Golden Perch (also known as Yellowbelly, Callop) in the Australian Capital Territory. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the ACT Government guide, 2026.
In the Australian Capital Territory, the minimum legal size for Golden Perch is 30 cm and the daily bag limit is 5 (2 in the Murrumbidgee River). There is no closed season in ACT.
No closed season
Golden perch (yellowbelly) carry a 30 cm minimum legal size and a daily bag of 5 in most ACT waters, reduced to 2 in the Murrumbidgee River. A warm-water native, they fish best through the warmer months in the lakes (Burley Griffin, Ginninderra) and lowland river reaches. No closed season applies in Open Waters — but the Trout Waters all-species winter closure applies if you fish those upland catchments.
These limits are pulled from the ACT Government recreational fishing rules. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. ACT Government (recreational fishing administered under the Fisheries Act 2000) updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
The Australian Capital Territory does not require a recreational fishing licence to fish its public waters — but you must comply with the Fisheries Act 2000. One exception: Googong Reservoir is managed under New South Wales rules and requires a NSW recreational fishing licence.
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