This solid Murray cod was taken on a Koolabung Codzilla surface lure.

Anglers digging bardie grubs for bait these past few weeks will no doubt have noticed that they are starting to turn. By this I mean they have reached the stage where they transform from grubs into moths and this happens about this time every season. Over the next few weeks these large moths will break free of their earthen tunnels and take to the wing to produce the next generation. The timing of this event is predetermined by the seasonal change and the prevailing rains that are hoped should follow. The moisture acts to soften the hard earth lined cap on the tunnels making it easier for the moths to break their way through the crust. It also allows the next generation of grubs to burrow deep out of harm’s way, where they can grow fat on a diet of fine vegetation and gum roots. Murray cod too are in tune to this event and they will now turn topside to seek out and feed on a heaven sent harvest that beckons an easy meal. Anglers would do well to seek out and use a range of surface lures that mimic the struggling action like that of these large ghost moths. Most tackle shops will have a range of surface lures that will vary in size from the smaller models right through to the larger end of the scale that look more like a wounded duck than a struggling moth. But they all work; it’s just a matter of getting them in front of a hungry fish.
 Lures for surface fishing are many, but I tend to favour those that create maximum water displacement at minimal speed. Several that meet this criterion are both the 100 and 120mm Koolabung Cod walkers and Jamie Fletts Depth Charge range. Most of these are larger styled lures that tend to attract bigger fish. Buzz baits too are an effective top water lure that create plenty of sound and have an excellent hook up rate. Bassman do an upsized version that carries a larger blade and sizable hook. Buzzbaits do need to be worked a little faster but the hanging hook ensures that most strikes load the rod. Fishing the surface works best during periods of low light and dawn and dusk into the night are the most productive times. Over the next few weeks Murray cod will feed at their best from the surface as they scoff down a bounty of top water tucker. Some of our smaller rivers have begun to produce for those anglers in tune to this event with the Wakool and Murrumbidgee proving popular. Similar results can be expected along the Murray as anglers come to grips with top water tucker time and the use of surface lures on Murray cod. 

A couple of toe snapping Blue swimmer crabs.

As the first net came over the side a writhing mass of bright blue legs and claws was strewn to the floor of the boat. Dressed in the finest of nature’s footwear I almost kneed myself in the chin trying to high step all ten toes clear of the scuttling legs and snapping claws. As if the predicament was not tense enough, another net was swung aboard and several more angry crabs were set loose amongst the mayhem. This was my first time fishing for blue swimmer crabs and my well seasoned companions found great humour in my fancy footwork as I found sanctuary on the nose of the boat. Shoes might have been a good option as the crabs were measured and placed in a fish tub. The smaller ones were returned over the side to become next seasons haul and the action continues like this for an hour or more until we had secured enough for a feed. We are fishing just outside the marker poles at Port Wakefield in South Australia. Blue swimmer crabs run during the warmer months and are caught in hoop nets baited with fish offal or meat. When they are on the move they are easily caught in large numbers, therefore strict size, bag and boat limits apply on blue swimmer crabs to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery.  The regulations relating to catching blue swimmer crabs consist of a daily bag limit of 40 per person and a daily boat limit of 120 combined.  A minimum size limit of 11cm width measured across the carapace from the base of the largest spines also applies. It is also illegal to take female crabs with eggs and they must be returned to the water straight away without harm. Blue swimmer crabs can also be dabbed in the shallows using either a scoop net or a common garden rake. On the falling tide you can wade the shallow sand or mud flats and search out a feed. Small plate sized patches of disturbed or overturned sand on the bottom hide the crabs as they sit in wait for a passing meal. Simply run your net across these areas and the crab will appear from the sand, claws at the ready. Once disturbed, they are easy to scoop using either the net or the rake. Dabbing crabs is great fun for the kids and an easy way to secure a feed if you don’t have a boat. Blue swimmer crabs move into the shallow waters of St Vincent and Spencer Gulf as the waters warm and they eat live and breed on the shallow sand and sea grass beds. These tasty bottom dwellers will run for another month or so yet before the weather cools and they go into semi hibernation. Catching blue swimmers is great fun but might I suggest you wear shoes while doing so, or you too could find yourself dancing to the snappy beat of the crabby blues.

Steve Cooper holding a solid Gummy shark.

