Central Tablelands recreational fishing guide November 2014 Primefact 1018 Second edition Recreational and Indigenous Recreational Fishing Fee Fisheries Unit When fishing in NSW waters, both freshwater and saltwater, you are required by law to pay the Introduction NSW recreational fishing fee and carry a receipt showing the payment of the fee. This applies Our State's fisheries are a community-owned when spear fishing, hand lining, hand gathering, resource. We all have a responsibility to protect trapping, bait collecting and prawn netting or and safeguard this natural asset for present and when in possession of fishing gear in, on or future generations. adjacent to waters. Fishing regulations are in place to protect and All money raised by the NSW recreational fishing conserve our fish stocks and aquatic habitats to fee is spent on improving recreational fishing in ensure that fishing activities remain sustainable. NSW. Some projects include: The Central Tablelands District boasts a • Angler facilities such as fish cleaning tables tremendous variety of waterways from which to and fishing platforms. choose. Situated mostly on a sub-alpine plateau, typically over 600 m in elevation, the waterways • Stocking of freshwater fish in dams and range from large dams and fast running mountain rivers. streams to slower lowland rivers in the valleys. • Essential research on popular recreational Situated in the district are the large dams of fish species. Wyangala, Ben Chifley and Windermere. These • Enhancing compliance with fishing rules. dams provide excellent fishing and are regularly stocked with Murray cod and golden and silver • Restoring important fish habitat. perch. • Research stocking of mulloway and prawns Fisheries Officers from NSW Department of in estuaries. Primary Industries (NSW DPI) routinely patrol • The installation of fish aggregating devices waterways, boat ramps and impoundments (FADs) to enhance fishing opportunities for advising anglers about responsible fishing dolphin fish or even tuna and marlin. practices and ensuring compliance with NSW fishing regulations. • Creation of Recreational Fishing Havens. Information on bag and size limits, fishing • Angler education and advisory programs closures and legal fishing gear can be obtained such as the Fishcare Volunteer Program, free of charge from the NSW DPI website fishing workshops and fishing guides. www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries, by calling 1300 • Building artificial reefs in Lake Macquarie, 550 474, or by visiting your local NSW DPI Botany Bay, St Georges Basin and Lake fisheries office. Conjola. More reefs in other estuaries are To report illegal fishing activity, call your local planned. fisheries office or the Fishers Watch Phoneline • Investigating the building of artificial reefs in on 1800 043 536. All calls will be treated as offshore areas. confidential and you can remain anonymous. Central Tablelands recreational fishing guide You can pay the NSW recreational fishing fee at downstream of the weir face to the low level hundreds of agents throughout NSW, such as bridge. over the counter at most fishing tackle shops. You can also pay the fee at some caravan parks, local shops and service stations, many Kmart stores, online at www.licence.nsw.gov.au or by calling 1300 369 365. If you pay for a one year or three year period online, over the phone or at a Touch agent, or if you renew your licence using your renewal letter, you will receive a plastic receipt in the post. Evidence of payment is your receipt number which you must be able to produce if requested by an authorised officer (until you receive your receipt in the post). Note: If you pay for a 3 day or 1 month period, no additional receipt will be posted. Some exemptions apply to paying the fishing fee, including people under the age of 18 and holders of pensioner concession cards. For further information on exemptions visit the NSW DPI Figure 1. Jenolan River website or your local fisheries office. Seasonal closures – trout waters You may not need to pay the NSW recreational fishing fee if you are fishing on a charter boat General trout streams under the supervision of a fishing guide. Please check with the charter operator, or guide, before The following waters are general trout streams you go fishing. If they do not hold a Recreational and are closed to the taking of all species of fish Fishing Fee Exemption Certificate you will need by any method, from the Tuesday after the June to pay the NSW recreational fishing fee. (Queen’s Birthday) long weekend until midnight on the last Friday before the start of the October (Labour Day) long weekend (inclusive) in each Recreational Fishing Closures year. Total closures The following methods are permitted during the Jenolan River (Figure 1). The following waters fishing season: a) one attended rod and line with are closed to