Boof Diary 2019
Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 4:56 pm
Since the debacle at the Codference my closest friends have told me that I’ve changed, that I don’t mix with people and rarely smile. Its probably true after that let down, I know that I rarely get a good nights’ sleep now and have a very negative view of the future. I’ve come to accept that the dreams I had for some native fisheries are not going to happen and let go of them. So I live for the present. I caught up with Dave and Brett at GoFish Nagambie who suggested I start posting again on FV and my best friends have encouraged me to do so. There are some great people here and others I would like to meet. I see on the site there are concerns about less fishing posts, some other members not posting, etc. So I’ll start putting in reports again but I definitely won’t be entering into any of the politics or discussions on native fish. Hopefully some of the other long serving members will start posting again too and share their experiences so we can all learn.
Most people would know last year I only used surface lures for cod and I have had some great trips with Dave. Last season I caught 73 fish, mostly 45 to 70 cm but got the metery out of the Goulburn. Talking to a few people meter cod off the top in the Goulburn are considered rare. So I set myself the goal of getting more big ones out of the Goulburn as a way of lifting my spirits in the new year. The strategy was to use huge lures and fish the habitats where big fish were most likely. As a consequence I knew I would catch a lot less fish but would I enjoy success? Apart from two trips chasing trout and Gippsland blackfish I have surface fished for big cod, typically twice a week. In the posts below are the results presented as a diary recording all catches as well as doughnuts.
In anticipation of some questions I will answer them now:
Where:
The Goulburn system from Trawool to Toolamba (caught fish at those two spots) including some of the tributaries/backwaters. As I live near Nagambie most of my fishing has been near Murchison and Mitchellston. I don’t have a boat it has all been off the bank. Because of the poor bank access I don’t fish in the Goulburn Weir much except the top end near Mitchellston which is 5 minutes from home. I’ve done two trips to the Murray in the general area where FV has its cod trip (I was going this year but at the last minute my work roster got changed).
The Gear:
Shimno Tranx 301 loaded with Siglon PE8 60lb on a Veritas 5-8kg 6’6” baitcaster. This is fairly heavy tackle so why? 1. You need heavy line for heavy lures; 2. If a cod gets off with a big lure in its mouth it will probably die as it won’t get rid of it unlike a small lure or a bait hook. 3. I fish on foot from the bank so I don’t have the option of using a boat to drag big fish away from snags. My back up reel is a Shimano Curado 201 with the same line and if I was to fish all night I would use it as it is easier on the arm. The Tranx is a great reel with a heavy smooth drag. I have a big swimbait rod which Dave has tried too but we both don’t like it. The Veritas casts the bigger lures more accurately if not as far as the swimbait rod (probably better for lakes). FG knot braid to leader, Fastach snap, 70lb mono (Schneider Leader Line) tied with a centauri knot.
The Lures:
My favourite lures last season were Taylor made cod wallopers, followed by pompadours, cod crackers and rubber frogs. They catch fish of all sizes. This year the smallest I have used are 120mm cod crackers. Mostly I have used 230 mm wake baits and King Hit lures, and some monster Muskie lures I imported from the US that look like Pompadours on steroids. I modify the lures with bigger, sharper hooks, extra swivels and stinger hooks. All have taken cod.
Techniques:
Go read the posts last year! (use the search function for boofs) Apart from that, in general I target faster water near snags, eddies and backwaters near deep water. Will fish close to the bank in fast water. Night fishing prefer no moon. For twilight fish evenings just after a full moon I do well. In shadows you can catch them in daylight.
So how did I go? Read the following posts ...
Most people would know last year I only used surface lures for cod and I have had some great trips with Dave. Last season I caught 73 fish, mostly 45 to 70 cm but got the metery out of the Goulburn. Talking to a few people meter cod off the top in the Goulburn are considered rare. So I set myself the goal of getting more big ones out of the Goulburn as a way of lifting my spirits in the new year. The strategy was to use huge lures and fish the habitats where big fish were most likely. As a consequence I knew I would catch a lot less fish but would I enjoy success? Apart from two trips chasing trout and Gippsland blackfish I have surface fished for big cod, typically twice a week. In the posts below are the results presented as a diary recording all catches as well as doughnuts.
In anticipation of some questions I will answer them now:
Where:
The Goulburn system from Trawool to Toolamba (caught fish at those two spots) including some of the tributaries/backwaters. As I live near Nagambie most of my fishing has been near Murchison and Mitchellston. I don’t have a boat it has all been off the bank. Because of the poor bank access I don’t fish in the Goulburn Weir much except the top end near Mitchellston which is 5 minutes from home. I’ve done two trips to the Murray in the general area where FV has its cod trip (I was going this year but at the last minute my work roster got changed).
The Gear:
Shimno Tranx 301 loaded with Siglon PE8 60lb on a Veritas 5-8kg 6’6” baitcaster. This is fairly heavy tackle so why? 1. You need heavy line for heavy lures; 2. If a cod gets off with a big lure in its mouth it will probably die as it won’t get rid of it unlike a small lure or a bait hook. 3. I fish on foot from the bank so I don’t have the option of using a boat to drag big fish away from snags. My back up reel is a Shimano Curado 201 with the same line and if I was to fish all night I would use it as it is easier on the arm. The Tranx is a great reel with a heavy smooth drag. I have a big swimbait rod which Dave has tried too but we both don’t like it. The Veritas casts the bigger lures more accurately if not as far as the swimbait rod (probably better for lakes). FG knot braid to leader, Fastach snap, 70lb mono (Schneider Leader Line) tied with a centauri knot.
The Lures:
My favourite lures last season were Taylor made cod wallopers, followed by pompadours, cod crackers and rubber frogs. They catch fish of all sizes. This year the smallest I have used are 120mm cod crackers. Mostly I have used 230 mm wake baits and King Hit lures, and some monster Muskie lures I imported from the US that look like Pompadours on steroids. I modify the lures with bigger, sharper hooks, extra swivels and stinger hooks. All have taken cod.
Techniques:
Go read the posts last year! (use the search function for boofs) Apart from that, in general I target faster water near snags, eddies and backwaters near deep water. Will fish close to the bank in fast water. Night fishing prefer no moon. For twilight fish evenings just after a full moon I do well. In shadows you can catch them in daylight.
So how did I go? Read the following posts ...