Topwater Cod

[dean]

For the past week I've been trying to dodge the rain and get a bit of fishing in. The original plan was for a week long fishing and family holiday in the Coffs, northern rivers area. With the weather report not looking good and lots of rain predicted a change of plans was in order. NE Vic is an area I've always wanted to fish, the weather report looked good and I could hear the cod calling. All I needed to do was throw a few cod and trout lures in and we were away.

The plan was to start at Wangaratta and fish our way over to the upper Murray. It was pretty easy to find places to camp on good water and I fished for 4 days before the rain eventually caught up with us. Morning surface sessions were the most productive but the bite shut down quickly and it was tough going with spinnerbaits. The afternoon sessions were tougher again and the fish showed no interest. We moved camp a few times and that gave me the opportunity to fish a fresh section of river each morning, locals had told me the area coped a lot of pressure this summer and moving around would improve my chances.

Because I'm a surface addict lure choice was easy, I bought a couple of big buzzbait and hadn't had an opportunity to use them yet, this trip would be the perfect testing ground. I really didn't know if they were going to work when I tied one on the first morning but after only 15 minutes a small cod showed some interest and that was the start of some great fishing. 14 cod were landed over the 4 days, 10 Murray and 4 trout cod, another 8 fish missed the hooks on the strike. All but one were taken off the surface. I dropped a good fish on the 3rd day which was a little disappointing but made up for it on the 4th day with a fish just under 80cm. The surface strikes were huge, and it' the one thing that keeps me coming back for more.

I did target trout on a few occasions and on one river I fished for cod in the deeper pools and then trout in the rapids, only landed a few but when the cod are biting it's hard to fish for anything else. The upper Murray part of the trip was a bit of a wipe out. Over a 100mm of rain in two days flooded the rivers and even the trout didn't want to play. A trip for another time.

Cheers, Dean

[nbdshroom]

It's been raining pretty much all week here and it's already started to get cold. That Murray cod in the 3rd last picture looks massive. Are there any carp up in that area?

[Jewhunter]

Top stuff mate.

There is something very special about green fish from a river.

You're not wrong about surface fishing for them. It is so much fun

& the explosions have to be seen & heard to be believed.

Your hookup rate on the surface was pretty good. Last time I went out

it was about 1 in 8. Terrible eyesight the old cod!

That's a bonus to be able to get trout & cod from the same water, but

like you I don't think I'd chase the trout too often!!

Thanks for sharing & well done again.

Cheers,

Grant.

[Hodgey]

Crackin' report Dean and congrats on some terrific fish. Fantastic photos as always. The water you were fishing seems to be a lot cleaner than Loddon. Surface fishing is not overly popular (or productive) down here compared to other regions/rivers, but I have had some interest in the large Codseeker surface lures. I recently purchased a couple more buzzbaits and look forward to giving them a swim soon. Keep the reports and photos coming mate ... they are 1st class!

Cheers

Hodgey

[Centrepin]

Dean,

Great report. I love seeing the green fish. Would love to get among them some day.

Sorry the upper Murray was not on, you would love it.

Thanks for sharing.

Geoff

[paul.kenny]

Thanks for sharing Dean, it looks like an awesome trip despite the testing weather at the back end of the trip. Whilst I am yet to catch a green fish, I could just imagine the explosive strike on your surface lure.........gotta love a productive surface bite on our natives.

[bassboy888]

Teasing us with big bass and now surface cod! dean your on fire at the moment well done on some awesome fish in some great surroundings, the big cod looks like a brilliant fish!

[PRED-ATOR]

absolutely awesome

[luderick -angler]

Awesome stuff on the greenish the turon once it settles below sofala should see some good Murray cod action too Geoff I can put tou on touch with a local guy if your after a few on the fly!!!!