Condition of the Yarra River below Templestowe

Neil Jordan writes:
I have not fished the Yarra for about 30-40 years but I used to fish it alot as a kid when it was in reasonable condition before the Diamond Valley population explosion in the '60s. Then you could go down and regularly catch plenty of different fish species including trout, redfin, blackfish, etc.
      I have watched the Yarra's condition decline over the years as I still live in the area but didn't have time to go fishing much due to getting married, work commitments, etc. But lately I thought about going down throwing a line in to see if I could still get some activity.
      I was very dismayed to see the river's condition as it would be impossible for fish to survive due to the lack of feed for the fish, no weed growth, no water insects under or on the water, the river is virtually deviod of anything for fish to feed on in these lower reaches.
      So over the last week or so I have gone down twice to wet a line, the only species that can be caught are eels and carp and I would say that they are the only species that can survive now in the lower reaches of the Yarra, which is a shame.

(7 November 2001)


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