AN ambitious project has been launched to make Lake Oberon the best mixed fishing location in NSW.
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A consignment of 20,000 young golden perch were put into Lake Oberon last week, to be followed by a shipment of young Murray cod in spring.
"It is hoped that the lake will become a great fishery again, and I believe it will happen," Peter Byrom said.
Mr Byrom is treasurer of the Oberon branch of the Central Acclimatisation Society, the organisation that each year puts tens of thousands of trout into the area's waterways, and which also put the perch into the lake.
"Lake Oberon is destined to become an even more popular spot for fishers, and provide the best in native fish," he said.
The perch, which were supplied by NSW Fisheries, were put into sheltered spots at the dam and along the foreshore.
"If everything goes according to plan, the lake could become a showcase," Mr Byrom said.
The objective is that the perch will predate and significantly reduce the lake's population of redfin, which were introduced into the lake illegally and which make serious inroads into the trout population.
"These perch, commonly known as yellowbelly, are ambush fish, and will live off the redfin," Mr Byrom said.
"They can live for up to 25 years, and grow up to six kilograms.
"They will go for the redfin rather than the trout, which we will continue to put into the lake.
"We will never get rid of of the redfin altogether, but we hope to severely reduce their numbers."
A similar number of perch and Murray cod will be distributed into the lake next year, to reinforce this year's shipments. This project is being funded by revenue raised from NSW fishing licences.
The addition of the perch follows the release of 10,000 rainbow trout fingerlings in November 2017 and the release of the 500 larger 22cm, tagged rainbow trout in July 2017.
These releases are part of the restocking program from the Department of Primary Industries.
Mr Byrom said there is no better place than Oberon to release these fish.