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The gloves are off!
  |  First Published: May 2006



The gloves are off, with plenty of big cod more than willing to mix it with anglers trolling lures along the Murray and its adjoining rivers.

From Swan Hill to Wentworth and beyond, the trend of previous seasons has once again emerged. With the cooler weather and dropping water temperatures, most sections of river are producing quality cod and some ripper golden perch.

Swan Hill has seen cod to 20kg landed close to town with plenty of small to reasonable fish more than happy to co-operate with anglers also. Goldens are still a little slow in this area but should improve over the coming month.

Bait and lures are putting anglers among the action. Grubs, yabbies and cheese have been the pick baits while spinnerbaits, Codgers and StumpJumpers have been the most productive lures.

Boundary Bend through to Robinvale on the Murray River has produced mixed results by many anglers with some catching fish while others miss out altogether.

We are just about to experience the best of the cod fishing these areas and many others have to offer. Over the coming month and beyond there will be some huge cod taken along the Murray and the majority of these fish will fall to lures.

Most of the reports coming out of these areas have been by anglers fishing bait. There have not been many big cod to speak of but some nice golden perch, some of which were up around 4kg.

Wentworth anglers have been catching plenty of golden perch on bait and small hard-bodied lures. Those targeting cod in the deeper sections of river are also doing well and while the area has not fully fired, it won’t be long now. Some very nice cod have already been landed including a couple around 30kg.

Our smaller rivers are also beginning to fire. The Murrumbidgee at Balranald is producing cod and golden perch on bait and lures. Some of the best fishing in the area is smack-bang in the middle of town and around the Balranald caravan park is as good a place to fish as any.

The Wakool River is still producing a few fish and once again, the best catches have been taken on spinnerbaits. Cast or trolled, they seem to be the flavour of the month among the fish in this river.

The Wakool is reputed as one of the best big cod producers there is. Word has it that in the days of the professional fishermen, when the rivers flooded the Wakool was the place to be.

Having seen some of the honking cod landed out of this river over the past few seasons, it’s little wonder. If you aspire to catch a big Murray Cod, it’s hard not to be exited about this time of the year.

Over the next few months, all normality takes a back seat to green fish fever.

Just a taste of things to come. Plenty of big cod will be taken on trolled lures over the coming months.

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