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Structure comes in many forms like the giant pylons supporting this road bridge.

 It comes in many forms, both natural and man-made. As varied as it may be, it all has one thing in common; it is the home of fish. A sanctuary from predators, or a place to explode upon unwary prey, understanding structure will help you catch more fish. Murray cod are the snag masters, it’s their domain and understanding where and what constitutes the type of snag most likely to hold large cod is for the most governed by time itself. Time of the day is important, time of the year another factor and possibly the most telling, the amount of time a particular snag has lain in the water.          

Everything breaks down over time, including large fallen trees. The remnants of a stump on the bank partially submerged in water are most often overlooked in preference for snags that hold more visible structure. This is a big mistake; the benefit of fishing these old trees is for the most their skeletal remains lay strewn close to the bottom. These old snags provide cover enough to hold the biggest of cod whilst ensuring your lure spends the majority of its time in the strike zone instead of riding high over branches. The smallest stump on the bank can hide the biggest surprise underwater. Weed beds are another form of structure that attracts both predator and prey alike. Like a giant curtain, large fish hide in its many pockets while smaller schooling fish like bony bream are funneled along its edge as they form into dense nomadic schools as the water temperature cools down. When working lures around weed beds, either sit back and cast into the indentations and pockets or cast parallel, working your lure along the edge of the weed curtain itself.

 Man-made structures are many, the numerous timber pylons of a jetty or boat ramp will often hold schooling golden perch. A larger version of this parallels the giant vertical pylons that support numerous road bridges that span the river. Whether fished vertically with lure or bait or trolled past with deep diving lures, they are a sanctuary to fish and an opportunity for anglers. Even permanent lights that shine bright upon the water become a form of over head structure that under the cover of darkness will often draw fish. These lights draw insects that in turn fall onto the water’s surface attracting fish.  Like fishing itself, not all forms of structure are sign posted with a “here I am.” Understanding structure is to work out how certain things impact on the way fish are likely to behave. Where they can best hide from prey or where they are most likely to find a meal? At either end of the scale structure plays an important role when it comes to catching more fish.  

 

 

Like many anglers you may have heard the reports of numerous giant meter plus cod landed locally along the Murray River this season. It seem the meter mark has become the holy grail of cod fishing and to reach this mile stone sets you the right to join campfire yarns on such monumental captures and all they involve. It is a great thrill to catch and release one of these giant iconic fish and for some of us it becomes an obsession that taunts us with every cast. To think this obsession is quelled with that first capture is to go in blind to the effect these giant fish have upon one’s psyche. And so it was when we hit the Murray a week or so back and introduced a mild mannered computer technician to the wonderful world of all that’s addictive about cod fishing.
 Dave or Shade as he is known had caught a few cod in his time but had never landed that elusive meter giant and from the outset he didn’t seem that fussed about the whole affair. That was right up until the moment his lure was crunched with a force that can only be delivered from a green fish that tips the mark. The take on a trolled lure from a large Murray cod is generally distinct as it has the effect to alter facial expressions from calm to wide eyed disbelief in that exact instant. Heart in your mouth moments follow as time is altered where seconds grow into minutes, with every lunge and dive stretching arms and gear to the limit. In this case the angler won and moments later stood clutching the giant fish and wearing a grin that tells the story in itself.  With the cod quickly returned to the river, the lures were recast and with hands still shaking from excitement, Dave punched the lure out behind the boat and watched it wriggle back into the depths. We hadn’t gone twenty feet and the beaming grin was snapped back to a look of confusion as the rod loaded to the weight of another giant. On again and this time the fish was even bigger. Worn from the first round, it was all the angler could do to lift the beast that measured in at 110 cm. Two over the meter in less than ten minutes, it looked like another self confessed cod fishing legend in the making. That would be it for the afternoon and the beers never tasted so sweet as those shared around the campfire to the tune of two giants in a single day. The following morning as luck might have it another found its way onto the lure and at 120cm the computer tech was now caught up in hat trick of giant fish. When last seen driving down the highway, cars were said to be flashing their lights in the hopes that he might dip his grin. “No legend here,” he said on leaving “just one angler that is three times privileged to have enjoyed the most special of fish.” Hail to the cod god and welcome to a world that will taunt him with every cast from here on in.