Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie Fishing Report
Updated Sat, 26 Sept 2026 from live weather and tide data
The River Murray at Lock 2, downstream of Waikerie: callop and cod in the Riverland’s cliff country, with a Bureau gauge at the lock.
4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Level
6.18 m27,792 ML
Air / High
15 °C / 24 °C
Wind
SSE 17 km/h
Sources: Bureau of Meteorology gauge A4260518, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.
Today's Fishing Report
Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie rewards patience today, with cool water and short feeding windows. The gauge reads 6.18 m, holding steady. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSE around 16 km/h, falling pressure near 1031 hPa and a high of 24 °C. Water sits around 13 °C for the season (estimated). With the full moon, the solunar majors run 11:16 PM-1:16 AM and 11:16 AM-1:16 PM: the windows to build the day around.
Murray cod
Slow
Slow it down: heavier spinnerbaits, slow-rolled swimbaits and bait on the bottom next to the deep snags.
Tie on: Blade or vibe, slow hops · Lightly weighted plastic · Whole pilchard or squid on the bottom · Suspending hardbody. Prime windows: 11:16 PM-1:16 AM, 11:16 AM-1:16 PM, 5:46 AM-6:46 AM. Similar at 22 °C. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.
Before you go
South Australia has no general fishing licence, but rules and permits apply. South Australia fishing licence: cost, rules and where to buy →
Chasing murray cod here? Check the size and bag limits with PIRSA before you keep anything; the Murray cod page has the seasons and the tactics.
Fishing times for Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie today
Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today from sunrise (05:54), sunset (18:09), the moon and today's score. Tap a bar to see why.
Bite planner
Solunar majors 11:16 PM-1:16 AM and 11:16 AM-1:16 PM; minor 5:46 AM-6:46 AM. Full Moon, 100% lit.
Water and weather
Live readings from Bureau of Meteorology station A4260518 (River Murray at Lock 2 Upstream (AMTD 362.1km)).
River level, last 30 days
Bureau of Meteorology Water Data Online, station A4260518. Latest reading 2026-09-25 09:35.
Right now
Latest readings
Air temp15 °C
High / Low24 °C / 13 °C
WindSSE 17 km/h, gusts 28 km/h
Pressure1031.4 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain75% cloud, 10%
Sunrise / Sunset05:54 / 18:09
MoonFull Moon, 100%
Water temp (seasonal)~13 °C est.
7-day fishing forecast: which day to fish Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie
Today is the pick of the week on Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie, at 4 out of 5. Every day is scored by the same engine as the report above: pressure trend first, then wind, sky and season. Pick a species and the plan for that day changes with it.
Best day this week: today, 26 Sept — good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.
Today, 26 Sept — Good
Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
- Solunar majors
- 11:16 PM-1:16 AM and 11:16 AM-1:16 PM
- Minor period
- 5:46 AM-6:46 AM
- Sun
- 05:54 to 18:09
- Moon
- Full Moon, 100% lit
- Sky and wind
- Overcast, 24 km/h
- Rain chance
- 10%
Scores are a planning aid built from forecast data, not a promise.
Species guide
The species that matter on Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie: seasons written for the southern year, and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.
Murray cod
December to August; closed September to November
Closed now Catch and release reopens 1 Jan 2027. No Murray cod may be taken at any time from the River Murray or lakes Albert and Alexandrina. Catch and release is allowed from 1 January to 31 July, except on the Chowilla floodplain; from 1 August to 31 December cod may not be targeted at all, trolling included. Rule as read from PIRSA on 2026-09-25.
The giant of the inland rivers and the big lakes (Hume, Mulwala, Eildon). A snag fish that eats big lures, and a species with a closed season across the Murray-Darling. Slow it down: heavier spinnerbaits, slow-rolled swimbaits and bait on the bottom next to the deep snags.
Golden perch
Best: November to April
Yellowbelly. The bread-and-butter native of the Murray-Darling lakes and rivers; loves warm water, structure and a lure worked slowly past its nose. Slower. Work the deeper timber and the drop-offs with vibes and bait.
