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Winter Fishing Tactics for Murray Cod

By Lubin Pfeiffer 

Wintertime in southern Australia sees many anglers turn their sights to the exciting challenge of targeting big Murray cod with lures. In this article, I will share some of the secrets that I have learnt while targeting these fish for over twenty years with lures and hopefully you can get out there and land that fish of a lifetime for yourself!

Murray cod can be found in a few different water types, and each requires its own set of techniques. While each technique is similar, it is the adjustments you make to suit the water type that will see consistent results. Firstly, let us look at gearing up for fishing in big waters, such as the Murray River and when fishing lakes.

Gearing Up for Big Water 

I like to run two outfits while chasing cod in big water. These are a pair of the Okuma Komodo KM-C-801H (now 802H with butt join for easier transportation) baitcast rods, which are absolute weapons for launching big lures at the structure for long periods. I match them with a pair of Okuma Komodo KDS-364 baitcast reels, that are loaded with 50lb Aussie-made Platypus Bionic Braid.

I have upped my leader from years gone by to 80lb or 100lb Platypus Hard Armour Leader in Supple or Tough, depending on the situation. Hard Armour is such a great choice for cod fishing as it has an easy-to-manage softer inner core but a hard-wearing outer core that has been a great combination for long periods of casting. I steer away from fluorocarbon for cod fishing as the low stretch properties can cause issues with your terminals when a big one finally decides to smash your lure. Having some stretch in the line will also allow you to use the 'flick trick’ to unsnag lures much easier, which will keep you fishing much more efficiently throughout the day.

Big cod are the fish of a thousand casts, so every cast you can save will put you in a better position to get a bite from that big fish. If I’m fishing a clear water lake, I’ll go with the 80lb leader and if I’m fishing the coloured waters of the Murray or topwater fishing, I’ll always go with the 100lb leader. The really big fish don’t care about the leader diameter, and you’ll be happy you upsized when a giant comes along!

Gearing Up for Smaller Waters 

Many smaller rivers throughout Australia hold good numbers of Murray cod. These can be fished using a boat, kayak or land-based, but require a slight gear change to get the best out of the water. For smaller rivers, I’ll downsize to a TT Black Adder BAC661H or Okuma Komodo KM-C-661H baitcast rod and match it with an Okuma Komodo 273 reel, which is loaded with 30lb Platypus Pulse X4 Braid. My leader choice again is the Platypus Hard Armour Supple or Tough leader, in either 60lb or 80lb depending on the situation. I always try and fish with the heaviest leader that I can get away with, however, if the water is super clear or the fish are cagey you may need to downsize to get a bite.

Other Handy Items

To make that sure you can have everything prepared properly, I never hit the water without some TT Fishing 7” Straight Nose Pliers, 7” Split Ring Pliers, 5.5” Braid Scissors and Okuma Fishing Gloves. These items are not only great for preparing your gear, but they are also super important to be able to safely handle the fish once you get them in.

Where to Find the Best Fishing in The Murray/Darling Basin

One of the first and most important pieces of the big Murray cod puzzle is the water flows and clarity. The lakes are always a constant, however the Murray River doesn’t flow like it used to and is now very much more of a controlled irrigation channel than a free-flowing river system. For anglers in the know, using the flow data on the Murray Darling Basin Authority website (www.mdba.com.au) is one of the biggest keys to success over the coming months.

It seems every year is different from the flows of the year past, so keeping an eye on what is happening is becoming even more important. Every morning, during the season, I will check the flows on the website. As many people who fish in the river are aware, the lock system throughout the basin has water releases at different times. Many of these have absolutely nothing to do with weather events, so using the website is the best way of gaining knowledge as to where you should be targeting your efforts.

For me, I like to fish inflows less than 10000ml/per day. This usually allows successful lure fishing, without too many issues with the current. As far as finding good clarity in a particular area there are a couple of factors that will influence this, particularly for anglers fishing the South Australian stretch of the system. The Murrumbidgee, Darling and Rufus rivers, during high flows, can push silted water into the main river which causes the water to become discoloured. So, travelling and fishing above where these rivers enter the Murray is the only way to find clear, fishable water.

So, along with keeping an eye on the flows in the main river, you will need to make a calculated assessment of what is coming out of the other tributaries mentioned. Sound confusing? It is, but this is a major key to getting consistent bites from big fish. Pockets of good fishable water may not last long either, so the anglers that are on to this will enjoy great fishing, while others will be left scratching their heads. So, with all this in mind, if you can find a location with around half a metre of visibility or more, and minimal flow, with lots of fishy-looking structures, like big logs, rocky banks or weed beds, you are in the prime location to get a bite.

Techniques for Big Water Murray Cod 

Casting lures is my preferred way to chase big cod in the river Murray and also in the lakes. I like the challenge of landing the lure in the exact spot, working the lure through the structure and that unmistakable feeling of a large fish crushing the bait. The lures that I find most successful for chasing big water cod are large spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and swimbaits, specifically designed for targeting big Murray cod.

