Hi everyone,
I’m planning on heading down to the west Barwon reservoir or the east Barwon up at Forrest to go for some trout. I’m looking for some tips and reports on the area. Also is there good fishing in the east Barwon by the lake Elizabeth campground?
Cheers
Otways trout
Re: Otways trout
I caught a few trout fishing from the dam wall at the West Barwon dam a few years ago. The method I used was to cast out Tassie Devils into the deep water and to let them sink right down before retrieving. Downstream of the dam there is also some good fishing to be had in the West Barwon river.
The East Barwon is only a very small stream. You might find some trout in the larger pools, but generally speaking, but it's just too small to expect to catch much in there. There are trout in lake Elizabeth but bank access is limited by scrub and steep slopes.
It might be better now, but a few years back the track down into the lake Elizabeth camping area was very steep and the road surface was slippery. I ended up getting stuck down there in my 2WD ute. I ended up walking the 5km or so, into Forrest and paying someone at the pub $50 to tow me out.
The East Barwon is only a very small stream. You might find some trout in the larger pools, but generally speaking, but it's just too small to expect to catch much in there. There are trout in lake Elizabeth but bank access is limited by scrub and steep slopes.
It might be better now, but a few years back the track down into the lake Elizabeth camping area was very steep and the road surface was slippery. I ended up getting stuck down there in my 2WD ute. I ended up walking the 5km or so, into Forrest and paying someone at the pub $50 to tow me out.
Re: Otways trout
If you intended to camp at Lake Elizabeth and I have put you off going down into there, there is an alternative free camping spot at Stevenson's falls, which isn't too far away. You go past the West Barwon dam towards Apollo Bay until you get to Barramunga, which isn't very far from Forrest. You turn right there and go down to the Gellibrand river. The road is good and there's a great place to camp there right beside the river. The trout fishing there is very good.