Dusky Flathead (also known as Dusky, Black Flathead, Mud Flathead) in Victoria. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit, slot rule — verified against the VFA guide, 2026.
In Victoria, the minimum legal size for Dusky Flathead is 30 cm and the daily bag limit is 5. A slot limit applies: Dusky flathead must be within a 30–55 cm slot: release any fish under 30 cm or over 55 cm. The 55 cm upper limit protects large breeders. There is no closed season in VIC.
Dusky flathead must be within a 30–55 cm slot: release any fish under 30 cm or over 55 cm. The 55 cm upper limit protects large breeders.
No closed season
Victoria runs a 30–55 cm dusky flathead slot — a lower upper limit than NSW (36–70 cm) or QLD (40–75 cm). The bag of 5 is a daily catch limit; no separate statewide possession limit is published, so the daily bag applies.
These limits are pulled from the VFA Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide — size and bag limits. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Victorian Fisheries Authority updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
Victoria requires a Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL) to fish in all Victorian waters (marine, estuarine and inland fresh). Exemptions apply for anglers under 18 or aged 70 and over, qualifying concession-card holders, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Buy or learn more from the VFA.
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