As cod seasons go, this one is starting off as good as any I can remember. It seems that every section of the Murray is producing fish, as are the anabranches and even the channels in between.

In Swan Hill, local tackle proprietor Jim Credlin is ecstatic with the bite, and says it’s as good as he has seen. Credlin reports that although a lot of the cod are smaller, it’s great to have such numbers back in all the local waters.

With the holiday period seeing an influx of campers and fishers to our local areas, it’s great to see the fish are up and biting, according to Credlin. The Murray River upstream to Pental Island has good numbers of cod on bait and lures. Perch too, are finding their way onto the hook, with river shrimp and scrubworms proving the best baits. Even the local channels are producing fish, with several reports of both redfin and golden perch caught using bait. Sometimes the best fishing is right under our very noses and we don’t even know it’s there.

In the Wakool, Murray cod up to and over the metre mark have been landed on both bait and lures. Merrin Creek has cod to 70cm on spinnerbaits, and the Edward has anglers catching some good-sized cod on surface lures. It’s about this time of year that surface fishing really begins to fire. Best practiced during periods of low light, dawn and dusk are prime times, as are the many hours of darkness in between. Another bonus of surface fishing is that you avoid the heat of the day, but be warned, mozzies are a constant companion.

The Murray River at Robinvale has cod to 80cm on bait and good numbers of golden perch and the odd catfish. Below the lock at Euston, anglers trolling lures have landed some very nice cod, the biggest over the metre mark. Perch too, have been a frequent catch in this area.

If your holiday travels bring you to sunny Mildura, then as a fisho you are in luck. Good numbers of medium to large Murray cod have been landed in this area, both above and below the lock this past month. Trolling large diving lures has produced several honking cod over a metre. All these fish were returned unharmed, in accordance with the new maximum 75cm slot limit.

Perch have also been hitting the lures, with several anglers claiming their bag in a session. Bait is turning up some good perch and a few cod. The Darling River at Pooncarie has continued to fish well, with sizeable cod landed on both bait and lures.

For the visiting angler, it’s sometimes hard to get a handle on where and how to start fishing unfamiliar waters. A good reference point and place of angling-related info is as close as the local tackle store. Here you can also get bait, tackle, fishing licences, and a rundown on rules and regulations that often differ from state to state, or even certain rivers for that matter. Once you have the good oil on where the fish are biting and all the gear that’s required to catch them, remember it is the holiday season and there will be plenty of boat traffic on the water. Safety first, fish second, and while that might sound strange, believe me there is an element of water users that care little for common sense.

With that said, enjoy your fishing over the holiday period, as we continue into what looks set to be a very good season.