We’ve now entered spring, which means the end of cod fishing for the next three months. The cod season finished on a high note with some very encouraging signs for 1 December and beyond.

Local anglers who made the trip to the Weri State Forest on the Edwards River just before closing found the river rising after some good rain in the weeks before. Although the water was fairly dirty the cod were certainly on the move. All fish that were caught were taken on bait, with bardi grubs and yabbies the favourite flavour. Excellent sized cod were landed with the biggest nudging the 80cm mark. There were plenty of others between 55 and 60cm. Shrimp are very hard to come by because the water temperature is still around 13 degrees. For those anglers lucky enough to get a shrimp or two they soon had some nice goldens to show for their time and persistence. This Weri State Forest area will be an excellent place to kick off the new cod season.

The Murray River is flowing high and hard, making it difficult to fish. But for those keen anglers who are chasing springtime yellowbelly, scrubworms fished close to the edge are your best bet.

Another place to try in early spring is below the Barmah Lakes. This stretch of the Murray River can produce some excellent goldens early on. The best way to get into some of these fish is by casting small to medium hard-bodied lures or by slow trolling from the mouth of the Broken Creek up to the start of The Narrows. Try combinations of purple and pink, and purple and black when selecting lures.

The Goulburn River in and around its junction with the Murray River has produced some quality yellowbelly. Anglers having the best results are fishing scrubworms and small yabbies in about 5ft of water, not too far from the edge. I have been told that the odd fish to 3kg has been landed. This area is just 10 minutes from Echuca so is well worth a try after work.

Don’t forget that the Murray cod closed season commenced on 1 September and will reopen on 1 December. If you catch a cod during this time while you’re targeting goldens or redfin, please do the right thing and release it immediately.

For all the latest fishing news in and around Echuca, contact me at Gone Fishin’ in Annesley St on (03) 5482 1171.