excess spare lines, they must not be rigged for fishing and should be stored away. Setlines may have one hook only and must be tagged with your name and address or boat registration number. Fishing in dams up to 2 attended lines only, no setlines. Fishing in rivers east of...
Traps And Nets
Legal dimensions, mesh sizes and closed areas for traps and nets are available from your local Fisheries Office. In certain waters, you may use, or have in your possession, a maximum of 5 yabby traps, 1 shrimp trap and 5 hoop lift nets - all tagged with your name and address. Specific closures may prohibit the use of, or limit the number of, traps and nets. Mesh sizes For fixed mesh, such as wire netting in yabby traps, size is calculated on the narrowest point of any axis. For soft netting...
Major Native Freshwater Fishing Species
The major native species targeted by recreational fishers include Australian bass, eel-tailed catfish, golden perch, silver perch in dams only , Murray cod, Murray crayfish and yabbies. Bag and size limits apply to all these major target species see page13 and a state-wide closure applies to the taking of silver perch in rivers and streams. sportfish. It is an aggressive predator and readily takes a lure. Australian bass live in freshwater coastal rivers but part of their breeding cycle...
Measuring A Fish
The overall measurement of a fish, whether it is fork-tailed or round tailed, is taken from the tip of the snout on the upper jaw with mouth closed to the tip of the tail. Murray crayfish are measured from the rear of the eye socket to the centre rear of the carapace.