# Dubbo Fishing Guide | Murray Cod & Golden Perch on the Macquarie River Canonical: https://bookfromowner.com.au/guides/nsw/central-west/dubbo/fishing/ Type: ActivityGuide Location: Dubbo, Central West, NSW Last updated: 2026-06-01 > A complete Dubbo fishing guide — the best Macquarie River fishing spots in town, chasing Murray cod and golden perch, the Burrendong Dam day trip, the cod closed season, licences and local tips for freshwater fishing in Dubbo, NSW Central West. ## Quick Answer - Best for: Native-fish, family & lure anglers - Price range: Free riverbank fishing; dam day fees vary - Vibe: Inland, native, year-round - Distance: NSW Central West ## Featured Properties - NRMA Dubbo Holiday Park: 4.1/5 (1238 reviews) Book direct: https://www.nrmaparksandresorts.com.au/dubbo/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=googlebusiness&utm_campaign=nrma-googlebusiness&utm_content=dubbo&utm_term=2211-nrma-googlebusiness NRMA Dubbo Holiday Park — Dubbo - Cattlemans Country Motor Inn: 4.3/5 (1305 reviews) Book direct: http://www.cattlemans.com.au/ Cattlemans Country Motor Inn — Dubbo - Dubbo Inn: 4.9/5 (39 reviews) Book direct: http://www.dubboinn.com/ Dubbo Inn — Dubbo ## FAQ Q: Do you need a fishing licence in Dubbo? A: Yes. In NSW you must pay the recreational fishing fee and carry your licence receipt when fishing anywhere, including freshwater and shore-based fishing on the Macquarie River and at Burrendong Dam. Licences are available online through NSW DPI Fisheries for periods ranging from three days to three years, and they’re inexpensive. Some exemptions apply — for example anglers under 18 and certain pension categories — so check the current rules. Carrying a valid licence is a legal requirement and fisheries officers do check. Q: What fish can you catch in Dubbo? A: Dubbo is an inland native fishery on the Macquarie River. The marquee species are Murray cod — Australia’s largest freshwater fish, an iconic apex native that can grow past a metre — and golden perch (yellowbelly), a hard-pulling year-round fish that takes bait and lure. You’ll also encounter silver perch (protected — release in the river) and native catfish. Introduced carp and redfin perch are abundant pests that are great fun for kids and fine to keep. Burrendong Dam, about 40 minutes south, holds all of these across a large stocked impoundment. Q: When is the Murray cod closed season in NSW? A: Murray cod have an annual closed season from 1 September to 30 November, when they must not be taken from inland waters such as the Macquarie River and Burrendong Dam. This closure protects the cod during their spawning period and is the single most important rule in this fishery. During those months, fish for golden perch, redfin or carp instead. When the season is open (1 December to 31 August), Murray cod must be between 55cm and 75cm to keep, with a bag limit of two — and big breeding fish should be released year-round. Q: Where are the best fishing spots in Dubbo? A: The Macquarie River through town is the standout, with a string of riverside reserves you can fish off the bank: Devil’s Hole Reserve (off Brisbane Street, daylight access only), Sandy Beach Reserve (off Bligh Street, great for families), Regand Park Reserve (which has a weir), Terramungamine Reserve to the north (also home to Aboriginal grinding grooves), and Dundullimal Reserve to the south. Cod hold around the timber, snags and deeper holes; golden perch sit on similar structure. For a bigger day out, Burrendong Dam near Wellington (about 40 minutes south) is a major impoundment fishery. Q: Can you take kids fishing in Dubbo? A: Absolutely — Dubbo is one of the best inland towns to introduce kids to fishing. The sandy riverside reserves, especially Sandy Beach Reserve, give safe, shallow bank access, and the abundant introduced redfin and carp mean near-constant bites to keep little ones engaged. Because carp and redfin are pests, you’re encouraged to keep them rather than release them (carp must never be returned to the water alive), which makes for low-pressure, high-action fishing. Once they’ve got the hang of it, simple bait fishing for golden perch is the natural next step. Note that children still need to fish under the rules, and an adult should hold the licence and supervise. Q: How do you look after Murray cod when you catch one? A: Murray cod are a precious, long-lived native, so careful handling is essential. Use line and a rod heavy enough to land the fish quickly rather than fighting it to exhaustion. Keep a big cod in the water as much as possible, support its whole body