What a great time of the year to wet a line as wherever you look most species of fish seem to be on the chew. Along the southern coastline, Kingfish and Blue fin tuna are feeding out wide and anglers are gearing up for some long awaited fun. If you don’t have the means to travel the distances offshore often needed to target these fish then don’t panic, as there’s plenty more on offer a little closer to shore.  In our sheltered bays and harbours small boat owners are catching plenty of big whiting and snapper and a good run of calamari squid has anglers grinning to the tune of a great feed. It’s almost a fishing platter as there are so many scale clad treats available for the catching. Off the beaches, Mulloway and a variety of sharks are carving their way through a number of different baits that include arrow squid, pilchards, salmon and mullet. Weed is about your only problem as it makes fishing the surf hard work. But get it right and the rewards are often very sweet. You just never know what’s coming next from the beach with some absolute monster rays set to test your stamina and tackle to the distance. Gummy shark have been numerous in number both offshore and land based with some hefty fish weighing at 30kg or more. Remember these larger models are generally breeding females that should be returned to the sea. As there are plenty of smaller sharks being landed in the mix, it’s not hard to pick up a feed. In many estuaries including the Glenelg River on the Victorian, South Australian border anglers are cashing in on a good run of school jewfish on bait and lures. Bream have also been prolific on bait and some excellent estuary perch have been caught casting small minnow styled lures around the downed timber and the undercut banks. In many of the larger inland lakes redfin have been a winner with some fish weighing in at 2kg or more. Hume has been a consistent spot and there’s always a chance at a giant cod or a thumping golden.  Anglers are still catching a few golden perch along the Murray on bibless lures and spinnerbaits and a few cod are being landed on an assortment of baits and lures fished around the snags. As mentioned earlier, it is a great time of year to wet a line as it seems that everything sporting fins and scales is happy to have a feed. From here on in as we head towards some kinder weather, fishing in our own local waters will only improve.       

Yum- A great feed of yabbies.

On a recent yabby fishing expedition I come to realise first hand that the humble farm gate chain might possibly be the most expensive metal known to mankind. Or at least it might seem that way to those that scratch out a living from the land. Each and every link is valued to the point that to squander but one extra to allow for ease of opening, would be nothing short of a terrible waste. Over time in the bid to preserve links, many farmers have developed their own specific set of angles and weight related positions required to gain enough slack chain to slip the latch. To understand the way of the link is to spend many years on the land and even then you will happen upon those that will test you to your very core. And so it was as we pulled the Ute to a stop right in front of what could best be described as the gate from hell.  Shining in all its splendour, it had centre piece a big red Private property badge beaming forth for any would be passers to take heed. No problems there, as we had full permission to venture beyond its bounds where we would bask in the yabby rich waters that were now but a few hundred meters away. Ten minutes on and it was more than evident that the placement of the keep out sign just like the links of chain, could have been another on farm saving. Whilst pondering the right of passage, a wayward arm brushed the electric fence and believe me there was no shortage of cash wasted on this little beauty, as it reverberated every joint from head to toe. The after effects were a mild tick and stutter as we gave the gate a miss and hoofed it across country, bait nets and bucket in hand. For the next few hours we caught numerous big fat yabbies on string lines baited with fresh meat. With the bucket full to overflowing we headed back to the gate, climbing over carefully to avoid the chances of another shock. Later that day, talks with the farmer on the gate in question revealed the effects of the drought had pulled the chain tight to the point that it could not be opened. There was however another gate just down the road a little that would have provided access had we known. But he did go on to say that there was a trick to this other gate as it could only be opened by looking to the north whilst standing on one leg, singing the national anthem with your tongue hanging out. And even then it was a struggle. We have decided to shout a new gate chain on our next visit and while this humble string of metal may not may be made of gold, the chance to catch a feed of yabbies from a private dam is.

The new look mumbler is sure to be a winner on Murray cod, Golden perch and Barramundi.

In the quest for angling perfection, the evolutionary road for lures is ever changing and Bassman are at the forefront when it comes to providing innovative ideas. Fitted with a 6 inch paddle tailed soft plastic shad, the new look mumbler rides the timber with all the finesse of a natural baitfish whilst belting out enough pulse to draw predatory fish at distance. Available in six bait styled patterns, the trailer itself while light and flexible can be stretched to almost a meter in length. Made Aussie tough for Aussie fish and the anglers that use them.  All Codmac  signature spinnerbaits and mumblers now come fitted with a new range of vastly improved soft plastics.      

Looking good- With three sizes and six colours to choose from the codwalker range of surface lures from Koolabung are sure to be on the menu of a few big Murray cod.

