G'day fishos. Big cod and how to extract one from the water is what's filling most fishos' brains during any downtime at the moment.
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We've had a decent drop of rain, but cod opening's not until Wednesday and predictions are for very little, if any, rain until then, so let's hope that gives our smaller streams and rivers a little time to settle down and clear before we head out.
Recent rain hasn't done anyone any favours, but with a wetter than normal summer predicted, it looks like we'll just have to get used to it.
The bulk of cod fishos will have their sights set on getting away next weekend, so things should clear up even more by then, as long as we don't get too much more wet stuff.
Apart from a bit of dirty water here and there, the season's shaping up extremely well though, so here's hoping you have a ball whenever you get the chance to get out!
Hume Dam (99 per cent): is consistent, with fish of all species playing the game. She's pretty full though and there are now four gates open and over 20,000 megs being released.
Trout have slowed a fair bit, but I've spoken to a couple of fishos that are still targeting them and pulling some big ones using lead line and Tassies, particularly early in the day. They caught four in two trips this week, and all were big fish.
Reddies are being caught using all methods - trolling, jigging/jagging, bait around trees or out in the open, trolling or flicking plastics/vibes.
Concentrate your efforts at 10 metres or less and if you get into a bit of weed, don't panic, the reddies are also in amongst it feeding.
Cod are being caught in surprisingly good numbers, and despite most being between 400mm to the high 500s, there's been a couple in the high 700s reported too!
Ninety-nine per cent of them are being caught as bycatch, while fishos are chasing reddies and yellas but it'll be interesting when the season opens and a few keener cod fishos start targeting them with larger lures.
If it's yellas that do it for you, now's the time to strike. I reckon we're just into that four to eight-week window we get every year, where they get all hot under the collar, thinking about spawning and all the males school up, chasing the big females about. Some of the numbers I've heard of in the past week are crazy!
Soft vibes such as the Zerek "Fish Traps", Samaki "Vibalicious" and the old standard black grubs are all pulling fish.
The most common technique is to pull up at a tree, drop your lure to the bottom and then very slowly retrieve. Keep repeating the process; it definitely works.
Of course, electronics have changed the game completely. Fish finders are a big advantage as far as seeing if there are fish at the tree you're at and the depth they're in, but live scopes have taken that to a whole new level.
You can not only spot the individual fish but can drop a lure on their nose and watch them eat it.
These things are insanely good but can also be insanely frustrating if the fish aren't on the chew.
At times you can be dancing your lure on their hooter and they just won't open their gob.
That doesn't seem to be the case lately, though and I've heard of a few fishos boating well over 20 yellas in a session earlier in the week.
Dartmouth (85 per cent): fished well for the Dartmouth Women's Classic last weekend. I think participant numbers were slightly down, which you'd expect under the circumstances, but plenty of fish and fun was had by all those who attended.
In all, there were around 300 trout caught, with the bulk trolled. They were picked up on a variety of lures and at various depths but lead lines or fenders played a role in a lot of those caught.
Biggest fish caught was a 700mm monster and champion angler was Dart local Synthia Stuart.
This comp is a catch and release comp, so most of those caught are still swimming around.
Streams: might be better left a day or three considering the rain we've had, but if you can find a bit of clear or clearing water somewhere, you'll do ok.
They'd been fishing very well up until these last rains and no reason to think that won't continue.
The Bidgee: is one river that's not shaping up all that well for cod opening, I'm afraid.
This rain added to the releases that are coming from Burrinjuck and Blowering, mean it will remain very high for a while.
Blowering (97.6 per cent): has picked up a little again, with reports of a bit of everything being caught. Bait fishos, in particular, have been having a bit of success.
Eucumbene (43.5 per cent): is fishing the best it has in quite a while, with rising water covering ground that hasn't had water over it for many years.
There's been some beautiful browns caught with bait, lure and fly fishos all having a great time of it.
Good luck to anyone heading out this week, but with cod opening on Wednesday, I'm sorry but I've just gotta say it, "May the Cods be with you!" My apologies again haha.
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