horizontally (never hang it vertically by the jaw, which damages the spine and gills), wet your hands, limit air exposure to under thirty seconds for a photo, and release it gently. Always release the big breeding fish — they produce the most eggs and are vital to the river — and keep only a fish within the 55–75cm slot during the open season if you want one for the table. ## At a Glance - The river: Macquarie River (Wambuul) — runs right through Dubbo - Marquee species: Murray cod & golden perch (yellowbelly); also silver perch - Pest species: Carp & redfin — introduced; fine to remove, great for kids - Cod closed season: 1 September to 30 November — no Murray cod taken (spawning) - In-town spots: Devil’s Hole, Sandy Beach, Regand Park weir, Terramungamine, Dundullimal reserves - Day trip: Burrendong Dam — ~40 min south near Wellington; stocked impoundment - Lures & bait: Surface lures, spinnerbaits & swimbaits for cod; yabbies, worms & shrimp for perch - Licence: NSW recreational fishing licence required, incl. freshwater & shore ## Featured - 1. The Macquarie River through Dubbo — the riverside reserves — All levels · land-based & small boat · the reliable option - Why people love it: A genuine Murray cod and golden perch river you can fish straight off the bank, five minutes from town, with sandy reserves that double as a kids’ fishing spot. - Don't miss: A dawn or dusk session working a surface lure over the river timber for Murray cod. - Good to know: No Murray cod may be kept 1 Sep–30 Nov (the closed season), and the big breeding cod should always be released. Reserves like Devil’s Hole are daylight-access only. - 2. Chasing Murray cod — lures, the closed season and the big breeders — Lure & bait anglers · the iconic native · Dec–Aug only - Why people love it: Few freshwater moments beat a metre of Murray cod erupting on a surface lure at dawn — and Dubbo’s river genuinely holds them. - Don't miss: A surface-lure strike from a Murray cod at first or last light, photographed and released. - Good to know: Murray cod are completely off-limits 1 Sep–30 Nov. Don’t fish light line that exhausts the fish, and never hang a big cod vertically — support its body and keep air time under 30 seconds. - 3. Golden & silver perch — the yellowbelly fishery — All levels · bait & lure · the year-round bend in the rod - Why people love it: A hard-pulling native you can catch on simple bait all year — the ideal fish for kids, beginners, and resting the cod through the closed season. - Don't miss: A yabby or shrimp fished near a river snag for a feed of golden perch. - Good to know: Silver perch are protected in the river — release every one. Keep only goldens of 30cm or more (bag of five), and learn to tell the two apart. - 4. Burrendong Dam — the day-trip impoundment — Boat & bank · cod, perch, redfin & catfish · ~40 min south - Why people love it: A huge, fish-filled impoundment of drowned timber just forty minutes away — cod, goldens, silvers, redfin and catfish, by boat or off the bank. - Don't miss: Casting or trolling lures around the drowned standing timber for golden perch and cod. - Good to know: The Murray cod closed season (1 Sep–30 Nov) applies here too. Check ramp access and water levels before towing a boat, and pay any day-visitor fees. - 5. Licences, family fishing and caring for the native fishery — Every angler · the kids, the rules and the right thing to do - Why people love it: It makes fishing easy and responsible — a cheap online licence, a kid-friendly sandy riverbank full of redfin, and simple stewardship that keeps the natives thriving. - Don't miss: A relaxed afternoon teaching the kids to fish off a sandy reserve, keeping the redfin and carp. - Good to know: Don’t fish without a licence (officers do check), don’t return carp alive, and never keep a Murray cod in the closed season or release a big cod after a long, exhausting fight. ## What travellers say - [positive] A real native fishery right in town: The recurring praise is that Dubbo offers genuine Murray cod and golden perch water straight off the bank, with sandy reserves that double as a kids’ spot and Burrendong Dam a short drive away — variety without a long trip. - [mixed] Respect the cod and the rules: Anglers stress the 1 Sep–30 Nov cod closed season, the no-take on silver perch in the river, and the need to handle and release big breeding cod carefully — those who learn the rules and look after the fish have the best, most sustainable trips. - [positive] What a recent visitor said: - [positive] What a recent visitor said: - [positive] What a recent visitor said: