Recreational fishing in the ACT

Fishing in open waters is allowed all year around. Open waters include all public waters in the ACT that are not prohibited, or trout waters. This includes:

• the Murrumbidgee River downstream from the junction with the Gudgenby River, and upstream from the concrete crossing at Angle Crossing to the ACT/NSW border
• the Molonglo River downstream of its junction with the ACT/NSW border
• urban lakes and ponds.

Open Waters rules and regulations

• You can use no more than 2 rods or handlines combined at any one time and a landing net
• Each rod must have no more than:
  • 2 artificial flies attached to the line or
  • than one artificial lure attached to the line or
  • 2 hooks attached to the line.
• It is prohibited to have in possession in or beside open waters;
  • more than 4 rods or handlines combined
  • more than 2 rods or handlines combined that are rigged for bait fishing.
• Anglers must be within 10 meters of their fishing gear and must be able to see their fishing gear at all times
• Murray Cod (Mangi):
  • must not be targeted in these waters during the Murray Cod closed season (Sep to Nov). If you accidentally catch one during the closed season you must return it to the water unharmed.
  • caught in the Murray Cod Catch-and-Release Zone at any time must be returned to the water unharmed.

You can use artificial lures, flies, and live or natural bait. Fin fish, fish eggs and frogs must not be used.

Trout waters include the:

• Gudgenby River and its catchment and tributaries
• Naas River and its catchment and tributaries
• Paddys River and its catchment and tributaries
• Condor Creek and its catchment and tributaries
• Cotter River and its catchment and tributaries downstream of Bendora Dam to the junction with Condor Creek
• Molonglo River above junction with the Queanbeyan River to the ACT border
• Orroral River and its tributaries.

Trout Waters rules and regulations

• You can use no more than one rod and have in possession no more than 2 rods that are rigged with artificial lure or artificial fly only and a landing net
• The rod must have no more than:
  • 2 artificial flies attached
  • one artificial lure attached
• It is prohibited to have in possession in or beside trout waters:
  • a handline
  • more than 2 rods
  • a rod that is rigged for bait fishing
  • all nets except a landing net.
• Open season for trout waters is from the start of the October Labour Day long weekend to the end of the June King's Birthday weekend. Fishing in Trout Waters during the closed season is prohibited. This includes all methods and for all fish species.

Only artificial fly and lure fishing is allowed in trout waters during open season, fishing with bait is prohibited.

Fishing in the following waters is not allowed at any time:

1. Cotter River upstream of new Cotter Dam wall, to the junction of Condor Creek, including the Cotter reservoir.
2. Cotter River and catchment upstream of Bendora Dam wall, including Bendora and Corin Reservoirs.
3. Murrumbidgee River downstream of Angle Crossing to the junction with the Gudgenby River.
4. Tidbinbilla River and catchment within the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
5. Kellys Swamp and Jerrabomberra Swamp within the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve. This includes areas where fishing is prohibited as described in the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve Plan of Management 2010.

All waters within Canberra Nature Park nature reserves where fishing is prohibited, as described in the Canberra Nature Park Reserve Management Plan 2021.

Small areas on some waterways may not be available for fishing for land management purposes. For example, dam wall exclusions and parts of the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

Fishing in Googong Reservoir is governed by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), Fisheries Management Act 1994 (NSW) and associated regulations.

To fish in NSW waters, you'll need a NSW recreational fishing licence. You can get this licence through Service NSW or by calling 1300 369 365.

There are 7 fish species in the ACT that are totally protected. It's illegal to target or keep these species. Their protected status helps conserve the species so their populations may recover.

If you catch a protected fish, you must release it with as little injury as possible and report the capture to Access Canberra. This will help to monitor the status of these threatened species.

