Recent fishing in and around Lake Mulwala has proved to be something of a non-event.

With the cod season closed and the yellowbelly perch yet to fire, the only target species left was the redfin perch.

Those that ventured out on the days that were not blowing had mixed results with very few fish reported.

However there were two standout reports. The first came from Con Monaghan – Drysdale. Con was out in search of a feed of reddies trolling small AC’s when his lure was smashed with vigour. After a tussle that belied a fish of much larger size, to Con’s surprise he had boat side a magnificent silver perch that measured in at 45cms.

This is the first silver I have heard captured in the lake for a long time. At a guess I would say that this fish would have been captured in the fish lift below the weir and been relocated into the lake.

Whilst on silvers, they have become a lot more prevalent below the weir in the past couple of years with specimens up to 50cms being taken on lures. Smaller versions have become a pest to the bait fisho’s when they get into a school of them. Silvers cannot be kept below the weir while a bag limit of five applies in the lake.

The next report is something that I love to see. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon during school holidays, I had two young girls (aged around 15) accompanied by their father visit our store. The girls were as excited as if they had just been let loose into a cloths store or lolly shop, not a tackle store.

Dad was shaking his head saying, “if it gives them something to do for half an hour I’ll be happy”. Obviously he was finding it hard to keep the girls entertained but it was their spur of the moment idea to go fishing. As all good dads do, he took them off to get the equipment required to keep them amused. After arming them with a couple of cheap pink (of course) combos, some hooks, sinkers and a punnet of worm, their adventure was about to begin.

On departing I mentioned to them that if they got lucky and caught a fish, bring back a photo and I’ll put it on the shop window and get them into my report, not really expecting to see them again. How wrong I was! Two days later the girls came bursting back in brandishing large photos they had blown up of their fishing adventures.

They were both as happy as a cat that had caught the budgie. Dad came in a few steps behind shaking his head. The girls found a great shore based spot that had seen them land numerous reddies weighing up to 2lb. They had spent two days doing nothing but fishing much to dads surprise and were disappointed that they had to go home. Their names remain a mystery but their memories should last a lifetime. Great stuff.

During the last month of the Murray cod closure the yella’s should be ready to fire. Keep in mind when targeting yella’s that it’s now cod breeding season so do your utmost to avoid capturing them. Little things like downsizing your lure, fishing the warmer water margins and avoiding likely looking cod snags should see your encounters with cod minimised. If you do manage to hook and land a cod, avoid contact with it and have it released as soon as possible.

With a month to go before cod opening, die-hard green-fish chasers should be starting to get that nervous twitch in anticipation of what lies ahead for the upcoming season. I think there will be numerous new products that will get a pretty good run this season.

Blades in various sizes, slight changes to our favourite spinnerbaits with variations in skirts, blades and plastic arrangements plus few new names in the hardbodied lure market to name a few.

I’m sure our spinnerbaits will also get bigger and the lipless crank bait usage will increase with more anglers being switched onto them.

See you all at the Cod Classic.

The fishing competition season will soon be in full swing with many great events planned for Lake Mulwala. Anyone looking for info on the The Golden Dollar$, Cod Classic, Da$h 4 Ca$h or His & Hers Partners Classic can give me a call on 0357 441667, check out www.codclassic.com.au or call in to see us at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, opposite the post office in Mulwala.