Avon River (Toodyay)

The Avon River runs through the wheatbelt town of Toodyay roughly an hour and a half north-east of Perth via the Great Eastern Highway, and is the most accessible inland river fishery in the south-west. The water is tannin-stained, brackish in places, and runs through pools rather than continuous flow for much of the year — the river dries to disconnected pools from late spring through autumn, which concentrates the fish. The headline target is naturalised redfin perch (a declared pest under WA rules — must not be returned alive), backed up by freshwater cobbler in the deeper named pools (Cobbler Pool itself is named for the local population). Marron are not established as a recreational fishery in this stretch.

Redfin are the dominant target and respond to small soft plastics, bladed jigs and worm baits worked through the deeper pools, particularly around submerged timber and undercut banks. The Toodyay weir pool, the stretches around the town reserve and Cobbler Pool 20km west of town are the practical access points. Cobbler are an after-dark proposition in the deeper named holes on whole prawn or freshwater shrimp baits. Move between pools rather than waiting one out — the river is a chain of separate fisheries, not a single stretch, and a slow pool will stay slow.

Redfin perch year-round (the dominant species). Freshwater cobbler in the deeper pools after dark — Cobbler Pool downstream of Toodyay is named for the local population. European carp as a frequent introduced bycatch on bait. Occasional brown trout from earlier upstream release programmes are reported but are not a target species in this stretch. Silver perch and trout cod (Murray-Darling natives reportedly stocked into WA waters historically) are not a reliable target in this stretch.

Treat the river as a chain of pools, not a continuous fishery — drop into one, work it for half an hour, move on if it's quiet. Light line and small lures matter on this water; redfin spook in the clear, slow pool tails. Cobbler Pool campsite makes a good bank base for an after-dark cobbler session in summer. The Avon Descent whitewater event runs through here in early August and the river is unfishable that weekend; check the event calendar before driving up.

Drive from Perth is roughly 1.5 hours via the Great Eastern Hwy through Mundaring and the hills, or via Toodyay Road through Gidgegannup. The town reserve along the Toodyay foreshore offers easy bank access on sealed paths. Cobbler Pool campsite is around 20km west of Toodyay on a mix of sealed and unsealed road and offers riverside camping with bush facilities — bookings via the Shire of Toodyay. Northam, half an hour upstream, gives further bank access along the Avon Walk Trail. Mobile reception is workable through the towns and patchy between them.

The Avon dries to disconnected pools through late spring, summer and autumn — the wet flow phase runs winter into early spring on the back of catchment rainfall. Pool fishing is most productive when water is settling after a fresh, with clarity returning and bait concentrated. Mid-summer pools warm and oxygen drops; redfin still feed but cobbler are slower. The river runs hard and unfishable through major winter rainfall events, and the Avon Descent weekend in early August closes the practical fishing stretches to anglers.

Snakes are active around the bank edges through the warmer months — wheatbelt country and the Avon corridor are dugite and tiger snake territory. Banks are steep and undercut in places; care with footing around the deeper pools, particularly at night. Disconnected pools through summer can stagnate and breed mosquitoes thickly — repellent is non-negotiable for after-dark cobbler sessions. The Avon Descent weekend brings hundreds of paddlers and motorised support craft through the river — check the event calendar and stay clear. Carp and redfin must be dispatched and not returned alive to the water under WA pest rules.

Redfin perch are the dominant catch and the practical target — they are an introduced naturalised species and dominate the pools. Freshwater cobbler hold in the deeper named pools, with Cobbler Pool 20km west of town named for the local population. European carp are a frequent introduced bycatch on bait. Silver perch and trout cod (Murray-Darling natives reportedly stocked into WA waters historically) are not reliable targets in this stretch.

Yes — a South-West Freshwater Angling licence from DPIRD is required to fish for redfin perch, freshwater cobbler or marron in inland south-west waters, including the Avon at Toodyay. It is separate from the marine recreational fishing licence. Read the current DPIRD freshwater guide for bag and size limits.

Yes — the Avon becomes the Swan River at the Wooroloo Brook confluence inside Walyunga National Park, and continues as the Swan through the metro to Fremantle. The upper Avon at Toodyay is freshwater to brackish and pool-based; the lower Swan is estuarine. They are the same system but fish very differently and require different licences for the species you target.

Not practically — the Avon Descent runs in early August each year and the Toodyay and Northam stretches carry hundreds of paddlers, kayakers, motorised support craft and spectators across that weekend. Check the official event dates and fish either side of it. The week after the event is usually a quiet, freshly-flushed window with the river settling back.