Fishing near Erica: Blue Rock Lake, the Thomson and what’s worth the drive
You have a couple of days booked up near Walhalla, and you want to wet a line while you are here. The good news is the fishing near Erica is closer than most people think. The pub in town is a sensible place to base up, whether you are on the water at first light or coming off it after dark.
The closest serious fishing water to Erica is Blue Rock Lake, about a 30 to 40 minute drive south near Willow Grove. It holds Australian bass, brown and rainbow trout, and redfin, and you can fish it from a boat or the bank all year. The Thomson River and the smaller high-country streams around Walhalla hold wild trout, but rivers and streams shut over winter to let the fish breed. Blue Rock Lake stays open when they close. Erica Hotel is a short drive from the water, and the kitchen runs Wednesday to Sunday.
Blue Rock Lake: the closest serious water
Blue Rock Lake is a large water storage on the Tanjil River near Willow Grove. It is the best fishing water close to Erica, and it is about a 30 to 40 minute drive from the pub on mostly sealed road. It is also one of the few waters near town you can fish right through winter.
The lake is one of Victoria’s best spots for Australian bass. Bass are a hard-fighting native fish, and they hit surface lures on warm, still evenings. The lake also holds brown and rainbow trout, both stocked and wild, plus redfin. The Victorian Fisheries Authority stocks it with bass and trout most years, so numbers hold up well.
- From a boat. There are two boat ramps. One is on Old Tanjil Road near Willow Grove, the other is on Spillway Road by the dam wall. Both have parking, shelters and barbecues. The lake suits kayaks and small boats, with a speed limit of 15 knots and slower zones marked on the water.
- From the bank. You do not need a boat to fish Blue Rock Lake. There is good shore access by road around much of the lake. Bait fishers do well with shrimp, worms and small yabbies on a running sinker rig, cast out from the bank.
The recreation areas are open from 8am to 8pm. There is no camping at the lake, so you cannot stay overnight on the water. Dogs are welcome on a lead. Two roped-off areas are set aside for swimming, and you cannot fish those.
The Thomson River and the high-country streams
The Thomson River runs out of the Baw Baw high country, past Walhalla, and down through the forest. It is trout water, and it is the closest river fishing to Erica. Walhalla is about a 20 to 25 minute drive from the pub.
The upper Thomson, above the Thomson Reservoir, holds wild brown and rainbow trout. They are mostly small, but the water is clear and the setting is hard to beat. Access is off Thomson Valley Road, and some of the side streams need a four-wheel drive to reach.
Below the dam, the river changes. Here you will find brown trout, good numbers of river blackfish, and eels. You may also see Australian grayling downstream of the Walhalla Road bridge. Grayling are a protected native fish, so they must go straight back in the water. Platypus are common along this stretch, so keep an eye out at dawn and dusk.
The Aberfeldy River, north of Walhalla, and the Tyers River off the Baw Baw plateau are two more trout streams within reach. Both suit fly fishing with wet flies and nymphs, and light lures on the deeper pools.
One thing to know: the Thomson Reservoir itself is closed to fishing and to public access. It is part of Melbourne’s drinking water supply. Fishing the Thomson means the river above and below the dam, not the reservoir.
Fishing waters near Erica at a glance
Here is a quick look at the main waters, what is in them, and how far they are from the pub. Drive times are a guide and depend on the road in.
| Water | What's biting | Boat or bank | Distance from the pub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Rock Lake | Australian bass, trout, redfin | Boat or bank | About 30 – 40 min |
| Thomson River (below the dam) | Brown trout, river blackfish | Bank | About 20 – 25 min via Walhalla |
| Upper Thomson and Aberfeldy | Wild brown and rainbow trout | Bank | About 25 – 40 min, some 4WD |
| Tyers River | Wild brown trout | Bank | About 30 – 45 min |
Fishing near Erica in winter: what is open and what is closed
The time of year matters for fishing near Erica. Trout fishing in Victorian rivers and streams closes over the colder months to let wild fish spawn. The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) sets the dates, and the closed season runs from early June to early September each year.