One of the main pieces of advice that I can give is that changing your location, for example the piece of timber you are fishing, is more beneficial than changing the lure you are fishing. Generally, if I start with a lure in the morning, it's still tied on the line at the end of the day. I used to change lures often but now see that as a minimal key to success. Whereas if you can work through the snags methodically and get as many casts as possible at good-looking areas, in a day’s fishing, then you put yourself in the best position for a bite.

As far as percentages go, you are only looking for one big bite for the day and that only takes one cast to get. The more you change, the more your lure is not swimming in the zone and the less chance it has of getting eaten. If the lure you have selected is casting well and accurately and is swimming through the right spots, without getting snagged too often, it is only a matter of time before it will get eaten.

When targeting big cod on the cast you want to work the lure fairly slowly. So, my go-to retrieve for a crankbait is one that sees the lure getting to its rated depth and then using a constant slow roll (slow wind) until it gets back to the rod tip. For spinnerbaits, I like to let them sink to the bottom on a tight line, so that the blades are spinning as it sinks. You will get quite a few bites 'on the drop’ (as it sinks), so always be ready! Once the lure has made it to the bottom (you can tell this has happened as your line will go slack), you can then give the rod tip a flick to kick the blades into gear and again use the same slow roll back to the boat. Swimbaits come into play while using forward-facing sonar in lakes as this realistic presentation usually gets the right reaction from the fish.

Surface Luring Big Water 

Over the last several years, surface luring has become my favourite way to start and finish a day's fishing. While subsurface presentations will always be a more reliable way of getting a bite, there is nothing quite like the bite off the top from a large predatory fish such as a Murray cod. So, from daybreak to around 10 am, I will fish a large paddler lure over the same areas that I would normally fish with subsurface during the middle of the day. Then at around 4 pm, I will again tie on the big paddler to finish the day off. We catch some amazing big fish off the top and I enjoy the pace of surface luring during the low light periods as there is no snagging and you can just enjoy what are truly spectacular times to be chasing the mighty Murray cod.

Techniques For Smaller Rivers

While fishing smaller rivers for Murray cod I like to downsize my lure selection to suit the water type. The first of my top three choices would be a TT FroggerZ spinnerbait rigged with a ZMan Diezel MinnowZ trailer. This has accounted for countless cod over the last few seasons. I keep a couple of different blades on hand, adjusting depending on the water flow I’m faced with.

For fast-flowing rivers, I’ll run the FroggerZ straight out of the packet with the size 6 gold Colorado blade. When fishing rivers with less flow, I’ll upsize the blade to a size 7, to add a lot of extra pulse to the offering. Running a Diezel MinnowZ as a trailer will keep your stinger hook in place, which makes unsnagging the lure a much quicker process than a stinger that is free-swinging. In turn, this will keep your lure swimming for longer and will result in more bites because you are covering more water.

On my other rod I will run a medium size crankbait, which is perfect for a backup presentation for a missed fish on a spinnerbait or for searching open waters that you want to work through a little bit quicker. Then, during low light periods, I will run a medium-sized paddler surface lure.

Stay on Task

Without a doubt, regardless of where you are fishing for cod, be it small waters, the Murray River or in the lakes, you need to treat it like a job. That job is to cast your lure at the best-looking structure and have it swimming in the zone for as long as possible, throughout the entire time you are on the water. Work the best-looking logs, over the best-looking rock bars, and in and around likely-looking weed beds or areas where bait is congregating. One cast can change your life while cod fishing and this could come at the start of a trip or the very last cast before you head home. The more casts you can have and the more efficiently your fishing, will mean the more opportunities you will create. There’s a saying I live by and this one runs through my head the entire time I’m fishing for cod, especially when the going is tough, “If you keep putting the lure in the right spots, something always happens!”

Fish Handling

I take fish handling of big Murray cod very seriously. During winter I will always wear my breathable waders while casting and when I get the fish on, I start steering the boat towards the bank, once I know I have won the fight. In South Australia it is the law to keep the fish in the water, however, even when fishing interstate, I still get in the water where possible with my big fish.

Nothing annoys me more than seeing a big cod thrashing on the floor of someone's boat. It breaks my heart to see the fish in stress like that. Be prepared, have a set of gloves and pliers ready. Also, a hefty set of cutters in case you need to cut a hook that is lodged in a gill raker. Trebles can be easily replaced.

Make sure the camera gear is good to go and that way when you get a bite the whole process is very streamlined. Getting in the water with the fish will mean the fish can be released in optimum health but you can also get that good photo. I never measure my fish as this always means more time stuffing around. I’d much rather have a good photo to remember it by. Treating these big fish with respect will ensure that there are plenty in our systems for years to come and for future generations to enjoy!

Cheers, Lubin

Gearing Up:

Okuma Komodo Baitcast Rod - KM-C-802H
Okuma Komodo Baitcast Reel - KDS-364
Platypus Bionic Braid - 50lb
Platypus Hard Armour Leader - 80lb and 100lb

TT Black Adder Baitcast Rod - BAC661H or
Okuma Komodo Baitcast Rod - KM-C-661H
Okuma Komodo Baitcast Reel - KDS-273
Platypus Pulse X4 Braid - 30lb
Platypus Hard Armour Leader - 60lb and 80lb

TT FroggerZ Snr Spinnerbait
ZMan 5" DieZel MinnowZ

Surface Lures and Swimbaits