Hot weather cod

[Sebb]

Went to the yarra in the afternoon, saw few people swimming in the river. With the mercury showing almost 40 degrees celcius, swimming in the river was clearly in mind.

Like everyone said about yarra cod, it can be tough. Long walk, bush bashing, not many access, not many structure.
Tried stumpjumper and spinnerbait, nothing. Sun was setting and tried surface lures. Missed couple little boofs, guessing from a maybe a baby cod, on black jitterbug. Then nothing.

Then the bait rod got a little nibble and slow pull. Stroke and hooked on a 2 kg'ish healthy cod.

Picturesque place, healthy cod. Would have been better if caught on surface lure, but still pretty stoked.
Also saw a little fella sleeping in its burrow.

Special thanks to happyfriggincamper.

[Bugatti]

Great post of a great outing and a nice punchy report and love the photos. Also great to hear about three great Aussie battlers, , , , a Cod, a Wombat and a Seb.
Nice looking Cod too, it does look well conditioned.

And I agree, thanks happyfriggincamper , , , , not sure why but anyone who has two g's in his name has to be ggood.

Cheers, Bugatti

[j_pap]

Nice Cod!

[Lightningx]

Nice fish mate!
Great pics.
Cheer :thumbsup:

[Sebb]

Great post of a great outing and a nice punchy report and love the photos. Also great to hear about three great Aussie battlers, , , , a Cod, a Wombat and a Seb.
Nice looking Cod too, it does look well conditioned.

And I agree, thanks happyfriggincamper , , , , not sure why but anyone who has two g's in his name has to be ggood.

Cheers, Bugatti

Haha thanks Bugatti. Four to be exact, happyfriggincamper was there too. Or five if you count the Yowie hiding in the bush. No moon and no wind balmy night, apart from kookaburra laughing, we also heard cracking noise in the distance, as if someone or something was walking and stalking us.

Note, happyfriggincamper is a user name here in fishing-vic and he's a good good man.

[happyfriggincamper]

Cheers seb - glad you got a yarra cod. Figuring them out on lure in the yarra is probably needing a fair bit of time investment - while we are blessed having these fish so close to home, the yarra is certainly devoid of blessings whrn it comes to obvious structure you see in the cod country waters of goulburn, ovens, etc.

Last nights location was one of the more "structured" parts of water ive seen in my yarra recon, but as you saw there really isnt much to go by as what would definitely be holding a cod and you are really guessing using really subtle hints and assumptions. In total, had 1 landed on lure, 2 sub surface hits and 2 boofs over a few hundred casts. They are definitely there and do take, just so much bloody effort!

If anyone has any advice for targeting cod on lures in water with very limited features & structure, im all ears for advice!

[Sebb]

Cheers seb - glad you got a yarra cod. Figuring them out on lure in the yarra is probably needing a fair bit of time investment - while we are blessed having these fish so close to home, the yarra is certainly devoid of blessings whrn it comes to obvious structure you see in the cod country waters of goulburn, ovens, etc.

Last nights location was one of the more "structured" parts of water ive seen in my yarra recon, but as you saw there really isnt much to go by as what would definitely be holding a cod and you are really guessing using really subtle hints and assumptions. In total, had 1 landed on lure, 2 sub surface hits and 2 boofs over a few hundred casts. They are definitely there and do take, just so much bloody effort!

If anyone has any advice for targeting cod on lures in water with very limited features & structure, im all ears for advice!

That is true. The good thing is that yarra is close to city but hard work as there isn't much access and structure.
Yep, I'm keen to hear from cod pros here.
Guess we'll have to keep trying and crack the code.

[April Fool]

I am far from a cod pro but this pic shows the spot where I have caught most of my cod over the last 5 years. Some decent size ones (a couple over 60 cm's caught by mates) have been caught here and heaps of undersize cod.

This is featureless water!!!!!! On saying that, there is a regulator about 20 metres upstream. This channel is 8 foot deep with very few fluctuations. The odd weed bed is certainly a likely spot. Anywhere with shade is sort after for personal comfort! A few metres down from my chair the channel is about 1 metre wider for a short distance. This area often produces by simply putting a bait out a couple metres from the bank in about a metre of water. I sit upstream and cast downstream so I am not sitting right near my bait.

Overhanging trees are a definite spot to target. Bridges are another example of structure to target on the channels but I guess we have a lot more bridges. One hotspot in the channels which may be relevant to the river is targeting bends. There are always backcurrents on channel bends (you can't see the current though) and this offers refuge to the fish and provides a food supply.

Assuming you guys are land based in this area, have you ever thought of getting one of them sounders that you cast out? Seb, can you take your yak in these waters, a sounder should locate structure. Do you get many snags? The only other thing I can suggest is cover a lot of water if you can.

Good report as well!
Cheers
Team Bender...not Team Cod!

[Sebb]

I am far from a cod pro but this pic shows the spot where I have caught most of my cod over the last 5 years. Some decent size ones (a couple over 60 cm's caught by mates) have been caught here and heaps of undersize cod.
downstream18.jpg
This is featureless water!!!!!! On saying that, there is a regulator about 20 metres upstream. This channel is 8 foot deep with very few fluctuations. The odd weed bed is certainly a likely spot. Anywhere with shade is sort after for personal comfort! A few metres down from my chair the channel is about 1 metre wider for a short distance. This area often produces by simply putting a bait out a couple metres from the bank in about a metre of water. I sit upstream and cast downstream so I am not sitting right near my bait.

Overhanging trees are a definite spot to target. Bridges are another example of structure to target on the channels but I guess we have a lot more bridges. One hotspot in the channels which may be relevant to the river is targeting bends. There are always backcurrents on channel bends (you can't see the current though) and this offers refuge to the fish and provides a food supply.

Assuming you guys are land based in this area, have you ever thought of getting one of them sounders that you cast out? Seb, can you take your yak in these waters, a sounder should locate structure. Do you get many snags? The only other thing I can suggest is cover a lot of water if you can.

Good report as well!
Cheers
Team Bender...not Team Cod!

Wow, that is structureless spot. Looks good though.

Yeah landbased.
I thought of that, bringing my yak and use the sounder for underwater structure, but yarra has unusual patterns. Some slow water then rocky rapid and fast run etc.
Not many places to launch a kayak, not much water to cover from the launching spot and blocked by rocky rapid etc.

That cast out sounder is a good idea.

[happyfriggincamper]

Cheers for the post Bender - checkmate on the featureless water.

We were talking last night about how trout are generally pretty consistent and straightforward to find in any trout water based on their common species traits. But Cod are certainly more interesting and challenging in how their common species traits seem to shift around more based on their environment leaving you guessing a little more in less traditional cod water.