VRFish

Is your fishing club or association hosting an event for Gone Fishing Day! 🎣

Let us know the details in the comments! 👇

Gone Fishing Day on Sunday, the 18th of October, is our symbolic day to celebrate our favourite pastime – recreational fishing.

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club's Wastell Trophy - Australia's Oldest Fly Fishing Competition returns in October!

Whether you're a seasoned competitor or new to fly fishing, the Wastell offers a welcoming, social, and memorable weekend for all participants.

📆 Saturday 17 October & Sunday 18 October
🎫 $50 entry fee (includes a catered dinner on Saturday evening)
▪ For competition details, entry information, and registration links
www.trybooking.com/DPILY

Learn how to reverse your boat trailer like a pro at Better Boating Victoria's upcoming Boat Trailer Reversing Clinics at Lake Eppalock!

Peninsula Boat Training's expert instructors will teach you new skills and provide hands on practice in reversing a boat trailer. The clinics have something for everyone and are suitable for beginners and those looking to brush up their skills.

The 45 minute sessions will include:
▪ An informative overview of launching and retrieving a boat
▪ Hands-on practice reversing a boat trailer
▪ A detailed demonstration of how to launch a boat

Some sessions will be women only, while others will be open to all genders, ensuring a comfortable and supportive learning environment for all participants.

The clinics are free but booking is essential, follow the booking link to lock in a time that suits you.

📆 Sunday, 25 October
⏰ 9.00am – 3.00pm
📍 Kimbolton Public Boat Ramp #2, Lake Eppalock
▪ Book your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/boat-trailer-reversing-clinics-lake-eppalock-tickets-2002182078494

City of Melton and NatureWest are hosting a Catch-a-Carp Day to celebrate National Water Week at Navan Park Lake!

Help protect our waterways by removing this invasive species and enjoy a great day outdoors with a free fishing day for families and community.

The event is suitable for beginners, with volunteers on site to help with fishing instruction, baiting hooks and carp handling. Note: registrations have reached capacity, however, you can still register for the waitlist.

VRFish will be there with our popular lure painting activity, so stop by, paint a lure and have a chat about what we're up to! 🎣

📆 Saturday 24 October
⏰ 10am-2pm
📍Navan Park Lake
▪ Find out more: https://meltonlearning.vic.gov.au/whats-on/catch-a-carp-day-at-navan-park-lake/

North Central CMA's popular Cohuna Carp Catch returns in November!

The 2026 Cohuna Carp Catch is a family-friendly event that brings together community, conservation, and fun - with prizes, snacks, and activities for all ages.

Ready to reel in some fun? 🎣
📆 Sunday 1 Nov
⏰ 9:30 - 12:30pm
📍Garden Park (Cohuna Gateway Information Centre end)
▪ Register on the day. Bank fishing only.
▪ Corn for bait supplied or BYO bait.

The Melbourne Boat Show is only a few weeks away!

Get ready for four action-packed days of boats, fishing, marine innovation, entertainment and family fun, all in the heart of Docklands. Whether you’re a seasoned boater, dreaming about your first boat or simply love life on the water, you won’t want to miss it! 🌊🎣

📅 15–18 October 2026
📍 Docklands, Melbourne
🎟️ Find out more: https://www.melbourneinternationalboatshow.com.au/

Boating Industry Association of Victoria

The Victorian Fisheries Authority (📸) Murray Codference is back for its ninth year and will be held in Wangaratta on this Saturday, 3 October.

For many freshwater fishers, it’s a highlight on their annual calendar! The Murray Codference event brings together fishing experts, industry leaders and passionate recreational fishers. This year, there's a fantastic lineup of presenters.

This year, well-known fishing photojournalist, author and television presenter, Al McGlashan is the keynote speaker. Al will be delivering a presentation on Murray cod - the story of an Aussie icon.

Our VRFish EO, Anthony McGrath, will be presenting an update on VRFish! And we will have a stand at the event - so please stop by and chat to our team!

📆 Saturday 3 October 2026
⏰ 8:55am–4:30pm
📍Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre
▪ Bookings are essential, so lock in your spot at www.vfa.vic.gov.au/codference

We are proud to have more than 160 fishing clubs and associations as members of VRFish. Clubs play a vital role in our sector and the broader community.

We're thrilled to deliver the Inclusive Clubs Program alongside the Victorian Fisheries Authority to help fishing and boating clubs grow stronger now and into the future.

The Inclusive Clubs Program will help clubs to grow and diversify their membership through participation in a series of workshops. Led by an experienced facilitator, the workshops will provide clubs with the tools, strategies and ideas to create a more inclusive environment, attract new members and strengthen club participation.

The Victorian Fisheries Authority are seeking feedback via an online survey to guide the program design. Complete the survey here: https://bit.ly/4zTUJzh

Additionally, find out more about the program here: https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/clubs-and-associations/inclusive-clubs-program

The Australian Fishing & Outdoor Expo. returns to Bendigo in November!

The expo showcases Australian lure makers as well as custom-made fishing rods and other organisations in the fishing and outdoors industry.

📆 Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th of November
⏰ Saturday: 9am-3pm; Sunday: 9.30am-2pm.
📍Bendigo Showgrounds
▪ Book your tickets and find out more: https://tafoe.com.au/

VRFish was founded in 1995 as the Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body and has proudly represented Victoria’s recreational fishers for more than 30 years.

Whether it’s fish habitat, water security, fishing access and infrastructure or best practice, we work in partnership to make sure Victoria’s fishing experiences continue to improve, be sustainable and are more enjoyable for all generations of Victorians.

Find out more: https://vrfish.com.au/