Whittlesea’s Yarrambat Lake gets holiday fishing boost

More than 30,000 rainbow trout have found their way into Victorian waterways in the past two weeks. But there’s nothing fishy about the reason why.

Rainbow trout are released into the Yarrambat Lake.

Anglers of all abilities are being encouraged to wet a line at Yarrambat Lake after 1000 rainbow trout were added as part of a campaign to get more people fishing.

Yan Yean state Labor MP Danielle Green said the fish were among 32,000 legal-size rainbow trout released in about 80 spots across Victoria over the school holidays.

Rainbow trout take a wide range of baits and lures and are regarded as an easy species for inexperienced fishers to catch.

The trout, which were grown at the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s Snobs Creek hatchery, were funded by recreational fishing licence fees and a $35 million State Government ‘Target One Million’ drive to get more people fishing more often, Ms Green said.

Louis and Cameron help release rainbow trout at Yarrambat Lake.

“It’s great to see families getting outside and active during the school holidays,” she said.

The campaign aimed to phase out commercial fishing in the Gippsland Lakes through a compulsory buyout, increase fishing stock to 10 million fish annually by 2022 and invest $200,000 in the Vic Fish Kid Program to get more children in Victoria’s waterways.

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Ms Green said fishing in the Yarrambat Lake was an ideal family activity because a boat was not required and there was good access to fishing platforms, walking tracks and picnic areas.

A daily bag limit of five trout applies to family fishing lakes, of which only two trout can exceed 35cm.