Blog The Boys Voted: Best Fishing Trip Near Melbourne

Dozens of seasoned off road campers with decades of dropping lines in beautiful places…it’s a Saturday arvo at one of our famous JAWA meet ups and the lads are passionately debating where they’re going fishing next.

We all have that one spot, right? Not the one we tell NOBODY about (because that spot doesn’t exist, right?) but the one we mean when we have a legendary boys’ weekend in mind. The one we pull out when we want to impress.

As opinions fire across the room, you can tell that there are some very invested fisherfolk among us, coupled with a few newbies mentally taking notes while trying to say something impressive.

There are a few spots no one else has heard of, backwater creeks you only happen upon if you know the area well. And even a few mentions of well-worn spots that serve only as posterchildren of a once thriving fishing spot – now fished out or destroyed by progress.

C’mon! The room isn’t taking any red herrings. We’re all here with a very legitimate public service in mind.

The lads are taking a very serious (informal, sure, but passionate, nonetheless) vote on the best fishing trip near Melbourne.

And the winner is…

Woods Point up to Howqua

This particular stretch is well known in fishing circles, and for all the right reasons.

If you’ve been itching to nab an impressive catch for ages, it’s time to stop wasting time fishing Melbourne puddles and to head out into the great outdoors.

JAWA team tip – Jay: The snowmelt waters up around Howqua are so clear and beautiful. You can see the fish in the water, just wanting to be caught.

The route

Steep and spectacular, the Mansfield-Woods Point Road winds its way around sharp turns, bending to the contour of the wild landscape it traverses.

The track is mostly unsealed and adverse weather can play havoc with it, so don’t underestimate it.

This high-country route between Woods Point and Howqua is a gorgeous 75 km traverse through winter snow country, and passing through safely requires the right vehicle for the job.

A 4WD is recommended, especially during winter or with any rain around. And if you’re planning on taking a camper, only a rugged off road camper will do, aka JAWA’s time to shine!

JAWA Off Road Campers were made for this – built Aussie tough, our no-nonsense campers take comfort where others take 6-man tents.

Even better news if you love taking the path least travelled, is that our new Ridge Runner Off Road Camper Trailer is everything you could want in a tricky, remote road travel companion.

JAWA team tip – Rob: After rain is best for flow rates. The whole area gets a few tourists so it’s worth taking the van offroad. Luckily the whole areas full of good tracks, have a look up Mount Terrible Side Tracks and take the river crossing tracks to find good spots without all the tourists. Just keep an eye on the water levels at the crossings and check the conditions before you go in.

Image by Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The waterways

The Upper Goulburn River is born right here, at Woods Point.

Fresh, clear and full of energy, like any newborn, it bumps over obstacles and hides secrets in its depths.

Brown and rainbow trout dart through the waters, waiting for the day a keen fisho finds their lurking spot and entices them out onto dry land.

To help with your hunt, the Australian Trout Foundation has left clues – look out for the river access points signs along the way.

Best spot: Doctor’s Creek has fast flow, high oxygen runs, suitable for bait and fly fishing.

JAWA team tip – Tim: Got some good-sized brown trout up there, some nice rainbows (a little small but legal and sweet, cooked on the fire, beautiful).

Nearby, the Jamieson and Howqua rivers round out a trifecta of epic high-country trout fishing spots.

JAWA team tip – Paul: Woods Point used to be goldfields so there’s tons of off road tracks to explore and heaps of creeks that run through there. The area is permitted for fishing outside of spawning season.

Start with the main spots – when you see how great the fishing is, you’re sure to come back time and again, maybe even finding your own (secret) secret spot along the way.

Image by Tirin also known as Takver (www.takver.com), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know before you go

The open season for trout fishing in the area is between the first Saturday in September until King’s Birthday Monday in June.

Outside this time, you can still drive the track, but you’ll need to hold off on fishing and be mindful of the increased risk of severe weather.

JAWA team tip – Chris: Be real mindful of wildlife up there. More than once we’ve come across wombats and wallabies on the remote tracks near Mount Terrible – they’re not used to cars on those tracks so be extra watchful. We were parked up in Howqua once and a big old man koala just wandered through our campsite, grunted at us and continued on his way.

Take sufficient food and water for your trip and a few extra days, a fully stocked remote vehicle first aid kit, and your preferred communication devices. Remember that you may not have mobile signal in places.

JAWA team tip – Pete: Stop at Jamieson for fuel and ice and make sure the van’s got water. Take your fire cooking gear because there’s nothing better than a trout grilled over a flame.

Now if all this talk of sweet, tasty trout, quiet backroads and bubbling creeks has you ready to call in sick (who wants to wait for the weekend?), curb your enthusiasm just a little longer.

Because now is the time to set yourself up for a lifetime of escapes just like this, with a camper that says yes to adventure every time you do.

Get yourself a JAWA at our caravan dealership in Melbourne!