Koolabung lures is proud to announce a few new additions to its popular range of surface lures. The Codwalker has been a very productive top water lure for Murray cod these past few seasons racking up its share of quality fish. With that in mind the range has now been increased to three different sizes. These include a 120mm a 100mm and a 70mm model. These come in an exciting new range of six colours and are already proving that fish like variety. These new sizes and colours are currently available in the following tackle outlets and are set to go into others over the following weeks..

Tackle World Canberra (02 6280530)

Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski (03 5744 3133)

Q Tackle Geelong (03 5277 3271)

Got One Mildura (03 5022 8444)

JC”S Bait & tackle Swan Hill (03 5033 0407) 

Adventure Camping & Fishing (03 5722 4622)

Inside Outback Myrtlford (03 5752 2392)

River shrimp make great bait for Murray cod and Golden perch.

Regardless of where you fish if you’re going to use bait, you can’t do better than that readily sourced on location. Collecting your own bait is not only fun but can save you a few quid at the same time. Along the Murray there are no shortages of natural baits on hand and knowing where and how to collect them will see you amply supplied and ready for a day’s fishing action. The hardest of localised baits when it comes to collecting would have to be the humble bardie grub. Their symmetrical holes can be found around the base of river gums by removing the top layer of soil with a shovel. Once located, the large grubs are extracted from their tunnels with a grabbing or corkscrew device fashioned on the end of a Speedo cable. This is often hot work but they are worth the trouble as they are a favourite food source when it comes to Murray cod. Other baits include local river muscles found along the mud bunks just a few meters from the edge. With a lifespan of between 30 and 50 years these muscles are quite often very large, providing several baits per specimen. Murray cod eat the muscles whole and regurgitate the shell once the stomach acids have killed, opened and broken down the contents. However they are more than happy to dine on those pre-shelled and readily prepared on a hook. These large river muscles are best located whilst wading in the shallows, you can feel them in the mud with your feet but with the chance of foreign object and such like glass, I would be more inclined to wear light shoes for this job. Shells can be opened with a knife or by cracking them on a rock.
Possibly the easiest to catch and most prolific natural bait in the river would be (Macrobracachium austrailienser) the common long armed shrimp. During the warmer months their numbers explode and with the use of a simple shrimp trap of regulation standards, an endless supply of bait is just a few feet away. Baited with a handful of dried dog or cat food these simple nets attract the shrimp in no time at all. It is not uncommon to feel them pinching at your feet whilst swimming or wading in the river. So, next time you head off to the river remember the best baits to use are most often those readily available right where you are fishing.               

kingfish of this size have been landed at Portland over the past few weeks.

When it comes to howling reels and back breaking battles, then look no further than the southern seaside town of Portland for some red-hot kingfish action over the coming weeks. As the sting of summer warms the water, these pelagic sportfish haunt the reef strewn North Shore in pods of fish reaching sizes of 15kg or more. Reports of good catches are already starting to filter through with multiple hook ups for those lucky enough to be in the right spot at the right time. Anglers fishing either live squid or gar under balloons have encountered a few fish as have those fishing strip baits and unweighted pilchards down a burley trail. The latter can be done at anchor and provides other opportunities like snapper and school or gummy shark. Trolling lures can at times be a successful ploy with shad styled minnows like Rapala x-raps and Halco laser pros working best. Both lures will stand up to the punishment inflicted when a kingfish smashes them. Surface poppers are also worth a try and are a good way to draw fish to the boat if nothing else. Kingfish are very inquisitive and will often come to the water disturbance created by these lures or just to have a look at the boat itself. If you are fishing unweighted baits back in the trail, then chances are these same fish will hone in on your offering. For the land based angler, the Lee break-wall at Portland does occasionally yield kingfish for those who put in the time. Fresh squid strips are a favourite as are lightly weighted pilchards or garfish. Some very good snapper are also landed from the break-wall with fish up to and above 10kg landed most seasons. Salmon, travelly, and squid are also likely to be encountered. Rods around the 10ft mark and above are the go when fishing this location as you will need to stay clear of the rocks should you hook a good fish. Thread line reels that can hold around 300 meters of thirty pond braid should out do most kingfish encounters.  Early morning is the best time but kingfish do have the uncanny knack of turning up out of the blue. Talking about blue, rumour has it that the first of the southern blue fin tuna have started to show offshore providing boat fishos with a double bounty. Over the next few weeks as the hot weather peaks you could do far worse than head to the Portland coastline for a little bit of yellowtail kingfish action. For more info on what’s biting drop into Portland bait and tackle and talk to Chris or one of the staff for all the latest fishing news. Contact (03) 5523 5213         

This skinny water giant was caught on a 120mm koolabung Codzilla in less than three meters of water.

