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Gear up for the Goulburn
  |  First Published: February 2008



In February, the Goulburn River around Mitchelton near Seymour should be the place to go for Murray cod. For those that have already made the trip, the results have been excellent. The Murray cod don’t have it all on their own though, as the redfin have been climbing all over the lures as well. Very few Murray cod are undersize here, and the redfin are generally at least 1kg.

If you are going to target Murray cod, make sure you have appropriate gear. Many anglers have been comprehensively busted off when using light gear. Even those that have been suitably geared have been broken off. So the message is clear – gear up, as these fish are big! The best lures have been StumpJumpers in size 1 and 2. Pink and green are the best colours.

Stephen Emerson and his mate Mark Hayes from Melbourne, both very keen bream lure fishermen, made the trip to Seymour after reading my December report. Casting lures to the snags they caught several quality redfin, and they were both amazed to see a cod of about 1m follow Stephen’s Kokoda Fat R lure to the boat before turning away. These situations are frustrating, but nonetheless very rewarding.

Further downstream the river has also been very good, with many Murray cod being taken on baits such as yabbies and grubs. The best areas have been Toolamba and Undera. These areas are particularly good for anglers who don’t have a boat. The banks can be quite steep though, so care needs to be taken when climbing up and down.

On the upstream side of Seymour, anglers have been taking some very nice trout on bait and lures. This was before the recent heavy rain that dirtied the water quite a lot. By February, providing we get no more heavy rain, this area should return to good fishing for the trout enthusiasts.

Lake Eildon has been fishing quite well, however you need to put in the time for best results. On a recent trip, my nephew Luke Hendry from Swan Hill and his mate Simon Vansomeren from Queensland took four Murray cod, as well as several carp on cast and trolled lures. No golden perch were taken, but they also took redfin whilst fishing around the trees.

As a VFM reporter, I go to great lengths to ensure that my reports are up to date and accurate. This involves making numerous phone calls and visiting local waterways to talk to other anglers, even on days that I am not fishing myself. It’s a labour of love though, so it is pleasing to receive many emails from anglers who have read my report and caught some good fish. So thank you for your support, and keep the emails coming in. Include a photo and you may get your photo in the magazine. If you don’t have email facilities then just post your report and photo to PO Box 417 Seymour 3661.

Stephen Emerson with a nice redfin from the Goulburn River near Seymour.

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