big Neil

Don't apologise for the extensive report, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the detailed account of your varied successes.. What you have achieved is very notable and your persistence needs to be acknowledged. Definitely difficult to get Yellas AND Cod in quick succession and from different locations. Add to that the Trout and Redfin and you have achieved feats that most people never get to experience. Very well done. A great read accompanied by some excellent photos, thanks for sharing it. Cheers, bn

No definitive theory Bob. The smaller Cod (under 55cms and sexually inactive) tend to go around together. Probably as a defence strategy, as these larger ones would eat them. I imagine there is an increase in the feeding frequency that the larger ones (usually solitary) adopt when the breeding season has been particularly good...like last year. 2015 was the last (previous) good conditions for breeding and fish of all sizes were easier to catch. Since then there has been a development of short bite windows where the Cod feed. I don't know why that has happened, but it is definitely a new phenomenon. I hope to investigate these changed habits further and will put up a post when I have something more concrete. bn

Thanks Max. The Cod are still biting in very small windows of action that may only last half an hour or so. Do you find that where you fish? Get the boat out and see how you go. Cod don't eat all the time but they have to eat sometime. bn

Yes raw although I have heard of them being caught on Mc Nuggets. Cheese is one of the best baits for them too. bn

What an awesome result. I have never seen Hairtail and always thought them to be caught only in the colder months. Obviously, that's not correct judging by your excellent results. Great photos. Cheers, bn

Thanks for your post jaybez. Where is your local for Redfin? Very healthy-looking specimen in your picture. I am just curious as I can catch Redfin near home. If you don't wish to disclose the info in the open forum you may wish to PM me. Cheers, bn

Many thanks for your report and photos of some of the fish you have caught. I've never seriously fished for Trout in Australia but have great respect for those who do. They are not the easiest fish to catch, no matter what method the angler is using. Generally, the fishing methods required for success require a level of mobility that I no longer possess, so I can appreciate those who manage to get results on a regular basis. Do you normally eat Trout? If so, what is your preferred way of cooking them? Cheers, bn

Murray Cod season has been open for a month here on the Murrumbidgee River. The excellent conditions for their breeding season has provided very healthy specimens... but fewer of them. I have been out fishing various parts of the river and the results are the same...fewer fish, but much bigger than in a normal season. Previously, the norm would have been to catch numerous fish under the 55-75cm slot. To date I have caught about 5 undersized fish and around 8 in the 70-80cm range, all in excellent condition (about 50% heavier than normal). Yesterday I had a trip to Narrandera. 5 solid hours of fishing, trying every avenue of potential, resulted in just one bite, and this fish of 73cms caught on garlic-infused chicken breast. The river has been very fishable in the main, evidenced by about 15 boats being on the river while I was there. None of the anglers I spoke to had any significant numbers to claim. For those who enjoy the river scenery here are a few pics of the areas I fished yesterday. I fished a variety of different locations trying to locate a bite. The only other variable that I can explore is time of day. Usually, the mornings have provided good fishing, but I will give the late afternoons a go and see if that is more productive in numbers of bites. Thanks for reading, bn

You wouldn't buy a car with that issue, nor would the manufacturer expect you to. Boats always get different considerations, probably because they are used less frequently than cars. It's easy to see why it is configured that way...the boat is too narrow across the beam to have 2 seats and a space between them. Doubt you will find something comfortable in that size range of boat. bn

Unlikely they contain something specific to Trout so I reckon they should work on other species. Please post your efforts to prove / disprove their capability. I'm sure there are lots of us who would be interested to know how you go. Good luck. Cheers, bn

Well done Fab. Must feel good getting out after a layoff. Catching a few is a bonus too. bn

No info as it's a long time since I fished Sussex Inlet. I just want to welcome you to the site and hope that you find it beneficial to your particular needs. Good luck, bn

Hi SteveO. Just curious. You know a fair bit about the habits of the Luderick and you mention Bemm River. Is that a regular place you fish. Supposed to be really good for big Bream. Cheers, bn

Without exception, Bob gets checked by fisheries all the time. I have been out fishing in the Harbour with him numerous times and always been checked. He is always polite to them as they are to him. It can be a nuisance to have them check you out when you're doing the right thing, but there are a lot of people who ignore everything and do what they want. Where I live in the Riverina there are only a couple of Fisheries Inspectors covering the bottom third of NSW, West of the divide. Shame really because there is that much illegal activity and bending of the rules, it would make you sick. Cheers, bn

I see that you too suffer from insomnia, as do I. Your post is inspiring Paikea. It is indeed beautiful to live in harmony with nature and to appreciate its role in our lives. So many people live without the experience of being at one with the songs of the Magpie and the other sounds of the natural world. Thank you for sharing your Maori mantra... bn