Peering over the side of the old wooden bridge, the small bubbling creek running below would be no more than a short hop from bank to bank. Regardless of this it held many fishes and amongst them the biggest trout I had ever seen. At 10lb or more its size seemed out of place in the crystal clear stream but its cunning had been born of living in such confines and try as I may it took several years to finally hook and catch that marvellous fish. Since then I have had many skinny water encounters where giant fish have exploded from virtually nowhere to engulf bait or lure and provide some of fishing’s finer moments. When it comes to skinny water giants they don’t come much bigger than a monster Murray cod. To tangle with one of these freight trains in the confines of a snag ridden creek or smaller river is a challenge in itself, but one I am always happy to oblige. I remember all too well the first giant cod I saw hooked in one of our smaller rivers and the explosive mayhem that followed. Casting lures along the Murrumbidgee River downstream of Balranald with fellow fishing writer Dave Hodge. We had managed several cod, the biggest a modest 4kgs and a couple of solid golden perch. Just off the end of an old submerged log, I had a savage strike on the lure that near ripped the rod free of my hand.  My offsider seized on the opportunity, sending a well weighted cast straight to the exact location and within several winds of the handle his lure was smashed by an unseen giant. Within seconds the fish turned tail and ripped several meters of line from the reel that was being governed to the tune of a heavy thumb. With the rod loaded to crackling point, the unseen giant churned the water and continued to power through the snag turning the rod, reel and angler inside out. Unstoppable was the best way to describe the encounter and dumbfounded and down a lure was the end result as the fish found its home deep in the snags. Fish are where you find them and since that first encounter we have come to learn that even the smallest waters can hide the biggest surprise. Preparation and the right tackle go a long way towards levering these giant fish from amongst the snags. Larger sized lures are more inclined to draw the bigger fish from their hideouts and the 120mm shallow running Codzilla was designed for this style of fishing. Spinnerbaits too should be fashioned with larger blades to promote maximum pulse and flash. We run 50lb braid and 60lb leader and fish a relatively heavy drag setting, the rest is measured with the thumb. Make no mistake, some of the biggest cod happily reside in some of the smaller rivers we fish. The Wakool, Edward and Murrumbidgee are just to name a few and are worthy of a cast should you feel the need to experience firsthand some skinny water giant cod action.                

Darren Brant turned a fat reed caught bardie grub into a nice Murray cod.

In the great sport of angling it seems you learn something new on just about every outing. And so it was on a recent trip to the Murrumbidgee River where the art of catching bardie grubs for bait was taken to a whole new level. The trip had begun with high expectations of landing a few nice cod on lures and while the water clarity was good, the falling river had the fish fairly tight lipped. After a bazillion casts for one strike that turned out to be golden perch it was a unanimous decision to break rank and have a go at drowning some bait. Of course before this could be done we were going to have to go out and collect a few grubs from the surrounding bush.  This is where the learning curb began as while we had remembered the shovel as you do when you head to the river; we had unfortunately managed to leave the bardie wire at home. Never mind, one of our group assured us he could extract these fat grubs from deep in their earthen tunnels with the use of a fine piece of riverside reed. This would be interesting to say the least and after collecting several long pieces of reed from along the river’s edge Phil pinched the thin end of each piece flat before tying a small knot in it. The trick he went on to say was to lightly touch the grub on the head, of course this is all done by feel. Once the grub grabs the reed just above the knot with its pinches, you quickly yank the grub clear of the hole. Sounded good in theory, now all that was left to do was uncover a few holes and put it to the test. After puffing and snorting for some fifteen minutes or more in the hot sun we managed to uncover several grub laden holes rimmed with the bark coloured silk that assured an occupant. This was backed up by flicking the rim as it made a distinct popping sound if a grub was hidden inside. Down went the weed and within seconds the grub had taken hold and was jerked skyward and caught in the users free hand as it cleared the tunnel. I was almost tempted to make an appeal with a boisterous “how’s that” but the splendid catch left little doubt the grub was well and truly out.  Just to prove it wasn’t a fluke several more were extracted in quick succession with minimal fuss and all caught in similar fashion. After witnessing this great new trick it was back to the river where several cod were landed on the freshly caught grubs. It appears that just when you think you know everything there is to know about fishing and all that goes with it, along comes something out of left field that proves the art of angling, like mathematics can never be learnt in a single lifetime.  What a handy little trick should you happen to leave your grub wire at home.