Lake Bullen Merri is a crater lake in southwest Victoria, set in a volcanic bowl and surrounded by farmland. Stocked trout, salmon and bass grow fast on the baitfish here, and you can fish it from the bank or a boat. Start at first light on a windward shore or a rocky point, because that is where feeding fish are most often found.
VIC · Barwon River-Lake Corangamite
Lake Bullen Merri
Imagery © Esri
Water and habitat
FlyLife's writers describe a brackish crater lake with mostly rocky shores and a few sandy bays. Abundant baitfish are what drive the fishing: they support fast growth in the stocked trout, salmon and bass, so fish hold where the baitfish do.
Fish and forage
The Victorian Fisheries Authority stocks brown trout and rainbow trout, along with Chinook and Atlantic salmon and Australian bass. The stocking chart shows the years and species. Redfin and small native fish are also recorded, but the stocked fish are the reason to come. The forage is baitfish, so think in terms of small fish being chased rather than insects on the surface.
When to fish it
FlyLife's writers describe trout and salmon often chasing baitfish early in the morning through winter and spring. Plan those mornings first. For other times of year, look for the same signs of feeding fish along the shoreline before you settle on one spot.
How to fish it
Work windward shores, rocky points and anywhere food is gathering; FlyLife's writers rate those the most consistent places to find feeding fish. Walk the shore until you find them rather than staying put. In our experience, a lake this open rewards covering water before committing.
Access and safety
FlyLife's writers describe bank access as good at both the northern and southern ends, and the lake as readily fished from the bank or from a boat. Access is description only: confirm where you may park, walk and launch with the land and water manager before you go. As on any lake with rocky shores, wear shoes with grip and watch your footing on wet rock.
Regulations
Bag limits, sizes and seasons are dated and change, so read the current Victorian Fisheries Authority freshwater guide before you fish, and check its closed-waters list.
When things happen
The guide's calendar for this water
When things happen
The year on this water
A year at a glance; check current rules
- Fish chasing baitfish early · Jun to Nov FlyLife's writers describe trout and salmon often chasing baitfish early in the morning through winter and spring. Be on the water at first light.
What the record shows
Flows, river gradient, changing water levels, fish surveys and stocking
What the record shows
How wet the lake has stayed
Satellite record, 1986 to 2026
Source: Geoscience Australia.
Source details and licence
Geoscience Australia — Digital Earth Australia Waterbodies v3 (wet-surface time series). Digital Earth Australia Waterbodies v3, Geoscience Australia, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0. retrieved 2026-08-16.
How well this water has been surveyed
48 capture records, 4 decades of 4 on file
electrofishing (boat), 1 record fyke netting, 2 records gill netting, 45 records
Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Source details and licence
Atlas of Living Australia — freshwater fish occurrence records (open licences, with coordinates). Occurrence records from the Atlas of Living Australia and its contributing datasets, including the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas, NSW BioNet Atlas, Sustainable Rivers Audit, Murray-Darling Basin fish monitoring programs, OZCAM museum collections and iNaturalist Australia. Each record carries its own licence and originating dataset. retrieved 2026-08-13.
Stocking on record
1,771,372 fish in 289 records, 1990 to 2025
Chinook Salmon, 637,199 across 82 records Rainbow Trout, 470,413 across 119 records Brown Trout, 295,300 across 56 records Australian Bass, 245,500 across 16 records Golden Perch, 67,500 across 5 records Atlantic Salmon, 30,960 across 8 records Silver Perch, 24,500 across 3 records
Source: Victorian Fisheries Authority.
Source details and licence
Victorian Fisheries Authority fish stocking database. retrieved 2026-08-21.
Conditions
What the gauges say
Check the water operator or jurisdiction authority for current conditions, and read the water yourself when you arrive.
Questions anglers ask
Can you fish Lake Bullen Merri from the bank?
FlyLife's writers describe bank access as good at both the northern and southern ends, and the lake as readily fished from the bank or from a boat.
What is stocked in Lake Bullen Merri?
The Victorian Fisheries Authority stocks trout, salmon and bass. The stocking chart shows what has gone in and when.
Where do you find fish on the lake?
FlyLife's writers name windward shores, rocky points and anywhere food is gathering as the most consistent places to find feeding fish.
Are there special rules on the lake?
Check the current Victorian Fisheries Authority freshwater guide for the bag and size limits, seasons and closed waters that apply before you fish.
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