Trout stock boost for local fishing fans

ABOUT 35,000 rainbow trout ready to be caught have been released across more than 70 Victorian lakes for recreational fishing.

This includes 450 at Crusoe Reservoir, Kangaroo Flat, 200 at Forest Lake, Kangaroo Flat, and 500 at Lake Neangar, Eaglehawk.

The trout were grown at the Snobs Creek hatchery near Eildon and weigh about 200 grams each.

The species, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is considered to be an ideal catch for both novice and experienced anglers because it takes a variety of widely available, low-cost baits and can be caught with lures cast and retrieved from the shore.

The rainbow trout are just some of the 10 million fish the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) has stocked into the state’s waters across 2024-25, the third time in four years at least that amount of fish have been let go.

Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos said the fish stocking program will ensure Victoria’s recreational waterways are brimming with plenty of fish, which will also ‘reel in’ additional business for local shops and communities.

VFA CEO Travis Dowling added there’s no better way to spend time with the kids or grandkids these school holidays than rugging up, rigging up a couple of rods and heading down to a local lake to reel in one of these rainbow trout.

“It’s great fun, keeps kids off screens and gets them into the great outdoors,” he said.

To view the full list of what’s been stocked at each location, go to the Victorian Fisheries Authority website.