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A freezing day on the river, but some success...

big Neil

By big Neil
in Freshwater Fishing Reports

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big Neil DOGTOOTH TUNA

big Neil

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On Monday morning, I was tidying up a few loose ends before having to go to Wagga Wagga. Had a call from my mate Luke, "Fancy a few hours fishing?" Change of plans was easily arranged and we launched in freezing, windy conditions at about 8.30 am. The Murrumbidgee was about a metre lower than the previous day and we motored upstream about 5 km, fingers, and faces blue from the cold. A welcome relief to launch the electric and get some shelter from the wind. The current was quite strong so we both started off with spinnerbaits, me with a 5/8oz willow blade purple/black and Luke with a 3/4oz red/black spinnerbait with a single 8cm willow blade. The number of new snags, since last years floods, was very noticeable. Casting with frozen hands was a bit of a bind but we both managed to get in the zone fairly regularly. We cast aplenty during the 4 hrs on the water and were rewarded by a couple of nice Murray Cod.

Luke was the first to hook up on his spinnerbait, with the exaggerated willow blade. A lovely cast into the "V" of a snag, slow retrieve, and his lure was smashed about halfway back to the boat. The fish darted straight under the boat and it took Luke's skill to turn it. It appeared to be a decent fish and headed out into the fast-flowing water where it presented an additional problem. Luke couldn't turn it, once in the current, and it started to drag the boat out into the fast water. Some fine angling skills managed to bring it, and the boat, back towards the bank again. After a spirited fight, I retrieved my lure, which was snagged, and got the landing net ready. The fish was still using the available current to stay deep. Eventually, I tried to get it into the net, but it was far too big. Luke managed to get a glove on and got his hand into its huge mouth. The fish went 105cm on the brag mat and obviously had its gut full of something big, crayfish, duck, or another fish? The fish was released safely after a couple of quick photos. Already the trip was worthwhile and we pressed on.

We cast hundreds of times into the multitude of snags for the next 2 hours before deciding to cover one last stretch of snags. It was nearing 4 hrs on the water and still wasn't any warmer than when we arrived. I managed the one hit on the second last snag, a Cod of about 60cms, on the same spinnerbait which I had used all day. It was released to fight another day. Another fast trip back to the ramp saw us arrive still freezing from the wind chill factor. It was good to get into the car with the heater running, and colour returning to the extremities.

Here are a few pics (as usual)...

105cm Murray Cod, with a full gut...

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The water was quite low but there was a steady current happening...

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Dinner for Luke's Cod...

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Thanks for reading.   bn

 

 

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Yowie WAHOO

Yowie

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Very nice fish there b.n., bigger than what we caught. (as for me, no murries)

One of the others pulled out 3 murray cod, all about 30cm long, from the Murray below Yarrawonga weir. At least I pulled out 2 small Redfin, a new species for me, but no murries yet.

As for the weather, pretty bloody cool, with showers now and then. Still a fair bit of water flowing past Tocumwal now.

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big Neil DOGTOOTH TUNA

big Neil

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6 hours ago, Yowie said:

Very nice fish there b.n., bigger than what we caught. (as for me, no murries)

One of the others pulled out 3 murray cod, all about 30cm long, from the Murray below Yarrawonga weir. At least I pulled out 2 small Redfin, a new species for me, but no murries yet.

As for the weather, pretty bloody cool, with showers now and then. Still a fair bit of water flowing past Tocumwal now.

Thanks, Yowie. Been plenty of Crayfish caught where you are on the Murray River. Have you tried for them at all? Try some big spinnerbaits close in towards the bank for Murray Cod.  bn

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Yowie WAHOO

Yowie

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5 hours ago, big Neil said:

Thanks, Yowie. Been plenty of Crayfish caught where you are on the Murray River. Have you tried for them at all? Try some big spinnerbaits close in towards the bank for Murray Cod.  bn

Have to head back to Sydney by Saturday so no further time to fish down this way.

