Permitted and prohibited freshwater fishing methods

Permitted

The following fishing rules apply when fishing in NSW above the tidal limits including the whole of the Murray River to the South Australian border (except Lake Hume, which is controlled by Victorian Fishing Laws), all parts of Lake Mulwala from Yarrawonga Weir wall upstream to the point where the Ovens River enters the Murray River at Bundalong boat ramp and when fishing on the NSW side of the Dumaresq, MacIntyre and Barwon Rivers (a NSW / Qld midstream border applies when fishing in these rivers).

Two attended lines are permitted in all non-tidal waters other than some trout waters. Attended lines must be within 50 metres, in your sight and have no more than 2 hooks per line & 3 treble hooks attached to a lure per line (except some trout waters). Hand lines are not permitted in trout waters.

The number of attended lines and hooks permitted is summarised in the below table.

Summary of permitted lines and hooks

Note: Attended lines must be within 50m and in your line of sight. Up to three (3) treble hooks attached to any artificial fly or lure is permitted.
The following baits are permitted to take trout or salmon: natural flies or insects or their larvae, worms, shrimps, yabbies, mussels, artificial baits (except products containing trout and salmon roe), plant matter. You are not permitted to set line, drop line, or jag (foul hook). You cannot use handlines in trout waters (rods and lines only are permitted).  You cannot use more than the maximum number of hooks permitted per attended line or leave lines unattended.

Summary of permitted gear

Permitted traps and nets are the shrimp trap, hoop net, open pyramid lift net, hand hauled yabby net and landing net. No other traps and nets are permitted in inland waters. Traps and nets must be lifted within a 24 hour period (except commercial fishers).

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 hoop nets, 1 shrimp trap and 5 hoop or open pyramid lift nets - all tagged with your name and address. For fixed mesh, the size is calculated on the narrowest point of any axis. For soft netting such as used in hoop nets, mesh size is calculated across the diagonal.

Specific closures may prohibit the use of, or limit the number of, traps and nets.

Bowfishing

A person may use bowfishing equipment take carp from inland waters under the following circumstances:

• From 30 minutes before sunrise up until 30 minutes before sunset and(b) without the aid of lights and
• At least 100 metres from another person, other than persons in the company of the person taking carp and
• At least 100 metres from a boat ramp, dwelling, camping ground, picnic area or another vessel and
• At least 500 metres from a caravan park.

Bowfishing equipment means a handheld bow with a reel of no more than 30 metres of fishing line and an arrow with barbs and without feathers.

Prohibited

You are not permitted to:

• Take or attempt to take any species in waters closed to fishing.
• Possess excess fishing gear in, on or adjacent to waters.
• Take threatened or protected species.
• Keep prohibited size fish – prohibited size fish should be immediately returned unharmed to the water.
• Be in possession of fish in excess of their bag limit, including transporting and storage of such fish. An exception is if the fish have been purchased from a registered fish receiver e.g. a fish shop.
• Use any methods (e.g line fishing, traps, nets, bait collection) in closed areas
• Sell recreational catch.

Gear and methods

You are not permitted to:

• Use gaffs in inland waters.
• Use spears, spear guns or other similar devices other than if using bowfishing equipment to take carp.
• Use explosives, firearms or electrical devices.
• Use fish traps, bait nets, yabby rakes or any other equipment to take fish or invertebrates other than gear specified within the waters prescribed.
• Use, or be in possession of, a cast net in, on or adjacent to NSW waters.
• Use your hand (e.g. ‘tickle’) to take Trout or Salmon.
• Use a light to take Trout or Salmon.
• Use a hand hauled yabby net in rivers or dams to take Yabbies.
• Use yabby traps in inland waters (you may use up to 5 hoop / lift nets or open pyramid lift nets, or a combination of both, to take yabbies. Yabbies caught in a shrimp trap used lawfully to take freshwater shrimp may also be taken).
• Use traps and nets in trout waters except hoop or open pyramid lift nets in Googong Dam or Lakes Lyell, Wallace, Eucumbene or Jindabyne to take Yabbies.
• Use yabby traps (you may use up to 5 hoop / lift nets or open pyramid lift nets, or a combination of both, to take yabbies. Yabbies caught in a shrimp trap used lawfully to take freshwater shrimp may also be taken.

Fish filleting

You must not alter the length of a fish which is subject to a minimum or maximum size limit whilst you are in on or adjacent to any waters in any manner other than by gutting, gilling and scaling. You cannot remove the head or tail. This means you can cannot fillet your fish or possess filleted fish if you are in, on or adjacent to the water. This rule does not apply if the fish are being prepared for immediate consumption, are being prepared for immediate use as bait, if the fish are being cleaned at a fish cleaning facility or a fish cleaning table at a boat ramp, or for fish that do not have a legal length.

Baits

You are not permitted to:

• Use frogs.
• Use live fin fish in inland waters including live Carp or other pest species.
• Use non-native fish or parts thereof whether alive or dead, other than dead Carp.
• Use live birds or live mammals.
• Use prohibited size fish as bait.
• Use Trout and Salmon roe or products containing them.
• Use any artificially manufactured or dough based bait product in artificial fly and lure waters and trout spawning streams

Crayfish

You are not permitted to remove the heads, tails and claws or possess tails and or claws when you are in on or adjacent to waters. This means that you cannot remove or possess the heads, tails and claws unless you are well away from the water. This rule does not apply if the crayfish are being prepared for immediate consumption, are being prepared for immediate use as bait, if the crayfish are being cleaned at a fish cleaning facility or a fish cleaning table at a boat ramp.