Sorry guys you must have missed my earlier post about getting the new COW. I am an old person and consequently have great difficulty with all things technology-based. The COW is my new car. It's a computer on wheels (COW). I like your line of thinking dmck. bn

An excellent video Dave. Gotta get up there for some of that action. Cheers, bn

I have never encountered one but, by all accounts, you were very lucky. Hope that you have recovered fully. Happy New Year to you and your family Mike. Look forward to seeing your reports. bn

Great post again Bob. I thought about contacting you while I was up at Orange over New Year but decided you would probably be busy, No probs. Hope they are still biting by the time I manage to get up to Sydney. Will keep you posted in case you're free. Good start to the New Year, hope it continues. Cheers, Neil

So I am back from Orange to find the gale force wind from the recent storm has blown off part of the fascia and broken a roof tile. The fascia also knocked the cover off the solar inverter but (luckily) no damage to the inverter. The COW went well and my daughter was able to turn off some of the very annoying bells and whistles... not all but enough to maintain sanity. I did a bit of research on fishing near to Orange and FrankS helped out with some excellent spots to have a look at in the region. Thanks Frank...beautiful areas you suggested. After a late morning arrival I set up my gear and James gear for some potential Carp fishing. Tried Lake Canobolas for 4 hrs using bread, worms, and corn kernels...not even a bite. There were others fishing too, and they suffered the same result. We also tried Spring Creek Reservoir and Gosling Creek Reserve for ZERO fish. The next full day we set off to explore the area where Frank suggested...OPHIR. What a cracking place this was. Spectacular views, beautiful Trout streams, Gold panning, and hundreds of people camping and enjoying the regions offerings and beauty. What a cracking place. Fishing wise, it looked very fishy but my lack of mobility coupled with James lack of ability left us fishless again. That was alright and we headed back to Orange quite weary at days end. The next day I was up early and changed the rods and reels over to suit Murray Cod and Yellowbelly fishing. James and I set off for an 80 minute trip to Forbes and the Lachlan River. I have fished the Lachlan before North of Griffith at Hillston and Booligal. Caught Cod, Yellas and Carp in there so I knew its potential. We drove round for over an hour and found some beautiful spots, if you had the agility of a mountain goat. Eventually, we found a place where we could get to the water's edge with a bit of effort. It was well worth it though. I hooked a good Cod with the first cast but lost it on the retrieve, James also had a hook up but lost it too. A few corrective words of wisdom and a bit of encouragement saw James get 2 very hefty Carp, perfectly angled into the waiting net. I managed one also but that was irrelevant as the mission was accomplished. Just need to work on the patience side of things, but that will come in time. Last night I went through the Uni knot with him until he had it down pat. Conclusion: There are NO FISH in or around Orange...LOL. There is some beautiful scenery to be enjoyed. And finally, James is coming down here to go out in my boat, fishing for Cod. Next school hols. Thanks for reading, bn

One of the few "couples" to post on Fishraider. Unusual in itself, but more so when the combined passion of you guys is included. You have spent some quality time together in far-off places and still find some time to fish locally. Great to share a common passion with one's partner, and even better that it takes you outdoors in the beautiful Aussie countryside. May your relationship flourish and you both continue to contribute to the forum. Looking forward to it, bn

Best wishes for the new year. Hope everyone is able to get onto some fish and learn something new from being on here. bn

Firstly, Happy New Year Bob. Good that you caught up with the Rev although things didn't go to plan fishing-wise. You always seem to end up with something, testimony to your keenness and knowledge of the piscatorial world. Cheers, bn

Nipping up to Orange for a few days. One of the grandkids has developed a sudden passion for fishing and I aim to give him a few clues whilst there. Should be fun. On a more serious note, I am enjoying the comfort of the new COW but it's doing my head in with all this daily technology intervention. BEEPS, BELLS, and WHISTLES...and I haven't even gotten out of the garage. Everything is supposed to operate via the mobile phone, and I don't even know how to use it properly. Anyway, these things are sent to try us and they are playing their role well. Happy and Healthy 2024 to you all. I will endeavour to catch up with some of you in the new year and continue to post and comment on things relevant on Fishraider. Cheers, bn

So glad that you caught something. It takes the pain out of donut days and lost tackle. Lovely area Yarrangobilly and well worth another visit if the opportunity presents itself. Regarding your frustration with lures, every Fishraider would have experienced what you are feeling right now. There is a learning curve with everything from soft plastics to surface lures. Much of it is based on understanding what the lure is doing and how the targeted fish species sees it. Most fish species will jump on an easy feed, so making the lure imitate a sick or wounded fish will often do the trick, Put the time in and it will happen for you. Thanks for the follow-up post and good luck with your lure fishing practice. bn