THANK COD IT’S OPEN.
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
- With plenty of cod like this in the river, no wonder anglers are excited about the new season.
The first of December marks the long awaited start of the cod season with most anglers chaffing at the bit to wet a line. Cod numbers and captures have been excellent along many areas of the Murray these past few seasons and it seems if anything these mighty fish are on the comeback trail. When it comes to red hot cod fishing destinations, there is little doubt that we are smack dab in the middle of some prime water and it’s this excellent fishing that draws countless anglers to our area over any given time of the season. From Swan Hill right through to Mildura and beyond, come the 1st of December a dedicated number of anglers will be trying to load the rod with that first greenfish of the season. In recent years the growing trend of catch and release has ensured good numbers of large Murray cod still reside in many areas and it’s these fish that tempt the angler who dares to dream. Returning these larger fish to the water ensures the future viability of our currently great cod fishery. Of course for those that enjoy a feed of fish those of legal length 60cm and just above are prime for the table. A variety of methods and baits will be used come opening morning so we will try and cover a few to possibly make your time on the water all that more enjoyable.
Best Baits.
When it comes to baits for Murray cod these bucket mouthed predators will consume almost anything that will fit in their gobs. They have been known to consume all manner of natural and not so natural items from tortoises and small birds to golf balls and plastic containers. In saying that, there are plenty of baits Murray cod find very appealing and at the top of the list would have to be the Bardie grub. The larval stage of the ghost moth these plump juice filled grubs are great bait and will draw cod from cover on most occasions. Scrub worms too are high on the menu followed by yabbies, shrimp, muscles and kitchen baits like cheese and fresh chicken. Fished around the timber on either a running sinker or paternoster styled rig, any of these baits is sure to draw the interest of a Murray cod or two come opening morning.
Of course not every angler chooses to drown bait with plenty opting to try their luck either casting or trolling lures. Both methods are very effective, especially when it comes to targeting larger fish. Deep sections of river are better worked on the troll and running your lure a meter or so off the bottom down near the sunken timber will see you right in amongst cod country. Larger lures like Godzilla’s, AC Invaders, Muldoon’s Big Mongs and StumpJumpers are best for this style of fishing. There are also a number of larger styled spinnerbaits becoming available that work well on the troll. For those casting around the snags spinner baits and lipless cranks are good options as they can be worked through the zone at minimal pace. Some hard bodied lures also work well on the cast and don’t forget surface lures during periods of low light.
The most important thing come opening morning is that we all adhere to the rules and regulations regarding the capture and size limits on Murray cod or any other fish we are likely to encounter. Don’t forget a NSW fishing license is required to fish the Murray River and these can be purchased at local tackle shops. Good luck for the opening of the Murray cod season and remember: limit your catch, don’t catch your limit.