The exact dates shift a little from year to year, so check the VFA website before you head out. During the closed season you cannot fish the upper Thomson, the Aberfeldy or the Tyers for trout. That rules out most of the river fishing around Walhalla until spring.
Lakes and reservoirs stay open all year. That is why Blue Rock Lake is the pick in winter. You can chase bass, trout and redfin there when the rivers are shut. There is one extra rule to know: the Tanjil River between Lake Narracan and just below the dam is closed to all hook and line fishing during the trout closed season, whatever you are targeting. Stick to the lake itself over winter and you will be fine.
Licences and the rules worth knowing
You need a Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence to fish near Erica, whether you are on Blue Rock Lake or a high-country stream. The Victorian Fisheries Authority requires a licence for anyone aged 18 to 70 who fishes, or even carries fishing gear, in or beside Victorian waters.
Some people are exempt. You do not need a licence if you are under 18, 70 or over, or hold certain pension or concession cards. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are also exempt. If you claim an exemption, carry the proof with you.
Licences come as 3-day, 28-day, 1-year and 3-year options. You can buy one online through Service Victoria, or in person at tackle shops and other agents. For a weekend trip, a 3-day licence is the cheap and easy choice.
Catch limits and size limits apply, and they vary by water and species. Check the VFA’s Recreational Fishing Guide before you keep anything. Two rules catch people out: Australian grayling are protected and must be released, and European carp must not be put back in the water.
What to bring and check before you go
- Fuel up first. There is no reliable fuel at Erica, Rawson or Walhalla. Fill up at Moe on the way in from the west, or Traralgon from the south-east. It is a long way back to a servo if you run low up in the hills.
- Phone reception is patchy. Once you are on the water or up a side road, do not count on mobile coverage. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to be back.
- Watch for snakes in the warmer months. Brown, tiger and red-bellied black snakes live around Blue Rock and the rivers. Wear boots and watch the bank in spring and summer.
- Check the hours and rules. Blue Rock Lake’s recreation areas are open 8am to 8pm, with no camping at the lake. Dogs are welcome on a lead. Pack out whatever you bring in.
Fishing near Erica: common questions
The main options are Blue Rock Lake near Willow Grove, the Thomson River around Walhalla, and smaller trout streams like the Aberfeldy and the Tyers. Blue Rock is the closest and the most reliable, and it is the only one you can fish all year.
Yes. Anyone aged 18 to 70 needs a Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence to fish Blue Rock Lake, unless they hold an exemption. You can buy a 3-day licence online for a quick trip. The Victorian Fisheries Authority has the full details.
Blue Rock Dam, also called Blue Rock Lake, holds Australian bass, brown and rainbow trout, and redfin. The VFA stocks it with bass and trout most years. Bass are the main draw, and they take surface lures on warm evenings.
Yes. The Thomson River and its high-country tributaries around Walhalla hold wild brown and rainbow trout. River trout fishing closes over winter, from about June to early September, so check the season before you go.
Erica Hotel is the closest pub kitchen to the water. It serves lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. Anglers heading out early or fishing until dark find it an easy place to base up and get a hot feed.
Where to eat after a day on the water
Fishing is an early-start, late-finish game, and there is not much open around Erica when you come off the water. That is where the pub earns its keep. Erica Hotel is the last kitchen before Baw Baw National Park, set up for a hot feed after a cold morning on the lake.
One thing to plan around: the kitchen runs Wednesday to Sunday. If you are fishing on a Monday or Tuesday, eat and stock up in Moe on the way through, because you will not find a meal in town those nights.
The rest of the week, book a table for lunch or dinner and warm up over a feed. Call the pub on (03) 5165 3252, email bookings@ericahotel.com.au, or book online. If you want to be on the water at first light, the pub also has a handful of budget twin rooms. They book out fast, so ring ahead rather than count on one being free.
