Another surface session

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happyfriggincamper
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Another surface session

Post by happyfriggincamper » Mon Feb 10, 2020 11:54 am

On the back of finally getting a cod off the surface in the yarra, went back to see if i could repeat the success or go back into the process of multiple donut sessions before getting another to hand. Thankfully it was the first outcome!

Headed to the chosen stretch and began the walk away from the car. Stopped about half way for an opportunistic flick at a likely spot and the first cast in yielded a couple seconds of action to my surprise. Long cast to a backwater on the other side of the river, my lure splashed down and was immediately met with a ripple that wasn't from the landing and looked like a bow wave. An second bow wave was seen a second later with a flash of of green and cream body underneath it, followed even quicker by a small gunshot-esque sound and splash around the lure by the coloured body which darted away. No hook up, but a definite boof. Few more casts in the area for nada, but a promising start.

Continued working away from the car until Seb85 and his mate caught up with me for the session. We collectively worked our way back to the car, spreading casts all over the likely stretches of water.

I got to a pool where after a couple casts in i got a small boof a couple of meters from my feet. Following this i put a series of short casts into the area and subsequently each retrieve took a number of tiny boofs from the cod. Eventually on the 4th set of boofs, it foul hooked itself and was hooked enough for me to land a fiesty 20cm-ish cod. Size not there, but was more than happy following up the last session with another cod to hand from the top.

Continued working back towards the car, the weather had slowly changed from muggy and humid to wet and dense (lots of condensation in the air - so much that i had the wipers on driving home to clear it constantly building up on the windscreen), impacting the fish activity in the system no doubt. It was really slow going, with nothing boosting the confidence that we had a chance at anything. Fishing a pool with seb, i put a cast to the otherside of the river, retrieved it halfway back, stopped for 30s to talk to him thinking the night was dead and over and got unexpectedly interrupted by a boof on my dormant lure. No hook up or following action - but the action certainly got me thinking on approach and techniques for the next attempt.

We ended the session shortly after, seb got a swirl from what may have been a little cod in one of the pools and i got 3 boofs with one to hand - so overall despite being the regular tough going it is, a successful and productive session for the water + extremely good to be 2/2 on surface sessions.
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Cheers, Chris

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Sinsemilla
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Re: Another surface session

Post by Sinsemilla » Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:27 pm

Cheers for the report mate and well done going 2 for 2.

What approach and techniques will you change for the next attempt?

Cheers, Anth

happyfriggincamper
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Re: Another surface session

Post by happyfriggincamper » Mon Feb 10, 2020 3:58 pm

Sinsemilla wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:27 pm
Cheers for the report mate and well done going 2 for 2.

What approach and techniques will you change for the next attempt?

Cheers, Anth
Just going through the typical fishing answerless hypotheticals and theories to find the technique best for opening up results. Obviously lots of variables that change this on the day and water being fished, but figuring out the best starting point of approach to work from to try and modify as the session progresses based on any info (aka interest in lure) the technique generates.

Two basic thoughts im considering on retrieve are basically fast or slow, ive done tons of research on both and each have their own theoretical pros and cons. The hit on the long pause has me considering if its better starting slow with lots of pauses. My guess on that long pause take was the cod followed it out of cover and across/into the main current (where lure was dormant and floating downstream) - so would i be giving myself a better chance by pausing more often and closer to its hide (as well as while im continuing retrieval across the river)?

Alternatively to this, majority of my takes have been at the feet on a pause - would have this cod followed to my feet and would it be better to push the pace on retrieve to generate excitement/interest and give the cod 1 last quick thinking proposal to strike on the pause near the bank?

No idea haha. To date, ive been doing a straight slow retrieve with pause at the feet.

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ChrisD
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Re: Another surface session

Post by ChrisD » Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:22 pm

Well done Chris - another nice catch

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Sinsemilla
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Re: Another surface session

Post by Sinsemilla » Mon Feb 10, 2020 6:53 pm

happyfriggincamper wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 3:58 pm
Sinsemilla wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:27 pm
Cheers for the report mate and well done going 2 for 2.

What approach and techniques will you change for the next attempt?

Cheers, Anth
Just going through the typical fishing answerless hypotheticals and theories to find the technique best for opening up results. Obviously lots of variables that change this on the day and water being fished, but figuring out the best starting point of approach to work from to try and modify as the session progresses based on any info (aka interest in lure) the technique generates.

Two basic thoughts im considering on retrieve are basically fast or slow, ive done tons of research on both and each have their own theoretical pros and cons. The hit on the long pause has me considering if its better starting slow with lots of pauses. My guess on that long pause take was the cod followed it out of cover and across/into the main current (where lure was dormant and floating downstream) - so would i be giving myself a better chance by pausing more often and closer to its hide (as well as while im continuing retrieval across the river)?

Alternatively to this, majority of my takes have been at the feet on a pause - would have this cod followed to my feet and would it be better to push the pace on retrieve to generate excitement/interest and give the cod 1 last quick thinking proposal to strike on the pause near the bank?

No idea haha. To date, ive been doing a straight slow retrieve with pause at the feet.
Interesting and i reckon we'll never know the true answer. It all just depends on the fish and the day.

I think mixing it up is key. A slow retrieve with pauses and then a bit quicker the last couple meters as to trick the cod into thinking its meal is getting away or just straight up medium retrieve with a lot of pauses would be the 2 retrieves i'd stick with.

Anth

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Re: Another surface session

Post by willow17 » Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:14 pm

Have much respect for you takes long hours in the Yarra for Cod. Good to see you got some action and success for all the hard work.

Went down last week and thought i'd leave the bait casters at home for a change and try drowning some bait. Ended up with 1 turtle for a couple hours work was late morning so expectations where low just felt sorry for the little guy. Hook removed and on his way to swim wasn't a lot of action didn't even see a sign of fish which is unusual but it was a still a little high and fast for this time of the year where i was fishing.

happyfriggincamper
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Re: Another surface session

Post by happyfriggincamper » Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:38 am

willow17 wrote:
Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:14 pm
Have much respect for you takes long hours in the Yarra for Cod. Good to see you got some action and success for all the hard work.
Thanks for the kudos! Yep a lot of work put in, a lot of donuts eaten - a lot micro snippets of insights gained from every session to figure out some of the puzzle to increase chances for success!

The journey continues....

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Re: Another surface session

Post by rb85 » Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:53 pm

Great work Chris thanks for the report.
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