Lake Tooliorook Fishing Guide (2026)
Located just between Lismore and Derrinallum in south-west Victoria, Lake Tooliorook is a peaceful quiet lake with a convienient campground - and it's currently experiencing a massive trout boom! While smaller than nearby lakes to the south such as Bullen Merri or Purrumbete, Tooliorook regularly rewards anglers prepared to fish patiently. The fish numbers are lower, but that means a much larger average size; and that's what makes this lake so special.
Brown and rainbow trout are the primary target species, with fish often cruising the lake edges early in the morning and again late in the afternoon. During these low-light periods, casting shallow-diving hardbodies, soft plastics or spoons around the shoreline can produce excellent results. As the sun rises higher, trout often move into deeper water where trolling small minnows or Tassie Devils becomes an effective way to cover ground and locate feeding fish. The lake is mostly 2-3.5m, with a few shallow rocky areas to be aware of.
The lake has been producing fish to a huge 9lbs recently, sometimes even multiple fish of this size in one day! With the average fish being 2kg, this is exceptional especially for a lake that has held trout for many years and isn't experiencing that initial boom which is common for newly stocked lakes.
It's also worth noting that most of the trout coming out of this lake have red worms in the flesh. While they won't cause you any problems when you eat them, it's not pleasing to know you're eating a worm infested fish! For this reason most locals let their fish go and we recommend you do the same. Plus with reasonably low fish numbers in the lake, it'll keep the fishery firing for months to come.
The main food source in here is galaxias minnows. These native fish can measure up to 20cm long and are very common in all of our south-west crater lakes - and make a huge protein rich food source for trout. At times, trout can be spotted "smelting" - chasing galaxias & smelt on the surface across the lake. This is a very exciting and productive way of chasing trout; but be aware they do move very fast! The clear, slightly brackish water and the abundant weedbeds and boulder fields around the lake provide plenty of cover and food for these galaxias which breed in huge numbers.
The best lure recently has been the Tassie Devil which is accounting for most fish coming out of the lake. Shallow jerkbaits like the Daiwa Double Clutch Shallow, Nories Laydown and Zipbait Rigge are worth having both for trolling and casting the edges and at smelting fish. For fly fishers, the Shrek pattern has been working very well.
As the lake is quite exposed to wind, this can be frustrating but also very helpful when it comes to concentrating fish. A good trout angler understands the importance of a wind lane; a foamy strip of water running along the surface on a windward shore which will concentrate bait into a small area. The trout use these areas like highways, running along them feeding hard.
The lake can be successfully fished from both the shore and small boats, kayaks or canoes. A quiet electric motor or drifting with the wind allows anglers to cover productive water without disturbing feeding fish. Polarised sunglasses are invaluable for spotting structure, weed beds and cruising trout in the shallows.
Boats can be easily launched at the ramp currently, but the lack of gradient means you have to drive your vehicle down the concrete ramp a fair way into the water. It's best suited for 4WD for this reason. Camping is also available at the lake with a fee to the caretaker.
While water quality is currently good as of August 2026, this lake has a history of blue green algae blooms so keep an eye on reports. While this doesn't generally result in fish kills here, it's not healthy to come in contact with. The lake can also dry out during droughts.
If you're chasing a quality trout close to home, Lake Tooliorook is a scenic and worthwhile destination. With the right conditions and a little persistence, it continues to provide rewarding fishing for anglers across south-west Victoria.
Heading up to the lake and need some gear? Come see us in Warrnambool or shop our range of trout gear below!
https://tackleshack.com.au/collections/trout-products