Shades Fishing News

Peter Teakle from the Riverland Recreational Fisheries says it would be disappointing if the current ban on Murray cod continued next year.

The Conservation Council of South Australia held a meeting on Wednesday for the community to discuss the fish’s future with industry researchers and experts.

Mr Teakle says the fishing industry was not given enough warning about this year’s ban, which he says hurt some businesses financially.

“You’ve got a lot of the retailers getting a lot of lures and fishing equipment in ready for the cod season, only to be advised there’d be a full closure for 12 months,” he said.

“They were left with a lot of expensive stock on hand.

“I think it’s fair to everyone that if there’s going to be an extension of this ban, we’d want a couple of months’ notice.”

Source : ABC News

The Rod Mackenzie “Cod Mac” fishing site has yet another interesting article on a recent fish rescue at Merran Creek near Swan Hill. Seventy seven Murray cod - some up to 1.2 metres long - as well as golden and silver perch have so far been rescued, the DPI and locals blaming water levels in the creek.

It was great to read local property owners were the ones to raise the alarm, but it would be even better that fisheries themselves were making sure they were looking out for these situations, and if underfunded making people aware that something needs to be done about the situation that is leaving them short staffed, and our native fish in peril.

THE Murray cod fishery in the Murray River is thriving if the numbers of undersize cod being caught and released by anglers is any gauge.

Rod Mackenzie reports the small cod are proving a nuisance to anglers. One of the largest concentrations of undersize cod appears to be at Swan Hill.

Most of the small cod are being caught on bardi grub, cheese and shrimp.

Yellowbelly to 2kg are also being caught and these are taking shrimp and worm cocktails. The Wakool River near Kyalite has better numbers of legal cod and yellowbelly. White Spinnerbait lures are doing well.

Mick Hall reports Lake Eildon is producing good catches of yellowbelly to 2.8kg and redfin to 1.4kg on yabbie tails and scrubworms fished bobbin style among the dead trees. Eildon Pondage has plenty of rainbow trout to 1.4kg and these are being caught on Powerbait.

In the west, Doug Lucas at Colac says anglers are taking advantage of the new boat launching facility at Lake Purrumbete to catch brown trout to 3.2kg and rainbow trout to 1.8kg.

Mudeyes fished under a bubble float or trolled behind a Ford Fender attractors doing well. Downrigger trolling at 10-15m deep is the most productive method.

Doug reports Princetown beach has gummy sharks to 10kg and snapper to 1.4kg, with a steady run of 500-800g salmon at Clifton Beach. Southern bluefin tuna to 35kg and albacore dominate the catch off Portland.

Yellowtail kingfish to 10kg are being caught on the reefs at Killarney. The Fitzroy River is steady for bream to about 34cm but the Hopkins River at Warrnambool is quiet for mainly small bream.

Bream averaging 32-36cm are being caught on crab and minnow in the Curdies River. Anglers motoring to Cape Otway are catching gummy sharks to 20kg. Off Apollo Bay, flathead to 2kg are being taken in 20-30m of water, pinkies are on the inshore reefs and King George whiting to about 1kg are being caught out from Skenes Creek.

In Port Phillip Bay, snapper to 5.5kg are being caught in Corio Bay inner harbour offshore from the wheat silos and in the outer harbour from Point Lillias to Point Richards. Pilchard, garfish and squid baits working.

Salmon to 2kg are schooling off Black Rock and being caught trolling or spinning lures, or flicking unweighted baits.

Calamari squid are being caught along the inshore reefs from Frankston to Mornington pier.

Western Port has King George whiting from 32cm to 46cm being caught along the Middle Spit and Tortoise Head Bank on pipi, squid and mussel.

Snapper to 3kg are being caught off Corinella, along with pinkies, salmon and silver trevally. The bay’s annual run of elephant fish is underway with elephants to 3kg being caught in many areas of the bay including Corinella to Rhyll on pilchard and squid baits.

In the Gippsland Lakes, Hollands Landing is producing flathead and bream near the boat ramp on local prawn and soft plastic lures. In the Mitchell River, garfish are biting near the butter factory and bream are being caught at the Cut and the mouth on prawn and Vibe lures.

The Tambo and Nicholson Rivers have flathead and bream being caught on prawn and soft plastic lures. Lakes Entrance has salmon and small numbers of King George Whiting.

At Lake Tyers, luderick are biting between the jetty and tavern, and the Glasshouse area is producing flathead and bream on prawn and lures.

The estuary at Marlo has estuary perch and bream taking prawn baits. Sandworm and prawn baits are best for luderick and bream at Bemm River.

At Mallacoota Inlet, bream are biting in the Bottom Lake on prawn and metal lures. Flathead are taking soft plastics and live mullet, garfish are in good numbers and taking prawn with luderick and tailor being caught on weed and metal lures respectively.

