The Victorian Fisheries Authority recognised in the 1990s that with increasing population growth and increasing popularity of recreational fishing there was a need to include recreational fishery data into fish stocks assessments, and to ensure these assessments had relevance to recreational fishing. Consequently, angler-based monitoring programs were developed and implemented. This presentation is focused on describing the approach taken to provide monitoring data for Victoria’s largest fisheries where highly targeted species such as snapper, King George whiting, sand flathead and black bream require ongoing assessment. Creel surveys can be a cost effective way to assess changes in the fishery and to ensure reliable data is used to inform management stock status decision making. For regional areas of the state and for lower value and lower risk fisheries, such as black bream in small estuaries, estuary perch, mulloway and dusty flathead, more simplified and less expensive monitoring methods can be used such as an angler diary program. This presentation describes experiences of the pros, cons and pitfalls of these approaches.