Be sure to read the articles on Bassman Spinnerbaits and check out the photos in the gallery!
Restoring the balance of nature - The river rat meets the Murrays greatest predator.
Not to over emphasise the important role Murray cod play in keeping introduced species in check. This big fella snaffled down a sizable carp and followed it up with an after dinner snack on a number one StumpJumper.
Stormy has a great range of fishing apparel including PFD coats and vests. Click on the link to view some of their gear.
Remember the good old shoot em out westerns where men were men, and long johns were the fashionable underwear worn by some of the toughest hombre’s west of the Pecos. Not really your cat walk kind of clobber, but in practicality terms they were cutting edge fashion at the time. One of their most enduring features was the trap door rear end that catered for many of nature’s finer moments. No doubt a necessity in that rough and tumble era where the staple diet seemed to be a gastronomic concoction of beans and hard liquor. Of course the real benefits of wearing long johns were their ability to contain body heat during the coldest winter nights. This style of clothing has come a long way since the gun touting westerns. Modern day long johns or thermal attire are almost in vogue and widely worn by many who partake in winter based activities and of course these include fishing.
A day on the water at this time of the year calls for suitable attire and thermals are a good starting point. Not only do they contain body heat, but they are light and very comfortable to wear. From here heavy jeans, thick socks a good shirt and jumper are topped off with a wind and water resistant jacket. This should see you right for even the coldest of fishing adventures. Just like thermals, there are many styles of jackets and water resistant coats available including those that have a built in PFD. These come highly recommended for all styles of fishing from off shore to inland, they are the ultimate in wet weather clothing that could even save your life. Remembering that dressing up for the cold will also have the effect of weighing you down should you end up in the drink. Wearing one of the PFD styled jackets means that if you do get into trouble, then they are simply activated, keeping you above water. Hopefully things never come to that but its reassuring to know that as well as keeping you warm, the proper clothing can also keep you safe. While winter fishing is not for everyone, there are plenty of good fish to be caught at this time of the year and doing it in comfort is simply a case of dressing smart. So get out the thermals, bang on a coat and don the beanie because as far as the fashion stakes go, I’m sure the fish don’t really care.
Catch and release was never an option for these two golden perch.
Tis annoying to think that for all the love of the sport and the fish themselves there are those who will stoop to levels that defy the lowest forms of greed. It is even sadder to know that while they harvest at will, we bicker and tear at the very foundations of catch and release itself. The podium might be better served cleansing our rivers of such scum. Proof in itself of the blatant disregard for our fisheries is the practise of leaving nets behind to continue killing fish and whatever else may become entangled in their nylon web. The two shapes you see in this particular net are those of decaying golden perch.
Gender matters little when it comes to catching fish.
On a gender basis when it comes to the sport of angling, it’s often the male perception that femininity and fishing are at opposite ends of the scale. A wise man will hold his tongue on such ideas and with reputations being what they are, should perhaps also refrain from wetting a line until he has first observed a few lady anglers in action. Don’t be fooled by the make up and long fingernails, baiting a hook or casting a lure is all too often made to look easy. Dare I say it but in many cases, the attention to detail that women so often possess is one of the traits that make them excellent anglers in the first place.
Shane Atze with a solid winter cod taken on a Bassman spinnerbait.
Winter is here and the aspirations of many keen anglers seemed dashed for yet another season. Is it really time to pack the rods away, to sit and skulk around the house all the time wondering what might be biting at your favorite spot? Not a chance, while the fishing does slow down a little during the winter months the quality of what’s on offer is just too good to miss. The cooling of the weather and just as importantly the water gives the green light for the larger of many fish species to feed more freely. In our local waters, numbers of Murray cod captured will drop over winter but the size of those landed will for the most be large. The same can be said for golden perch; while you may catch fewer the ones you do land will be quality fish.This phenomenon is not just reserved to our local waters and the fish within, its common throughout a number of species and different locations alike. In the southern estuaries, black bream a commonly sought after fish seem to double in size with the cooling of the water. Their smaller counterparts seem to vanish, in their place trophy sized fish often as large as 2kg or more. This same occurrence takes place in the Gipsland lakes as not only large bream become available but super sized dusky flathead also begin to feed. Where these fish were hiding during the warmer months is anyone’s guess, but as soon as the water cools, they just seem to appear.
Snapper are also viewed as a summer species, but those aware will tell you that while their numbers are fewer at this time of the year, those you do encounter are absolute honkers. Places like Whyalla in South Australia are testament to this event with fish up to and above 13kg landed with common regularity.
Even along our surf beaches, those prepared to brave the elements find not only large snapper an occasional catch, but also huge mulloway and oversized gummy sharks are often found lurking the gutters in search of an easy meal.
So don’t be too hasty in packing those rods away as winter’s chilly bite can be a pleasant surprise for those anglers with aspirations of landing the big one.
The drawdown of lake Mulwala has seen the Murray Cod hot to trot in recent weeks. This long weekend just gone Elliot Woo and several mates managed no less than 31 fish in two action packed days on the water. Most of the fish were size and up the biggest a respectable 96cm model. The boys attributed their success to the use of larger lures. A mix of Muldoon’s Big Mongs & King Mongs were backed up by the ever reliable 150mm AV Invader to land this superb catch. Levels at the lake have made launching larger craft difficult and it is now a day to day proposition. It could be a case of the smaller boat brigade cleaning up over the coming weeks. For up to date info on launching and most things fishing related contact Tony & vanessa Bennett at Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski. 03 5744 3133.
Crank it up a gear. This nice cod was fooled with a fast retrieve using a Rapala X- Rap.
It has often bothered me to think on the feeding nature of giant Murray cod. Some days they lay sullen to the point of arrogance as they refuse to except the most well presented bait or lure. Even when delivered amongst the snags and into the dining room they will presume to eyeball the offering snubbing it in a manner more befitting a well pampered moggy than that of a fish. Bloody frustrating to say the least but to their comparative benefit, cod don’t openly groom their lower extremities with their tongue whilst wearing that same smug look of contentment. And yes there are other ways to provoke a reaction other than with the swinging of a boot. When cod are in this mood you can choose to cut your losses and target other more willing fishes such as golden perch. Or, kick your cod fishing ideals up a gear and use speed as an option. We have had great success using speed as a way to invoke a reaction strike from fish that seem otherwise shut down. So successful has it been that we have made room in the tackle box to harbour several lures more suited to top end blue water trolling than the snaggy depths of the Murray River. Worthy of a little effort this style of lure burning has the ability to prompt a strike where other methods fail. So next time the fish seem a little reluctant why not kick things up a notch and see if you can’t draw that all important reaction strike.