Source : Weekly Times Now

A great new look to Rod Mackenzie’s new tackle shop, with some awesome fishing lures, and he has added a news feed which I will be checking out regularly for fishing tips and tricks in trying to catch those big murray cod and other Australian natives.

The shop is interesting as it allows you to write reviews for fishing lure products he has for sale, and the customer area is quite nifty with lots of small features. I can now for instance register my interest in out of stock items and be informed automatically when they are back in stock. He also now has a newsletter.

The fishing photos as well are a great browse, I don’t know how he does it consistently bringing in large murray cod on his fishing expeditions!

I’ve been a bit slack with updates on this site, it’s been a busy start to the year and busy fishing season for me, both in some salt water fishing up the south coast of Australia as well as the standard freshwater fishing for murray cod and yellowbelly. I’m also heading up to Queensland to hunt some barra as well.

chat soon!

Thousands of small fish have been released into Lake Ginninderra as part of a restocking program for Canberra’s lakes.

More than 16,000 Murray cod fingerlings were added to the lake but it will take about five years for them to reach legal catching size.

Since the mid 1990s more than 1 million fish have been released into Canberra’s lakes.

Water ecologist Matt Beitzel says the cod also help conserve local water ways and fish breeding areas.

“By stocking the urban lakes in Lake Ginninderra and … other urban lakes … we provide the angling public a opportunity to catch fish that are stocked [locally],” he said.

“This helps relieve pressure off our wild fisheries and our most sensitive fisheries, which are out in the river systems.”

Source : ABC News

Steve Cooper

THE biggest event on the anglers’ calendar this summer is the opening of Murray cod season in Victoria and NSW on Monday, December 1.

In terms of publicity and public involvement, the Murray cod opening has developed into a more anticipated event than the trout opening.

Cod stocks in Victoria’s northern rivers and lakes have gone from boiled sweets to chocolates.

The fishery is testament to the determination of Fisheries biologists in Victoria and NSW to renew Murray cod.

In many waters, the species has been brought back from the brink of extinction to a dominance it held when white settlers arrived.

Almost three months after cod season closed, most native fish anglers are starting to think about where they will be heading.

Some anglers will take the first week of December off work to chase cod because early season fishing can be excellent.

If you are planning a cod trip, now is a good time to find where the cod are, and which rivers and impoundments hold enough water, so you can decide where to go.

Long-term stocking in Lake Eildon in Victoria has seen hundreds of thousands of Murray cod released and anglers trolling large bibbed minnows down deep in the Delatite Arm can do well. Cod in excess of 25kg have been caught in this water.

Victoria’s Kerang Lakes have been stocked with cod. Lakes Boga, Charm and Kangaroo, and Middle Lake don’t hold monsters, but they do have legal size cod.

Victorian rivers to try include the lower Goulburn, Broken River (Benalla to Shepparton) and the Loddon River, above and below Bridgewater.

The Campaspe River from Elmore to Echuca has cod but is a small boat or bank fishing option.

Along the Murray River, there are many opportunities.

The Mitta Arm at Lake Hume (classed as Victorian water) and Lake Mulwala at Yarrawonga (classed as NSW water) produce good results.

Lake Mulwala is generally regarded as the most productive cod fishery in Australia in terms of numbers of cod caught.

Gunbower Creek, near Cohuna, produces cod as does another anabranch, the Little Murray River near Swan Hill.

The Murray River upstream of Swan Hill to Pental Island is a consistent stretch of water.

Alternatively, the Wakool River at Kyalite or the Edward River upstream of Kyalite fish well for cod early in the season.

Other places along the Murray worth trying are Boundary Bend and further downstream from Euston Weir to Wemen.

The Murrumbidgee River at Balranald, Maude and Hay has earned a reputation for producing good numbers of Murray cod early in the season.

Tackling up for cod isn’t difficult. Most bait fishers prefer 6-8kg threadline outfits.

To rig up, use a running sinker to a No. 2-4 straight hook or a 6/0 Suicide pattern. A leader of a minimum 15kg breaking strain should be used in case you hook into a big cod, which will wear through lighter leader material.

Best cod baits include bardi grubs, shrimp, yabbies and scrubworms. Cheese baits also do well.

Lure trollers tend to use baitcaster outfits, with a large difference between the rod rating and the line used.

The popular rod is rated for about 6kg but the reel will be spooled with 15kg breaking strain braid to stand the wear and tear of timber.

When using an outfit configured this way, set your drag on the reel to suit the rod, not the line - otherwise you may end up the owner of a two-piece rod.

The same outfit can be used for casting lures into snags.

When you attach your lure, use a loop knot as clips or snaps have a nasty habit of opening up at inopportune times - like when you are hooked up.

