2020 Victorian Trout Season

Well, the 2020 Victorian Trout Season is almost here, with the floodgates opening up at midnight this coming Friday. For those who get confused each year about the actual start of the season, it is the first Saturday in September, meaning that after midnight on Friday, you are allowed to fish for trout in Victorian streams.

There’s often some confusion about this, as it can be advertised as from Midnight on Friday, with people thinking that means the night before. But no, you can’t be out on a river fishing for trout on the Friday. We’ve seen plenty of folks doing this in recent years, usually due to confusion about the day. So, let’s make it clear. Saturday is when you can start. If you’re mad enough to be out there at midnight, go for it. I’ll be tucked up in bed enjoying a well earned rest. And with the early weather reports suggesting a high chance of rain on the days leading up to opening and opening day itself, it makes sens to stay in bed a little longer.

Of course, weather aside, this is going to look like a very different opening for most Victorians. With around 80% of Victoria’s population located in greater Melbourne, there’s going to be a few less bodies on the streams for the 2020 Victorian Trout Season opening. With Melbourne currently in Stage 4 Lockdown in an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19, the usual hype and over-excitement that is bandied around at this time of year by flyfishers and alike has been a little subdued. And fair enough too.

At this stage, we still don’t know when the official opening of the trout stream season will be for Melbournians as we all stay strong together, at home and very much apart. The good news that comes from this is that with most of us working from home, we now have more time on our hands to sit at the tying bench and whip up a few (dozen) extra flies to fill the fly boxes before we do get let out. Of course, most of us will have overflowing fly boxes by now with restrictions being in place in some way or another for the best part of the past 6 months.

There has been a lot of fly tying going on around Melbourne, which is great to see indeed. Many flyfishers who previously just bought their flies have began the journey into fly tying and from those that I speak to, it seems like they are all having a ball. Thanks to each and every one of your who have reached out for assistance with your fly tying during this time. I am always happy to help, so keep your questions coming, and keep tying those flies. Many of you, myself included, will be hitting the water with wild abandon when we are permitted to do so, and I can see flies getting lost at a great rate. With that in mind, it never hurts to have too many!

Of course, if you can’t get out for a fish in the early weeks, you can always sharpen your casting skills in the backyard, or driveway. Remember, whe we are allowed out on the water again, it will be rather different to other season openings. There has been reduced fishing pressure for a longer period of time that we have seen in previous years with restrictions late in the 2019 season giving the fish an extended break. This is combined with a ski season that never really happened, so the mess created on our alpine ranges with thousands of vehicles and people chewing up the terrain all winter will sure result in a cleaner run-off and snow melt.

Added to this, a greater year of vegetation growth in these heavy tourist traffic regions could mean we end up with clearer, colder streams than in previous years. Add to this the fact that we have had good, consistant rain throughout winter and leading into spring, has early reports from the streams looking very good. The past few years have seen big rain ‘events’ late in the winter where so much of the season’s rainfall happened in large dumpings that mostly ended up running off before it was any benefit and causing more damage to terrain that offering benefit. This year looks like a most consistent soaking that will work in our favour well into the season.

Now, without getting too far off the topic, let’s run through what we do know about this season’s opening. The 2020 Victorian Trout Season opens at midnight on Friday 4th September. That means no fishing for trout in Victorian streams until it is actually Saturday. All Victorian water restrictions, catch limits and trout & salmonid specific regulations can be found at the Victorian Visheries Authority website. Of course, you can always reference the Fishing Seasons Information page on the Troutlore site for a guide to all states rules and regulations. The rules outlined on these pages are secondary to the rules and restrictions set in place by the Department of Health & Human Services in relation to COVID-19. So please ensure your activities and movements this Victorian Trout Season fall within the rules. Stay safe, and tight lines!