Clarence River Chapter

The Clarence catchment is home to many great anglers and is a popular area for tourists to wet a line. The upper Clarence and its tributaries have some of the most unsurpassed bass fishing in the country. These waterways are perfect for canoeing and taking in the natural scenery. The lower Clarence and estuarine areas have flathead, bream, jewfish, whiting, luderick, and mangrove jacks on offer. It’s also an enormous catchment, recreational fishers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and types of fishing to get this Chapter over the line to ensure this catchment keeps its title as the best place to fish in New South Wales. In the upper reaches of the Clarence, bushfires, clearing, weeds, and cattle trampling the riverbank have affected the riparian zone, lowering the water quality. Further downstream, mangroves, saltmarshes, swamps and seagrass have been degraded or altered. These ecosystems are essential for providing food and shelter for fishes, especially in the juvenile stage. With local knowledge, generations of fishing experience, a passion for healthy habitat, and representing various parts of the Clarence, they make a motivated team ready to tackle issues facing their waterway.