As a rule of thumb, the most productive early season lures are in bright or fluoro colours.

Successful cod lures include Stumpjumpers, Mongs, Halco Poltergeists and Scorpions, AC Invaders and Oargee, and spinnerbaits and mumblers like those produced by Bassman.

* Steve Cooper can be heard on the Casting Off program on Radio Sport927 between 4.30am and 6.30am on Saturdays.

Source : Weekly Times Now

Scientists say increasing numbers of Murray cod are dying in the lower reaches of the river.

A scientist at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Dr Qifeng Ye, has been monitoring Murray cod numbers since 2005.

Dr Ye says the increase in cod deaths this spring has been noticeable.

She says the drought and low water levels could be to blame.

“The number of Murray cod is pretty low that we collected, so we still need to think about an improved mechanism of efficient and cost-effective way of assessing the Murray cod abundancy in the lower Murray,” she said.

Source : ABC News

The boys at Rapid Release have put out another DVD to follow up their first ‘Cod Almighty’, aptly named ‘Cod Almighty 2′, you can view the trailer and purchase here.

The gang take on some mighty Murray Cod in this their second foray in video of some of the biggest catches I have seen. With great tips and full of knowledge, both these DVD videos are a must have for any keen Murray Cod fisherman, chasing the legend.

It’s fast paced action coupled with insider education that brings you up to speed for the day you hook onto that monster your always chasing. Some of the biggest fish caught on film, don’t miss out.

Murraymonsters forums have slowly been revamped and a great new updated look. If your after good discussion, great tips, and a supportive cod loving community look no further.
Be sure to say hi if you join!

A big crowd is expected to head to Wyangala Reservoir this weekend for the annual Grabine Fishing Tournament being staged over three days, starting today.

There is a stack of prizes on hand for Murray cod, silver perch, golden perch, catfish and carp and there will be a lucky draw for the main prize, a Brooker boat, motor and trailer worth $10,500. Total prizes exceed $20,000.

Plenty of camping is available and anglers can fish anywhere within the reservoir, currently at about 10 per cent capacity.

There will be strong emphasis on conservation fishing during the tournament. Anglers will be encouraged to weigh their fish alive and then release them as soon as possible.

There also will be a nice touch, with local NSW Police at the camping ground offering free breathalyser tests for drivers before they drive home. A great safety feature that will be much appreciated by responsible drivers.

Felt soles banned

Anglers heading to New Zealand on annual trout fishing trips should note there will be a ban on the use of felt sole boots in trout fishing waters that comes into force on October 1.

The ban is to assist in slowing the spread of a nasty form of algae known as Didymo, and other micro-organisms, and applies to all forms of shoes or boots with felt, matted or woven fibre material.

It will initially apply to all trout fishing areas except the Taupo fishing region but that is also expected to be banned.

In the South Island, Didymo grows in streams and lakes and covers the bottom of waterways with a stifling algal mat, but it is likely to spread unless preventative actions are taken.

Anglers returning to Australia can expect strict quarantine measures to be followed at airports, including washing and cleaning of all fishing gear by Australian Quarantine staff.

Jindabyne’s browns

The good news in the mountain lakes is that Jindabyne is producing some great fish in some easily accessible areas.

Angler Rory, who has just returned from a residential stint in Jindabyne, reported catching huge browns night after night on small soft plastics, from the shore, right in the middle of town.

He said the best times were half an hour before dark and half an hour afterwards and the fish ranged from 1.5kg to 5kg, Well worth a look.

The bad news is that a prominent illegal setliner is active at Eucumbene again.

In recent months, anglers have retrieved dozens of his illegal lines from the lake at Seven Gates and tossed them in the fire. Last weekend he was back, setting at least a dozen lines which other anglers found and burnt.

They said they would like authorities to check out a fellow driving a white Toyoya Hilux with a canvas canopy and who prominently displays a Queanbeyan City Council witch’s hat at his campsite.

Redfin at Googong

There have been reports of big redfin in local waters and it is obvious the fish are on the move as water temperatures increase.

Some big fat fish were caught on spinnerbaits and celta at Googong. Nathan Walker landed an absolute monster on a Jackal lure in the Molonglo River.

The fish are bulging with roe and are well worth pursuing from now on.

Mallacoota worthwhile

If you are looking for a bit of new water to fish, consider a trip to Mallacoota. It takes about four hours to drive from Canberra and in recent times has provided some superb fishing.

Canberra identity Jim Seears went there recently and despite some inclement weather he had a ball catching bream on soft plastics and hard-bodied lures.

The best of the bream were great fish, some of them up to 50cm and they were testing opponents on light tackle.

Jim tells me the man with all the local info on where to fish and what to use is ”Bob” at the local Ampol Service Station.

Bryan Pratt is a Canberra-based ecologist

Source: Canberra Times