the taking of all species of fish by all not more than 2 hooks attached and with not methods of fishing: The whole of the waters of more than 3 treble hooks, or 3 double hooks, Jenolan River and its tributaries, from the attached to any lure; and b) a landing net used as spawning pool adjacent to the hydro-electric an ancillary for retrieval of fish lawfully taken. Bait power station near Jenolan Caves upstream to its fishing is permitted. source. When taking Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout in general trout streams Weir closures the maximum quantity that a person may take on Penrith Weir. The following waters are closed to any one day is 5 and the maximum quantity that the taking of all species of fish by all methods of a person may have in their possession is 10, fishing: the Nepean River within 26 m consisting of any single species or a combination downstream and 115 m upstream of the weir of species. face. Bell River (Figure 2). The following waters are Lake Cargelligo. The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of closed to the taking of all species of fish by all the Bell River, its creeks and tributaries upstream methods of fishing: the Lachlan River within 50 m from its junction with, and including, the Molong upstream and 50 m downstream of the weir face. Creek. Wyangala Dam. The following waters are closed to the taking of all species of fish by all methods of fishing: the Lachlan River within 400 m 2 NSW Department of Primary Industries, January 2015 Central Tablelands recreational fishing guide Lachlan River. The following waters are general trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Lachlan River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from the Cowra–Young road bridge. Artificial fly and lure trout streams The following waters are artificial fly and lure trout streams and are closed to the taking of all species of fish by any method, from the Tuesday after the June (Queen’s Birthday) long weekend until midnight on the last Friday before the start of the October (Labour Day) long weekend (inclusive) in each year. The following methods are permitted during the fishing season: a) one attended rod and line with not more than 2 hooks attached, artificial flies and lures only and with not more than 3 treble hooks, or 3 double hooks, attached to any lure; Figure 2. Bell River and Molong Creek and b) a landing net used as an ancillary for Cudgegong River. The following waters are retrieval of fish lawfully taken. Bait fishing is not general trout waters: the whole of the waters of permitted. the Cudgegong River, its creeks and tributaries Note: ‘artificial flies or lures’ does not include the downstream of the wall of Windermere Dam and use of ‘power bait’ or any other similar artificial or upstream from the Lawson Park Weir at Mudgee. manufactured bait product Belubula River. The following waters are When taking Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown general trout waters: the whole of the waters of trout and rainbow trout in general trout streams the Belubula River, its creeks and tributaries the maximum quantity that a person may take on upstream from the Cherry Tree Falls low level any one day is 2 and the maximum quantity that road bridge near Canowindra. a person may have in their possession is 4, Boree Creek. The following waters are general consisting of any single species or a combination trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Boree of species. Creek and its tributaries upstream from its Bell River (Figure 2). The following waters are junction with, but not including, Mandagery artificial fly and lure waters: the whole of the Creek. waters of the Bell River, its creeks and tributaries Coxs River. The following waters are general upstream from the Belgravia Road crossing. trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Coxs Molong Creek (Figure 2). The following waters River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from its are artificial fly and lure waters: the whole of the junction with, but not including, Little River waters of the Molong Creek and its tributaries Kowmung River. The following waters are upstream from its junction with, but not including, general trout waters: the whole of the waters of Borenore Creek. the Kowmung River, its creeks and tributaries upstream from its junction with, and including, Artificial fly and lure trout dams Morong Creek The following dam is an artificial fly and lure trout dam which is open to fishing all year round. Bait The following waters are Macquarie River. fishing is not permitted. general trout waters: the whole of the waters of the Macquarie River, its creeks and tributaries When taking Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown upstream from its junction with, and including, trout and rainbow trout in artificial fly and lure Lewis Ponds Creek.