Bass and perch season opens

The annual four-month closure of the Australian bass and estuary perch fisheries in NSW ended on September 1, 2016, meaning the tidal and eastward-flowing coastal rivers are back open to angling for the great native scrappers.

During autumn and early winter both species migrate to the downstream sections of estuaries, where salinity levels trigger spawning activity. Australian bass and estuary perch can be vulnerable to fishing pressure when gathered in these large spawning aggregations.

But the spawning period for these fish has now finished, with most returning to their spring and summer feeding ground higher up in the catchments. If you have a bad-weather weekend, think bass in the rivers and creeks.

A total bag limit of two Australian bass or estuary perch per person or a combination of both with a possession limit of four is in place in NSW. Only one fish is permitted to be over 35 centimetres in length when fishing in rivers.

There is an annual zero bag limit for Australian bass and estuary perch is in
place from May 1 to August 31 in all rivers and estuaries, except in
impoundments and in rivers above impoundments, to protect them during
spawning.

However, most anglers regard the native fish as catch and
release targets all year round, especially when you are fishing in the stirring natural environments of small rivers and creeks, from a little boat or canoe, and treasure the experience for another day. Bass fishing really lends itself to photography.

Information on freshwater fishing rules can be found in the NSW Recreational Freshwater Fishing Guide from DPI Fisheries offices, online, at fishing licence agents and at bait and tackle shops. More about NSW freshwater regs and rules.

Photo Credit: NSW Fisheries.