Friendly, practical and family focused
Our Fishing Clinics are designed for novice anglers, junior anglers and families who want to learn the basics, build confidence and understand what to do if they catch a carp. Each clinic runs for 1 hour, with plenty of support, simple explanations and hands-on help.
You’ll learn how to set up safely, cast, land a fish and handle it responsibly plus the key rules that apply in Victorian waterways when carp are caught.
What happens in the clinic
Our Fishcare staff and volunteers will walk you through the basics in a relaxed, supportive, family-friendly session. Fishcare has been teaching communities, schools and families across Victoria how to fish responsibly for decades, and as a trusted, not-for-profit registered charity, we’re here to help you get involved, build confidence and enjoy the rewards that come with spending time fishing together.
FISHING BASICS
We’ll start with the essentials so everyone feels confident and safe on the water. You’ll learn safe rod and hook handling (especially with kids nearby), how to set up a simple rig and choose bait and how to practice casting without ending up in a tangle. We’ll also show you how to land a fish calmly and remove the hook safely, with plenty of hands-on guidance.
CARP ID
Next we’ll help you recognise carp and understand why they’re targeted in Victorian waterways. We’ll cover the key features that help you identify carp, including how to tell them apart from common look-alike species. We will also provide you with a free Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide to help!
RULES & REGULATIONS
Finally, we’ll walk through the rules that apply when you catch carp in Victoria. Carp are classed as a noxious fish, which means there are no size limits and no bag limits, but you must not return carp to the water alive. We’ll explain these requirements clearly in a family-friendly way and show you exactly what to do if you catch one.
Official information is available here
If you catch a carp at our clinic
We keep this simple and age-appropriate for families:
Stay calm and keep fingers clear of hooks
Do not release the carp alive
Ask a Fishcare Staff member or Volunteer for help (especially if you’re new or a child has hooked the fish)
Humanely dispatch the carp (discretely done by Fishcare staff & Volunteers).
Dispose of the carp responsibly (your Fishcare Staff or volunteers will explain what’s happening at this site and guide you through the options)
Humane dispatch and responsible disposal
If you catch a carp and you have questions, our Fishcare staff and volunteers are there to help. We take an ethical, respectful approach and will always aim to minimise stress and harm by ensuring the fish is handled correctly and dispatched as quickly and humanely as possible. We also understand this can be new for many people, and we’re mindful that some families and children won’t want to learn about or witness that part of the process. If you’re curious, we can explain the steps and demonstrate the correct approach in an appropriate way. If you’d prefer, we can handle it discreetly for you, so you can stay focused on enjoying the fishing and learning the basics.
Equipment and fishing licences
You’re welcome to bring your own rod and tackle or simply use ours, we provide everything you need on the day, including basic equipment and hands-on help to get set up. If you book into one of these clinics, you do not need to purchase a recreational fishing licence for the session because participants are covered under our group recreational fishing licence for the day. In Victoria, children do not need a fishing licence. Most adults do need a recreational fishing licence when fishing, unless they’re exempt (for example some concession card holders, Seniors Card holders, or people aged 70+). For the latest information on who needs a licence and who is exempt, visit the Victorian Fisheries Authority pages here.
