Targeting Victorian river blackfish in a tiny forest creek feels like hunting. Traversing the tangled scrub in pitch black darkness makes me feel like a big game hunter closing in on a trophy stag. Or maybe it makes me feel like Rambo? Overactive imagination aside, taking the stealth approach when searching for river blackfish in shallow steams is both necessary, and immensely enjoyable.
INTRODUCING RIVER BLACKFISH
Not many stories are written about river blackfish. The rounded snout, swollen lips, and slimy mottled skin make these nocturnal predators uniquely beautiful. Or horrifically ugly depending on who you ask! Different varieties of blackfish can be encountered from southern Queensland down to Tasmania and push west into South Australia. They are protected in most states so southern Victoria or Tasmania are the places to be if you want to partake in the river blackfish experience. It is well documented that fish in this range grow to double the size of their northern counterparts and many southern river systems hold good numbers in the upper reaches. More investigation
