Victorian Murray cod season reopens on 1 December, after the three-month spring closure. In 2026 that falls on a Tuesday, which means the first real opening weekend is Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December. Nagambie is one of the closest serious cod waters to Melbourne, so expect company. This guide covers the dates, the rules and how to make the most of the first week.
01The dates that matter
The closed season for Murray cod runs from 1 September to 30 November inclusive across most Victorian waters, including Lake Nagambie and the Goulburn River. Fishing reopens on 1 December. Check the VFA's Murray cod page for the current rules before you plan the trip.
With opening day on a Tuesday this year, you have a choice: take a day off and fish quiet water midweek, or join the crowd on the first weekend. If it's the weekend, book your bed now. Nagambie accommodation fills fast for the first weekend of cod season, and it collides with the start of the summer booking rush.
02Rules before you cast
A few things catch people out every December:
The slot limit is 55 to 75 centimetres. Anything under 55 or over 75 goes straight back, which means most trophy fish are release-only. Bag and possession limits differ between rivers and specified lakes, so check the VFA Murray cod page for the water you are fishing. Cod must be kept whole at the water; filleting in or on Victorian waters is not permitted.
The Goulburn also holds trout cod, which are protected. If you are not certain which species you have caught, release it.
You need a current Victorian fishing licence unless you are exempt. See our licence and rules guide for how to get one and what it covers.
03Where to fish in the first week
Start with our hot spots guide for the detail. In short: the drowned red gums of the eastern timber are the classic early-season cod water, and the moving water below the weir is worth the trip if the flows are right. See the Goulburn Weir guide before heading up there.
If you are trailering, expect queues at the ramps before dawn on the first weekend. Check the boat ramps guide and have a second option in mind. The lake gets busy with skiers and wakeboats from mid-morning in December, so the serious fishing windows are first and last light. Check what's on the lake this weekend before you lock in a date, as rowing regattas can close sections of the lake.
What else is on that weekend. On Saturday 5 December the Nagambie Waterski Club has the Goulburn between Sandy Creek and Tahbilk Winery from 8am to 5pm, with supervised boat transit, so plan river runs around it. Both main ramps stay open and the lake itself is unaffected. The Go Nagambie Lakeside Market is on at Jacobson's Outlook the same morning, 9am to 1pm. If you're coming up the weekend before to fish goldens and get a feel for the water, note the APS Regatta closes the whole lake and both main ramps on Saturday 28 November, 8am to 5pm. Dates come from the Shire's 2026 to 2027 closures list and can change, so check what's on the lake closer to the day.
Bank and kayak anglers have an advantage in the first week: the quiet backwaters and timber edges that boats pass over. A kayak at dawn around the timber is as good as Nagambie fishing gets.
04Early-season tactics
December cod are coming off the spawn. The big fish are recovering, often holding tight to structure, and they reward accuracy over distance. Work spinnerbaits and hardbodies tight to the timber, and fish surface lures on dark and into the evening as the water warms.
If you are gearing up, our must-have lures for cod opening covers what to tie on, and buying your first cod setup covers rods, reels and line for anyone starting from scratch.
05Handle fish like they matter
The slot limit does its job only if released fish swim away strong. Keep the fish in the water where possible, support it horizontally with wet hands, and keep photos quick. Post-spawn fish in warming water tire quickly, so give a big fish time against the current before letting go. More on the species in our Murray cod guide.
06Make a weekend of it
The bakery opens early enough for a pre-dawn pie run, and the brewery covers dinner when you get off the water: Nagambie Brewery opens from noon Wednesday to Sunday, with the kitchen until 8.30pm on Friday and Saturday. See eat and drink for the rest.
For beds, compare where to stay in Nagambie and book early for the first weekend. If you are towing, two options make life easy: Discovery Parks Nagambie Lakes sits beside the Loddings Lane ramp, and Nagambie Motor Inn on High Street advertises secure boat and trailer parking with a boat wash about 50 metres away. If half your crew would rather be at a cellar door than on the water at 5am, point them at while they're fishing.
07Summer in Nagambie
Cod opening is the start of Nagambie's busiest stretch, and the rest of the family has plenty to do while the anglers are out. The lake fills with skiers and swimmers, the Buckley Park splash park is the kids' favourite on a hot day, and you can hire kayaks, paddleboards and tinnies at the Regatta Centre (see things to do in Nagambie). The Nagambie Farmers Market runs at Tahbilk on the fourth Sunday, 10am to 2pm.
The dates to plan around:
- Saturday 5 December: first weekend of cod season, the Lakeside Market in town, and the Waterski Club on the river.
- Friday 18 December: last day of Term 4. The summer school holidays run to 26 January (vic.gov.au), the lake's peak for skiing and swimming traffic.
- 25 to 28 December: Christmas public holidays, with the additional holiday on Monday 28 December because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday (Business Victoria). Check venue hours before you travel.
- Thursday 31 December: New Year's Eve fireworks. The water beside the Regatta Centre closes from 4pm to 11pm, and that ramp with it (Shire closures list).
For the kids' side of the trip, see Nagambie with kids and the kids' fishing spots.
08Common questions
When does Murray cod season open in Victoria? The season opens on 1 December each year, after a closed season that runs from 1 September to 30 November inclusive. In 2026, opening day falls on a Tuesday, so the first weekend of the season is 5 and 6 December.
Can you fish Lake Nagambie during the cod closed season? Yes. The closure applies to Murray cod, not the water. Golden perch, redfin and other species are open right through spring, but you cannot target cod, and any cod hooked accidentally must be released immediately.
What size Murray cod can you keep? Between 55 and 75 centimetres. Anything outside that slot goes back, which protects both the young fish and the big breeders. Bag limits differ by water, so check the VFA Murray cod page before you keep a fish.
Is Lake Nagambie open for cod all year like Lake Eildon? No. A handful of Victorian waters, including Lake Eildon, are exempt from the closed season. Lake Nagambie and the Goulburn River are not, so cod are off limits until 1 December.
Do I need a fishing licence? Most adults need a current Victorian fishing licence, with exemptions for kids, seniors and some concession holders. See our licence and rules guide for the detail.
Where should I stay for cod opening at Nagambie? Book early. Discovery Parks Nagambie Lakes sits beside the Loddings Lane ramp, and Nagambie Motor Inn advertises secure boat and trailer parking. Our where to stay guide compares every option.