A creek that gives its water to a larger river. In our experience fish on this kind of water sit where there is something to hold them: fallen timber, undercut banks, and the deeper water on the outside of a bend. Open, even reaches hold fewer fish.

The flow chart and the temperature chart show how the creek behaves through the year, so look at them before you plan a trip.

Murray cod and golden perch are the fish worth fishing for, and both have been observed here. Australian smelt, bony bream, Murray River rainbowfish, eastern gambusia, European carp, goldfish and oriental weatherloach are recorded too. Most of those are small, and in our experience the small ones are what cod and golden perch feed on.

That makes the fly box simple. A guide’s read: dark or olive streamers in the 10 to 15 cm range, a couple of weighted and a couple unweighted, plus a big hopper or two for summer. Carp will take a fly now and then, so a fish that fights differently from a cod is worth identifying before you handle it.

Cod and golden perch are warm-water fish, so in our experience the fishing is at its best from late spring through summer and into early autumn. The temperature chart shows how the water warms. In the cooler months fish slower and deeper, and expect fewer takes. Take any seasonal closures from the current NSW guide, not from this calendar.

Dawn and dusk are a good bet in hot weather; a cloudy day can extend the window.

Cast a streamer tight to timber or the bank, let it sink, and retrieve it slowly with long, pausing strips. Cod often follow a fly a long way before they eat, so keep the fly moving to the rod tip and stay ready. Use a strong leader (15 lb or heavier) and strike by pulling the line firmly, not by lifting the rod, so the hook sets in a big jaw.

On a warm evening, try a large hopper or other surface fly along a grassy bank. Fish the near bank first, then the far one.

The access card lists the access sites. Treat them as locations, not a statement of permission, and respect any fence or sign you meet on the ground.

As on any bush stream, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back, carry water and a small first-aid kit, and watch your footing on soft, undercut banks. Do not wade a crossing you are unsure of, and keep well clear of fallen timber that could shift.

No water-specific rule was found for Billabong Creek. Before you fish, read the current NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development fishing guide, check its closed-waters information, and take any season, bag and size limits and licence requirements from it.