When to come: the Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie calendar
Activity by species and month for the southern year, and how the water warms and cools. Tap any cell.
Species activity by month
1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted. January is midsummer here.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Murray cod
Golden perch
SlowPeak
Water temperature through the year
Typical surface temperature for this water type in degrees Celsius; today is around 13 °C (estimated, not a reading).
Angler reports
Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. Nothing here is copied from a shop or a charter. The water log below tracks each day automatically.
No angler reports yetBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie today.
Water log, last days
Auto-logged from live dataFri, Sep 25
3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Golden perch led the card at fair. High of 31 °C, wind to 14 km/h.
Thu, Sep 24
3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Golden perch led the card at fair. High of 31 °C, wind to 13 km/h.
Wed, Sep 23
3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Golden perch led the card at fair. High of 26 °C, wind to 16 km/h.
Before you go
Licence
South Australia has no general recreational fishing licence; the limits and closures do. Details and where to buy →
Regulations
Size and bag limits, closed seasons and marine park zones are set by PIRSA and change: confirm the current rules on the agency page linked from the South Australia licence page before you keep anything.
Access
No fishing licence is needed in South Australia; PIRSA sets the size, bag and boat limits, the Murray cod rule, release only and never kept, and the closed waters near the locks, linked from this page.
About this water
Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie is a river in South Australia, Australia, covered from the South Australia reports and listed in all Australia waters.
Fishing Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie: the full guide
Lock 2 and Waikerie
Lock 2 holds the River Murray a short way downstream of Waikerie in the South Australian Riverland, a reach of orange cliffs, red gum flats and backwaters between the irrigated orchards. The Bureau of Meteorology’s gauge upstream of the lock supplies the river level and the 30-day chart on this page, and Waikerie is the town anglers base themselves in. Morgan, downstream, and Berri, upstream, have their own pages.
Species and seasons
Golden perch, callop to Riverland anglers, are the main catch at Lock 2, along the snags and the cliff edges on shrimp, worms and lures; Murray cod hold in the deeper holes and the timber; redfin school in the backwaters; carp are abundant. PIRSA sets the size and bag limits; Murray cod may never be kept from the river, are catch and release only from 1 January to 31 July, and may not be targeted from 1 August to 31 December, computed on the species card.
Where to fish it
The riverfront at Waikerie and the reserves along the reach give bank access, and a boat launched at Waikerie covers the weir pool and the backwaters. PIRSA’s closed waters include the areas near the locks; check them before fishing close to Lock 2.
Planning a visit
Waikerie is on the Sturt Highway in the Riverland, with a caravan park, supplies, a ramp and the cliffs of the river right below the town. Bring bait for callop, barbless cod lures for release fishing in the months it is allowed, and plenty of water in summer, when the Riverland is among the hottest places in the state.
Reading this report here
The chart shows the Lock 2 weir pool, which is held steady except in flows; the Riverland is hot in summer, and the water temperature estimate, labelled as one, climbs high, which slows the midday bite. Pressure and sky build the score at Lock 2, and the planner shows the day.
Licence, access and rules
No fishing licence is needed in South Australia; PIRSA sets the size, bag and boat limits, the Murray cod rule, release only and never kept, and the closed waters near the locks, linked from this page. The riverfront reserves and the Waikerie ramp are public.
Common questions
Where is Lock 2?
On the River Murray a short way downstream of Waikerie in the South Australian Riverland.
What can I catch at Lock 2?
Golden perch (callop), redfin and carp to keep; Murray cod for release only, January to July.
Do I need a licence at Waikerie?
No. South Australia has no general recreational fishing licence.
Is fishing good at Murray River at Lock 2 near Waikerie right now?
Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Nearby waters
Where this page's numbers come from
- Storage and river readings
- Bureau of Meteorology, Water Data Online, station A4260518 — River Murray at Lock 2 Upstream (AMTD 362.1km)
- Open-Meteo forecast model
- https://open-meteo.com/
- Moon and solunar windows
- Calculated on this site
- The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on How our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.