A much needed fish

[big Neil]

I have been really busy recently making pottery for 2 big shows coming up. It has given me the opportunity to come up with some new body of work. Playing lawn bowls 3-4 times a week too so the fishing has taken a back seat. The river has been low for ages so that rules the tinny out, the irrigation channels have been empty to fit in with maintenance work, so not even any Carp fishing to fall back on.

I decided to take a break from making pots and headed to the river for a recce, taking some gear with me just in case. As expected the water level was very low but this can be quite useful in as much as you get to see what is under the water where you often fish. Good info for when they put some water back into the river...hopefully before Cod breeding season starting in September. 

Anyway, back to the fishing trip. The water was about 6m below where I stood and I knew it would be hard to land anything I hooked. I tied a rope to my tow ball and shimmied down to some giant eucalypt tree roots about 3.5m above the water...as good as it was going to be. I rigged up my 2 rods and loaded up with cheese, frankfurters and worms. 5 mins in and the first bite on the worms. This was on my 3-6kg Yellowbelly rod and immediately I knew I wasn't going to land it. It broke the surface and was a Carp of about 70cms. I managed to navigate it over a huge tree stump right below me but that was it. It thrashed around in the tree roots and the line broke. I re rigged and sent another bunch of works into the same spot. Next bite was not long coming and I steered this very healthy Trout Cod of 50 cms to the edge of the water way below me. No option than to dead lift it and hope for the best, not something I enjoy doing with these beautiful creatures. I was lucky and it came up without breaking the line or the rod, a very healthy-looking fish. It was unceremoniously released with a calculated lob which saw it swim away none the worse for its experience. No other bites for a few hours so I headed home.

Some area pics and one of the Trout Cod...

and downstream...

bn

 

 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 12:34 AM by big Neil
spelling mistake.

[james Cutler]

Great report & top photos. Well done.

[Steve0]

As always, your riverside photos bring back happy memories.

[Blackfish]

Tranquility at its best there Neil with some fish to. 👍

[Little_Flatty]

What a lovely place to spend a few hours.

Great to have many interests! Though inconvenient when they interfere with fishing!

[Hoods]

Thanks for the Report BN,

Re the 2nd photo - I thought you weren't allowed to use "springers" anymore!!?? Must be BIG Cod in that hole....

[big Neil]

1 hour ago, Hoods said:

Thanks for the Report BN,

Re the 2nd photo - I thought you weren't allowed to use "springers" anymore!!?? Must be BIG Cod in that hole....

If you are referring to set lines, you are NOt allowed to use them. Is there one in the photo? Where is it?

I was at this same area a few years back and Fisheries came along and asked me had I seen any odd behaviour in the area? I told them there was a ute stopping and starting along the top of the river bank and the 2 guys were doing something down the bank then driving a bit further down. They said "is that your set line there?" I said "where? They replied right in front of you. I hadn't seen it till they pointed it out. Looks like the 2 guys may still be at it. If they are I will report it to Fisheries again and hopefully they can catch them. 

Can you point out specifically where it is in the photo and I will check it out when I next go there.

Hope you are doing alright, been out to wet a line at all?

Cheers, bn

[Guinness]

Lovely trout cod Big Neil. Great photos of the river too. A real shame that some inconsiderate people are still intent on breaking fishery rules to attain a feed if the discovery of set lines is true.  

[Hoods]

Ha Ha. I was joking referring to the star post in the photo!!

No fishing at this end. Young fulla went out the other week and returned with some Bar Cod.

Reports of some good snapper when they can get out.

[Yowie]

Something for your efforts b.n., a healthy looking fish.

Low water is not good for fishing, however, you get a better picture of where the trees, snags are located. Useful info for higher water levels.

[big Neil]

6 hours ago, Guinness said:

Lovely trout cod Big Neil. Great photos of the river too. A real shame that some inconsiderate people are still intent on breaking fishery rules to attain a feed if the discovery of set lines is true.  

Hi Guiness. It appears that Hoods was having a joke about the star post in the picture. A lot of cowboys down here that still do what they want without consideration of rules and regulations. They certainly are a very lovely looking fish and usually hit hard, making them good to catch. Cheers, bn

[big Neil]

5 hours ago, Yowie said:

Something for your efforts b.n., a healthy looking fish.

Low water is not good for fishing, however, you get a better picture of where the trees, snags are located. Useful info for higher water levels.

Sure is, I never knew there was a sandbank right out in the middle. Would account for why I get fish between the bank and its drop off.

bn

[Hill373737]

hey mate, good to see you get out for a fish and pick up a nice healthy trout cod, although you have plenty to keep you busy when conditions aren't great.

As someone who loves the challenge of fooling a fish into eating a lure, I struggle to understand why the cowboys think that a set line is fishing!!

cheers!!

 

[big Neil]

8 hours ago, Hill373737 said:

hey mate, good to see you get out for a fish and pick up a nice healthy trout cod, although you have plenty to keep you busy when conditions aren't great.

As someone who loves the challenge of fooling a fish into eating a lure, I struggle to understand why the cowboys think that a set line is fishing!!

cheers!!

 

Do you get many Trout Cod up your way? I find they are very aggressive when they hit a lure, noticeably more so than Murray Cod of the same size.

[Hill373737]

2 hours ago, big Neil said:

Do you get many Trout Cod up your way? I find they are very aggressive when they hit a lure, noticeably more so than Murray Cod of the same size.

I haven't caught Trout Cod up here, only Murrays. I was told you can get them down in the Macquarie but not up here, not sure how accurate that is.

Fishing here has been a bit hit and miss, definitely not as good as last season. There's still some magic moments, a mate and I were a long way down the river in kayaks a few days back , not a touch, then suddenly in 30 minutes we caught 5 including an 80 and a 75 for my mate within a couple of casts ..... then it shut down again!

 

 

[bessell1955]

A quick question, BN.  Do Trout Cod grow as big as Murray Cod and how did they get their name?

[big Neil]

4 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

A quick question, BN.  Do Trout Cod grow as big as Murray Cod and how did they get their name?

No they don't. Murray Cod get up to 1.8m and way over 100 kgs, Trout Cod (Blue nose Cod get to about 85 cms. They were in real danger of becoming rare till Fisheries NSW at Narrandera started to breed them and re stock rivers and dams. That was about 15 years ago. They are well on the way to being re-established but unlikely they will come off the "endangered species" list soon. They do cross breed with Murray Cod to produce hybrids but it is suggested that these are sterile???

bn

[bessell1955]

Thank you BN for your informative reply.