FRESHWATER
FOLKLORE
Fly fishing Murray cod, Australia’s largest and most iconic freshwater fish
WORDS PETER MORSE
VIDEO BY AUSSIE FLY FISHER
FRESHWATER
FOLKLORE
Fly fishing Murray cod, Australia’s largest and most iconic freshwater fish
WORDS PETER MORSE
VIDEO BY AUSSIE FLY FISHER
At approximately a million square kilometers, or a quarter of the continental landmass, the Murray-Darling river system is a big deal.
Almost 2,000km of the Murray River is navigable, making it the third longest navigable river on the planet.
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It’s a slow flowing waterway that meanders through many different geographical zones, weaving its way through the myths and legends of a thousand generations who have relied upon it as a source of life.
The mighty Murray at dusk, one of the best times to catch cod.
A system this extensive should be expected to produce some interesting fishing, and it does — especially for fly fishers. Of major interest is a potential behemoth of a creature known generally as ‘cod’, but also as Goodoo.
There are four freshwater species in Australia that swim under the name cod. They’re closely related, but geographically separated. Two of the species are found in coastal rivers, the Clarence system in Northern NSW has the eastern freshwater (or Clarence River) cod, and the Mary system in southern Queensland has what is known as the Mary River cod. These coastal river fish were separated from their inland ancestral waters by geological events that predate human history.
The headwater rivers of the New England Tableland of northern NSW are excellent for cod.
The best known, the Murray Cod, is found west of the Great Dividing Ranges in the inland waters of the Murray Darling system, but there’s little between these three sub-species. The Murray River species are by far the most common, grow the largest, and are the fish the species is usually identified with. Once enormously prolific, many factors have contributed to their decline, however over the last few decades a sense of responsibility for their conservation, encouraged mostly by anglers and scientists, has seen many steps taken to preserve them.
Fortunately all of these species can now be artificially bred, so between stocking programs, river restoration work, and strict protective regulations... the endangered cod are a little safer.
The fourth, and most different of the tribe is known as the trout cod. These are found in the cooler Murray River headwater streams on the western slopes of the Snowy Mountains and throughout many of the floodplain rivers of Victoria. They don’t grow as large as their cousins and their downfall is their territorial aggression, and their competitive instincts.
Fortunately all of these species can now be artificially bred, so between stocking programs, river restoration work, and strict protective regulations, the three most endangered, the mary, the clarence, and the trout cod (in particular) are a little safer.
Peter describes the fight with a cod as a 'gripping hand-to-hand battle'.
Cod are one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet and are the apex predator of the systems they live in. They eat just about whatever they can fit into their cavernous mouths; ducks and other water birds are always in danger, large lizards such as water dragons and monitors, snakes, water rats, and any other smaller mammal unfortunate enough to find itself swimming where cod live, are on the menu. But they mostly eat crustaceans and of course other fish.
Although distributed throughout the Murray-Darling Basin river system, for fly fishers the best waters to encounter these fish are the cleaner flowing rivers of the catchments on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range. The rivers of the inland plains are slow flowing, often breaking into large still billabongs (waterholes and oxbow lagoons), and are invariably turbid. The big fish in these waterholes also don’t have to work hard for their food and feeding periods can be brief, which means a lot of casting between bites.
The Murray River.
On the other hand, the mountain catchment rivers, streams, (and dams), are mostly cleaner flowing headwaters that can hold a large number of smaller fish, but with occasional monsters — especially the dams. The rivers begin at altitude and cut through gorges, forests, and pasture country. Because of their often steep banks leading into deeper water, and heavy bank side vegetation, some of the larger holes in these rivers are best fished only by watercraft. Some of the smaller rivers, and gorge rivers, can only be fished from the bank, and by wading.
Fly fishing for Murray cod has had a slow evolution.
Fly fishing for Murray cod has had a slow evolution. Getting past the idea that they could be taken on fly was one of the biggest obstacles, and a few anglers in rural towns near good water have put in the time over the years and shown that these creatures are in fact a great fly rod target.
Another catch in the New England area.
A fishing trip into these mountain rivers is a wonderful adventure as the regions are filled with rural small town history, and natural history. The river valleys are busy with life; native birdsong fills the air, these headwater rivers have a healthy population of platypus, and the forests are rich with native animals. The sights, sounds and smells of an indigenous eucalypt forest are very different from anything else in the world.
Like barramundi, a meter long cod is the magic mark that all fishermen strive for. A fish in good condition around this length will weigh close to 25kgs (over 50lbs).
Early in the morning and late in the day, when the sun is off the water, is prime time, and when the conditions are good these fish will roam a pool and swim meters to eat a fly they’ve detected. But most of the time on rivers, presentations are invariably at short range. Whether you’re using surface or sub-surface flies, they need to be placed deep into the cover and short-range accuracy skills with big flies is essential.
Like barramundi, a meter long cod is the magic mark that all fishermen strive for. A fish in good condition around this length will weigh close to 50lbs. The largest cod ever recorded, and it’s also possible that is just another wonderful myth from the bush, was 113kgs (250lbs) and 1.8 meters long.
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