Fishing in Yanga National Park

Yanga National Park sits on the lower Murrumbidgee floodplain in southwestern New South Wales, close to Balranald.

At more than 140,000 hectares, it takes in the river itself along with a network of wetlands, billabongs, and lakes shaped by seasonal flows — country that has drawn people to fish and camp for a very long time.

The Murrumbidgee River is the backbone of the fishing here. Regatta Beach and The Willows campground are both established spots along the bank, with shaded access and enough room to set up properly.

The river holds golden perch, and the floodplain lakes connected to it have recorded significant breeding events for the species — scientists estimated half a million juvenile golden perch in Yanga Lake and Lake Tala following one notable Murrumbidgee breeding event.

Those fish grow on in the lakes before moving back into the river system, which means the lake and river fishing are genuinely linked. Yanga Lake itself is a large, ecologically managed water.

It draws anglers as well as birdwatchers, and environmental water deliveries are used to support native fish populations during dry periods. Lake Tala sits nearby and is managed with the same intent.

Both lakes are considered priority habitat for native species including golden perch, gudgeon, and smelt.

Spring and autumn are when waterbird activity peaks across the wetlands, and the same seasonal flows that drive bird numbers tend to move fish around the system.

The park's campgrounds — Mamanga, Woolpress Bend, and The Willows — put you close to the river and within reach of the lake country. A standard NSW fishing licence applies.

Check current conditions and any park-specific rules with NSW National Parks before you go, as access and water levels across the floodplain can shift with the seasons.

The fish in these lakes are actively managed for recovery — worth keeping in mind when you're deciding what goes back.