Yarra recon and cod
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:02 pm
Hi all - with the short break from work between xmas and new years, i decided to spend a few days walking the yarra. I really havent fished it (or much in general) over the last 2 years - a lot due to not having time to put in finding spots + frustration by not having many spots to fish.
There are a lot of reports ive been seeing about cod, and the yarra really seems to be producing and growing strong as a cod fishery - i wanted in on the action. I figured with the time off, instead of rehammering the already hammered spots - it would be worth my while diligently investigating the water less than 45m from home for cod to have up my sleeve for free Saturdays or Sundays in the coming months (especially given i get little opportunity to dedicate a weekend away up north near shep and surrounding cod country water).
Over a few non consecutive days I walked ALOT and covered a good stretch of the yarra and had some seldom fishing at a couple of spots (probably 80/20 time spent walking/fishing) with varied success. Most of the time i had my baitcaster and some lures, casting at likely spots. If i had completed my recon for the day and there was enough time left + intended return spot wasnt too far, i walked back to the car, got the bait rods and headed back.
There are definitely some good finds (and stunning water/scenery) to go back to and put some proper time with baits in the water, but for the kms covered the spots are definitely few and majority of the fishable spots have significant compromises associated with them such as high banks, tight standing and casting room, heavily snaggy etc. From a lure casting perspective, its definitely looks better fished via kayak - there are some good landbased spots but they are very few and far between with a fair amount of effort to get to them in the first place. Plenty of drowned trees that couldnt be casted at from land but would be easily fished from the water.
On the baitcaster, i missed 2 boofs, dropped 2 on spinnerbaits and caught 1 on a chatterbait. 1 of the boofs happened right at my feet, saw it all and would roughly estimate the cod to have been 50cm+, unfortunately couldnt tempt another boof from it. The cod i landed was no bigger than 35cm, again was another take right at the feet after pestering a drowned tree trunk with about 20 casts - changed from a dark spinnerbait to a bright chatterbait after about 15 casts and making sure to work it slowly, close to the trunk and along the bottom got the cod.
On the bait rods (not much time spent on the bait) - fishing 1x chicken + 1x cheese, there were no shortage of hits on either - but couldnt get any successful hook ups. I stopped by compleat angler one of the recon days and upgraded from *blunt* budget circle hooks to better quality sharp circles and saw success with a small cod landed sub 30cm that day. Dropped 2 others with the new hooks, but glad to finally get one in.
Back at work next week so all the fishing aka walking is done for the end of year break. Glad i put in the effort to do the recon and hope it will pay off with later trips and some bigger cod!
Cheers, Chris
There are a lot of reports ive been seeing about cod, and the yarra really seems to be producing and growing strong as a cod fishery - i wanted in on the action. I figured with the time off, instead of rehammering the already hammered spots - it would be worth my while diligently investigating the water less than 45m from home for cod to have up my sleeve for free Saturdays or Sundays in the coming months (especially given i get little opportunity to dedicate a weekend away up north near shep and surrounding cod country water).
Over a few non consecutive days I walked ALOT and covered a good stretch of the yarra and had some seldom fishing at a couple of spots (probably 80/20 time spent walking/fishing) with varied success. Most of the time i had my baitcaster and some lures, casting at likely spots. If i had completed my recon for the day and there was enough time left + intended return spot wasnt too far, i walked back to the car, got the bait rods and headed back.
There are definitely some good finds (and stunning water/scenery) to go back to and put some proper time with baits in the water, but for the kms covered the spots are definitely few and majority of the fishable spots have significant compromises associated with them such as high banks, tight standing and casting room, heavily snaggy etc. From a lure casting perspective, its definitely looks better fished via kayak - there are some good landbased spots but they are very few and far between with a fair amount of effort to get to them in the first place. Plenty of drowned trees that couldnt be casted at from land but would be easily fished from the water.
On the baitcaster, i missed 2 boofs, dropped 2 on spinnerbaits and caught 1 on a chatterbait. 1 of the boofs happened right at my feet, saw it all and would roughly estimate the cod to have been 50cm+, unfortunately couldnt tempt another boof from it. The cod i landed was no bigger than 35cm, again was another take right at the feet after pestering a drowned tree trunk with about 20 casts - changed from a dark spinnerbait to a bright chatterbait after about 15 casts and making sure to work it slowly, close to the trunk and along the bottom got the cod.
On the bait rods (not much time spent on the bait) - fishing 1x chicken + 1x cheese, there were no shortage of hits on either - but couldnt get any successful hook ups. I stopped by compleat angler one of the recon days and upgraded from *blunt* budget circle hooks to better quality sharp circles and saw success with a small cod landed sub 30cm that day. Dropped 2 others with the new hooks, but glad to finally get one in.
Back at work next week so all the fishing aka walking is done for the end of year break. Glad i put in the effort to do the recon and hope it will pay off with later trips and some bigger cod!
Cheers, Chris