The Murray cod fishing in the region continues to deliver outstanding results to those anglers who put in the work.

There have been a number of big fish caught and released over the past month, and most of these have fallen victim to larger profiled lures. Lure fishing really shines as the water temperature starts to drop.

Bait fishing has still been effective, with larger yabbies working well. However, in the cooler water Murray cod will be reluctant to venture too far in search of food and I suspect this is why casting and trolling lures is a much better option, as these techniques allow you to present your offering right in the faces of the fish. Use big lures and spinnerbaits that represent a worthwhile meal to the targeted fish.

Longer, cooler nights have really started to kick the spawn run process into action over the past few weeks, with some top quality browns being picked up from Anglers Reach right down to the Providence flats. Expect this to really heat up down around the river mouth over the next few weeks. Be ready to get up to the river as soon as some good rain events hit the catchment, as this should send those big spawning browns upstream on their annual run upriver. Flyfishing and spin drifting the river will dominate from now up until the close of the river next month, with nymphs and glo-bugs being the flies of choice.

Spin drifting always causes quite a bit of controversy during this period. Realistically it’s only 5% of anglers that create this bad reputation; they fish right on top of other anglers and take far more fish than the regulations allow (one fish over 50cm). My suggestion would be to report any illegal fishing you see throughout this time to the relevant authorities, be tolerant of the idiots and be conscious of fishing too close to those who were there first.

Don’t be afraid of avoiding the crowds and giving the dam itself a nudge while you’re there. Anywhere from Anglers Reach down to the river mouth will offer good options for trophy browns on their way up to spawn. The good thing about these fish is that they are generally feeding quite heavily to put on condition before heading upstream. Think big, bright lures that will elicit an aggressive response from these fish.

Up around Buckenderra and Frying Pan there have been some good catches of rainbow trout since the cooler weather has come along. Both bait fishers and those out trolling lures have been reporting good catches. Yellow winged lures and 5cm Rapalas have been the standout lures, while PowerBait has really stood out for those drowning baits.