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Hill373737 MORWONG

Hill373737

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Great report bn , and good to see you getting out for a fish! Just being on the boat with a mate who caught a metery is worth the cost of admission.

I'm much better prepared fpor the cold this year, here's a selfie from earlier this week on a foggy morning, minus 3 when I launched just after 6am. There was still frost on the banks and ice on many of the snags a couple of hours after sunrise.IMG_6020.thumb.JPG.1bd7f6ea55353fd96e07395d3d11d885.JPG

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frankS KINGFISH

frankS

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Neil. That is a great Cod and I am glad for you and your mate to have captured it and released it in good condition.

Sometimes it's worth the freezing conditions to have a great capture like that.

Frank

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big Neil DOGTOOTH TUNA

big Neil

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1 hour ago, dirvin21 said:

Couple of great fish Neil, we're jealous, just back from a Copeton doughnut in freezing temps

Thanks Dave and Amy. The big willow blade was ideal for the conditions (moderately fast flowing water).

bn

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big Neil DOGTOOTH TUNA

big Neil

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4 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Nice fish and scenery pics BN. Well worth braving the cold for.

That big cod sure has a belly on it. Looks rounder than it is long.

You can see how their shape changes as they grow through their breeding years...the 60cm to the 105cm.

bn

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  • 2 weeks later...
Pickles BLUE MARLIN

Pickles

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Top effort Neil, 105 is a really good fish - I reckon you can share the glory, you deserve it facing the cold (we’ve had it down to -3 this winter, but it must be colder down there). It must be hard to change lures with numb fingers. Keep at legend.

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big Neil DOGTOOTH TUNA

big Neil

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9 hours ago, Pickles said:

Top effort Neil, 105 is a really good fish - I reckon you can share the glory, you deserve it facing the cold (we’ve had it down to -3 this winter, but it must be colder down there). It must be hard to change lures with numb fingers. Keep at legend.

Hard to do anything with your hands, Bob. Makes getting any kind of result all the sweeter though. The level of anticipation is high, with every single cast, that one will jump on the lure/ Very addictive type of fishing, except for the cold.

Cheers, bn

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big Neil DOGTOOTH TUNA

big Neil

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On 6/23/2023 at 9:04 AM, Hill373737 said:

Great report bn , and good to see you getting out for a fish! Just being on the boat with a mate who caught a metery is worth the cost of admission.

I'm much better prepared fpor the cold this year, here's a selfie from earlier this week on a foggy morning, minus 3 when I launched just after 6am. There was still frost on the banks and ice on many of the snags a couple of hours after sunrise.IMG_6020.thumb.JPG.1bd7f6ea55353fd96e07395d3d11d885.JPG

True. Luke is an excellent angler and I have learned a lot from him over the years. A few years back we had an even better Winter session, in the same vicinity. Luke was using his favourite hardbody lure that (effectively) looked like a giant Bardi Grub with a large bib. It dived deep right from the very first crank of the bait caster reel. He hooked a 100cm with one cast and we moved on about 5 metres where he hooked a 120cm Cod on the very next cast. Here's a bit of footage of the release of the 120cm Cod.   bn

 

 

 

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zmk1962 YELLOWFIN TUNA

zmk1962

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Now that’s an awesome MC 105cm wow. Great catch and release. It’s been cold on the water everywhere but in hindsight worth every second.  We live in Gods country. Keep them coming BN. 
cheers Zoran 

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LuckyFil SNAPPER

LuckyFil

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A long outing in seriously trying conditions rewarded for persistence. A great story well told - especially the segment covering the challenge of getting the big girl to the boat. I could feel the tension. We all know it sometimes doesn't end well and just when the fish is in sight of the net something gives - a knot breaks, the hooks pull etc and you sit there in shock. So nice to hear a happy ending.

Also very good  pics/video of the fish and scenery .

Well done.

Fil

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