Victorian Trout Season Opening 2026:
Dates, Rules & Opening Day Guide
Victoria’s 2026 trout season opens on Saturday 5 September, when most rivers and streams reopen to trout fishing after the annual winter closed season. The closure runs from Tuesday 9 June until Friday 4 September 2026 inclusive. For Victorian flyfishers, opening day puts hundreds of rivers and streams back on the agenda after winter. Keep scrolling to learn all the key information and the best Victorian flyfishing spots that you need to know this 2026 season!
When Does Trout Season Open in Victoria in 2026?
| 2026 VICTORIAN TROUT SEASON | OFFICIAL DATES |
|---|---|
| • Trout closed season begins | • Tuesday 9 June 2026 |
| • Last day of closed season | • Friday 4 September 2026 |
| • Trout season opening day | • Saturday 5 September 2026 |
| • Most rivers and streams | • Reopen 5 September |
| • Most lakes and impoundments | • Open year-round |
When Is Trout Season In Victoria?
Most Victorian trout rivers and streams reopen on the first Saturday in September. In 2026, that falls on Saturday 5 September.
The closed season applies to trout and salmon in most Victorian rivers and streams. It runs from midnight on the Monday of the King’s Birthday weekend in June until midnight on the first Friday in September.
In 2026, this means the closed season runs from Tuesday 9 June to Friday 4 September inclusive. Saturday 5 September is therefore the first day flyfishers can return to most seasonally closed trout rivers and streams
Best Victorian Fly Fishing Spots in 2026
Why Does Victoria Have a Trout Closed Season?
The winter closed season protects trout during an important part of their spawning cycle.
Many Victorian rivers support self-sustaining populations of brown and rainbow trout. The annual closure gives these fish the opportunity to spawn without fishing pressure before rivers reopen in spring.
It is also important to understand that the closed season primarily applies to rivers and streams. Most Victorian lakes and impoundments do not have a trout closed season, so trout fishing continues throughout winter.
Victorian Trout Fishing Rules for the 2026 Season
| 2026 VICTORIAN TROUT SEASON | OFFICIAL DATES |
|---|---|
| • Minimum legal size | • No minimum |
| • Daily bag limit | • 5 salmonids |
| • Fish over 35 cm | • Maximum of 2 |
| • Closed season | • 9 June–4 September 2026 inclusive |
| • First open day | • 5 September 2026 |
Can You Fish for Trout in Victoria During Winter?
Yes. Victoria still offers plenty of trout fishing during the river closed season.
Most lakes and impoundments remain open year-round. Under the general regulations, these waters have no minimum trout size and a daily bag limit of five salmonids, although some individual lakes have different rules.
Several Victorian rivers also have no trout closed season:
• Merri River
• Hopkins River
• Moyne River
• Mt Emu Creek
These waters can be fished for trout and salmon throughout the year. This is why we tend to think of June to September as the river closed season, rather than saying that trout fishing in Victoria closes completely.
Victorian Trout Opening Weekend 2026
Opening day is a big weekend on the Victorian freshwater fishing calendar.In 2026, the Victorian Fisheries Authority will hold the Goulburn and Ballarat Fishing Festivals on Saturday 5 September, coinciding with the first day of the river trout season. Both events include opportunities to stock trout along with fishing and fly-casting clinics.
Ballarat Fishing Festival 2026