Species	Description
	A moderate-sized, nocturnal crayfish, typically with a green-brown body and large white spines on the tail. They possess a spiny exoskeleton and large, strong pincers with white spines along the outer edge and a pointed tip. The underside of the crayfish is often pale orange or cream.
	A medium-sized, oval-shaped fish with a deep, laterally compressed body, characterised by a humped back, a large white eye, and a rounded tail. Its colour ranges from black-grey or blue-grey to green-brown, often with a paler underside. Distinctive features include pores on the snout and around the eyes, large jaws of equal size, and large scales.
	A large crayfish with a dark green to green-brown body with numerous large, sharp spines on its carapace and tail. Its most distinctive feature is its bright white claws, which lighten with age.
	A medium to large, spiny crayfish with a dark brown or olive-green body, orange-red joints, and green-blue claws. It is a slow-growing and long-lived species, characterized by its spiny exoskeleton, short claws, and spiny legs.
	A moderate to large, deep-bodied freshwater fish that is silvery-grey to black on the back and paler on the sides, with a white belly. It has a small head, small mouth, and a slightly forked tail. The scales are small and thin, and can have dark margins. Juveniles are similar but are often mottled with dark bars or spots.
	A small to medium groper-like fish with a deep, elongated body that is round in cross section. Trout cod have a pointed head with the top jaw overhanging the bottom jaw, and the slope of the head is straight. Trout cod are cream to light grey on their ventral ("belly") surfaces. Their back and flanks are most commonly bluish-grey in colour, overlain with irregular black speckling.
	A small to medium-sized fish, typically under 30 cm long, with a yellowish-brown to olive-green body marked with distinct dark brown, giraffe-like blotches and a pale underside. Key features include two spines at the front of its long dorsal fin, white margins on the dorsal and anal fins, and reduced pelvic fins consisting of a pair of fine, white filaments under its throat.

*Please note the differences between the Trout Cod, a protected species (therefore not allowed to be taken), and the Murray Cod, which can be taken during its open season.

The table below illustrates the difference between the protected Trout Cod and the Murray Cod.

Species	Status	Description
	Protected species	Straight head profile, with lower upper jaw overhangs. Dark spots and irregular dashes or bars with few markings on the head. Generally blue/grey on dorsal (upper) becoming paler, almost white on ventral surface.
	Recreational species (closed season September to November)	Concave head profile, jaws equal or bottom jaw protrudes. Green mottled pattern on the body and head. Can be finely speckled in larger fish. Generally green/olive/yellow/golden on dorsal (upper), becoming paler more creamy/white on ventral (lower). Larger fish can have a blue-green sheen.

You may fish for the following species only during the seasons shown below. Bag and size limits help to sustainably manage recreational fish populations for the future.

Species	Size	Limit (per day)	Fishing season
	30 cm minimum	2 in the Murrumbidgee River, 5 in all other waters	All year
	55 cm to 75 cm	1 in the Murrumbidgee river with the exception of the Murray Cod Catch-and-Release Zone. 2 in all other waters.	1 December to 31 August
	25 cm minimum	5 combined in Open and Trout Waters	Start of October Long Weekend to end of June King’s Birthday long weekend in Trout Waters. All year in other waters.

Pest fish, including Carp and Redfin, can be popular with anglers. Whilst it is not a requirement in the ACT, you are encouraged to humanely dispatch and utilise these fish rather than return them to the water.

If you decide to humanely dispatch any pest fish caught, please dispose of them appropriately and do not leave them on the waters edge or in public places.

You may fish for the following species only during the seasons shown below.

Species	Size	Limit (per day)	Fishing season
	No limit	No limit	All year
	No limit	No limit	All year

You can fish for yabbies in Open Waters in the ACT, but enclosed traps such as opera house, shrimp, minnow and yabby traps are prohibited.

You may use up to 10 baited lines (no hooks) and 5 hoop nets or pyramid nets, except in the nature reserves in the Murrumbidgee River Corridor (Woodstock, Ginninderry Conservation Corridor, Stony Creek, Swamp Creek, Bullen Range and Gigerline nature reserves) and where hoop nets are prohibited.

An open hoop net is a net with line attached, that has a minimum mesh size of 13mm and a drop of no more than 1m, attached to no more than 2 hoops, rings or frames not more than 1.25m at their greatest diameter (in the case of hoops or rings) or diagonal (in the case of frames). Open-top pyramid nets are a net with line attached, that is open at the top, not more than 60cm long or 60cm wide, with a mesh size of not more than 15mm and a top opening of no less than 20cm by 20cm, without any internal device, that is designed for use in connection with the taking of yabbies.