Fishing Victoria Forum

Hi all, I’ve been a long time lurker, but first time poster (sounds like an A.A. meeting introduction).

What does “Murray Cod” mean to you?

Odd question I know… You know when when you hear a certain song - it takes you back in time to a specific memory / place. Or when you taste or smell something - it has the same anchored effect. I ask this because I hear the words “Murray Cod” and Im taken back to an anchored childhood moment in front of the TV watching a 60 minutes episode (circa 1982) where the topic was about the endangered Murray Cod. I remember my heart sinking as I watched it - thinking at the time that the day would never come where I would actually ever catch one. These things were going to be extinct.

If your wondering whether that memory has changed today… Well, I can’t say that I’ve fished for them in the last two decades - except that in April I bought myself my first bait caster. Since then have spent more time outside casting at rubbish bins, than I’d like to admit. I have lost casting plugs to every one of my neighbours and am reminded daily of my “in-the-dark” casting sessions by the plug that dangles from the powerlines in front of my house. I want the Chuck Norris accuracy of ‘Hodgy’ and his ability to hit cans off peoples heads. I haven’t caught a Murray Cod because I haven’t fished for them.

However, I do think about those thoughts (as a youngster) a LOT nowadays - seeing that they’re on my radar. I wonder if my ‘anchor’ will change - when December comes.

Do you guys have a specific memory that is brought about by the mighty cod? Am very interested to see if Im alone in this.

Thanks for reading.

Excellent way to start a thread. I think of Rod Harrison, his burly physique and poorly matching hair colour. But seriously I think of reading a story as a kid where he drank a six pack while watching a mate fight a massive cod below a dam wall somewhere that was hooked on a celta.

Living on the other side of the divide they had never really been on my radar now it’s a species that I want to start targeting with surface lures.

Guess EP’s, Bass and Trout on fly are the sportsfishing options for the fresh this side.

Imagine Truedogz and blokes that way will have a bit more to say about the mighty cod.

By far my favourite target! The Goliath of the freshwater! Good read

deathray wrote:Excellent way to start a thread. I think of Rod Harrison, his burly physique and poorly matching hair colour. But seriously I think of reading a story as a kid where he drank a six pack while watching a mate fight a massive cod below a dam wall somewhere that was hooked on a celta.

Haha - that would have been a sight! ...providing the 6 pack had some kind of effect. Im imagining Waynes World - Whoa!! In slow motion!

rb85 wrote: Living on the other side of the divide they had never really been on my radar now it’s a species that I want to start targeting with surface lures.

Maybe its the dryfly fisher in you. I can relate. For the last 6-7 years, I had almost exclusively become a fly fishing snob - dries only :oops: .

BIG GAV wrote: By far my favourite target! The Goliath of the freshwater! Good read

I'm yet to put judgement... Might end up being my fav also... In which case, goodby coastal holidays.

I love catch and release fishing for Cod, bait, lures, surface lures, all good although I haven't fished much of late due to commitments. Had a 4hr go today on the Broken River but it turned out to be a big walk really couldn't raise a fish, cheers davo

Cod is on the bottom of my list atm.
One day I'll get to it.....

Surface fishing for cod on light line is probably only to fishing the same way for barra.

Once you start it's just addictive and very hard to go back to bait fishing for Whiting or snapper say.

There is such a art to it.

It takes me back to when I was real young pulling the tinnie over logs with the old man.. Seeing those beasts on the wall of the various pubs and thinking hopefully one day..

When I hear Murray cod I instantly think of a day we had in tight water. Lifting the motor and pushing the tinnie over logs with the oars and gaff.. This memory really sticks with me because that day the but end of the gaff slipped off a log we were pushing over and the pointy end went straight through my hand in between my middle finger and ring finger. The scar brings back the great memories of catching a few cod and 7 trout cod that day.. I was more upset that the session had to end because of the injury than the injury itself! I was around 8 y/o at the time.

Cheers, Anth

davek wrote:I love catch and release fishing for Cod, bait, lures, surface lures, all good although I haven't fished much of late due to commitments. Had a 4hr go today on the Broken River but it turned out to be a big walk really couldn't raise a fish, cheers davo

Thats some nice looking water Davek.

purple5ive wrote:Cod is on the bottom of my list atm.
One day I'll get to it.....

That was me until recently.

barra mick wrote:Surface fishing for cod on light line is probably only to fishing the same way for barra.

Once you start it's just addictive and very hard to go back to bait fishing...

Yep... Already in that club. Bait doesn't do it for me anymore. Soft plastics and fly fishing ruined that one for me.

Sensemilla wrote:It takes me back to when I was real young pulling the tinnie over logs with the old man.. Seeing those beasts on the wall of the various pubs and thinking hopefully one day..

When I hear Murray cod I instantly think of a day we had in tight water. Lifting the motor and pushing the tinnie over logs with the oars and gaff.. This memory really sticks with me because that day the but end of the gaff slipped off a log we were pushing over and the pointy end went straight through my hand in between my middle finger and ring finger. The scar brings back the great memories of catching a few cod and 7 trout cod that day.. I was more upset that the session had to end because of the injury than the injury itself! I was around 8 y/o at the time.

Cheers, Anth

Wow!! That's what I'm talking about! > Sorry to hear about the gaff tattoo though... Rather bitter-sweet.
Were you taken out again shortly after you got better - or did the accident put a halt to the fishing for a while?

Also, are there many pubs that still have wall mounts? Never seen one before.

Thanks for sharing.