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  • Exploratory Cod trip 5 4

Author Topic: Exploratory Cod trip  (Read 9550 times)

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Exploratory Cod trip
« on: November 04, 2013, 07:40:44 PM »
So Little Steve and I made the trip out west this weekend. It was a nice leisurely trip with me not picking him up until around 10:30 Sun morning at Aratula as I had taken the Monday off work to keep my sanity. We stopped at Tackle and Tusk on the way through and had a yarn to the bloke and spent some money and then leisurely made our way to our chosen destination via a few tracks here and there. I have no idea what time we launched Sunday arvo must have been around 2pm?? Anyway the section we had chosen to fish was really tight and looked more like a bass stream than a cod stream. In and out through rapids, pushing our way through trees and dragging through the bush to make our way downstream. Eventually Steve managed to get the first fish of the day/trip, a nice 50ish model that came out of some shallow fast running water. A few pics and she was released back into the current where she headed for the log in the middle of the river.

Through the pile of logs you can see in the pic and down the next rapid we went. Steve pulled in behind a midstream island and cast his lure into the fast flowing water. He let it flow down with the current until it got to a bankside snag and gave the lure a few twitches and he was on again. This time it was a much smaller model but it's good to see the little fellas in here. Holds well for the future. So much for Steve's "BIG lures for BIG cod" theory…

With the little tacker released we fished for another pool but then decided to try somewhere else. So the car was packed and off we went. Stopped in town to get some dinner and then onto our next destination. After missing the turn off and doing a u-ey we pulled into our next destination. A few grey nomads present, the sight of a tinnie trolling along with a keeper bag over the side while we were eating our dinner put us in two minds whether to stay here and fish. So with 30mins of light left we launched the kayaks and went for an explore. The water was down about a metre from the last time I was here and it just didn't look inviting, so we paddled back to the car, loaded up and set off on the road again still looking for a place to camp the night so we could get up and get straight into fishing.

We drove around for probably an hour. Came across a few reserves, one which looked locked, another which we think we could have gone down but not being certain about whether it was a reserve (no sign on gate, but no lock either) we didn't risk it out there in Banjo country, even if Steve fits right in with the locals. So we went back to where a reserve was that was sign posted had a quick look around. Chose a spot, only to find a rotting pig carcass. Went for a bit more of a walk and decided with a bit of 4wding in the i30 there was a nice flat spot right next to the river. So picking our line we managed to get through the bush and set up the swags right next to a pool which made for an easy launch the next morning. By this time I was hungry again so I broke out the old corned beef and cheese sandwich, minus the bread and couldn't be bothered putting on the sweet mustard pickles on at 9pm. A few beers for me and then to bed once the small fire died down.



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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2013, 07:46:14 PM »
I awoke to the sound of Steve unzipping his swag at 5:30. He had already been up a while and had been walking the banks. So we launched the kayaks and headed upstream. It was a very nice looking creek and there were plenty of snags to throw at. A few scenery pics for you.

Steve managed another nice cod while we were pulled up at some running water. He cast in front of that snag to the left of him, missed him on the first hit but got him on the second. Once again he was around that 50cm mark, not measured, just released. Steve was liking his new Kuttafurra lures!!

We got to the point where it got too skinny to fish out of the kayaks so we walked the banks for a bit. I had just said "I am getting that donut feeling", so I chucked on my confidence lure (gold spinnerbait) and threw where Steve said "There's got to be a cod in there. Sure enough, two cranks of the handle later and a cod hit the lure and launched itself out of the water. "Thinks it's a barratoga" says Steve. No pics of that little guy as we had left the camera in the yaks and it was too far to bother going back for such a small fish. Go back and look at the size of Steve's second cod and you'll see it's twin brother.

A bit more exploring and we decided to head back to the car to try for another spot. After all it was only 7:45am. Back at the car by 8am.

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2013, 07:51:36 PM »
We went back to the first spot and headed upstream this time. Steve was saying how he should take a yella home as someone would love him long time, if he did. So we launched the kayaks and headed upstream. There is a pool right near the car and one about the 6th cast I said "I think that was a tap". Fired in another cast and I was instantly on. Bit of a fight and then bricked. Bugger! With a bit of coaxing I managed to get him out and it was a 35cm yella. We decided it wasn't big enough to keep so I released him, once again without getting a pic. Next cast on the opposite side of the bank and Steve was on for a similar sized yella. Also released.

It didn't take long for the water to get skinny again so we walked the banks for a bit. A couple of missed hits that didn't come back in one section. We kept pressing upstream until we got to a bit where we had to go right around the back to get upstream. As were were going around the back of the bush we looked up and said WTF? There was a big dead end billabong that shot of the main section of the river. This looks alright! First cast Steve gets smacked by a yell at his feet but doesn't hook up. Next cast he hooks it briefly before pulling the hooks. We did a bit of exploring upwards to see where the billabong started. Then walked back down to see where it ended. On the way past I threw my spinnerbait into the yellas lair only to have it hit it and not hookup, then it got hook shy so we left it until next time. We walked down to the end of the billabong and had a few casts. I had a hit just casting out into the middle as far as I could. Fired another cast in and this time hooked up on this little fella, he would have been about 30cm.

I then said to Steve, "Where's there's little uns there is normally a big female and sure enough after a few more casts fanning the area she hit the spinnerbait about 6 metres out from the bank. She went 48.5cm on the brag mat and she was destined to make some one love Steve long time.

A few more casts back in the first pool for nothing and that was the end of the trip. A quick drive up a track we discovered a nice camping spot right at the end of the billabong for next time so we can get the kayaks in there and give it a good working over rather than trying to cast through overhanging trees off the bank. A feed at KFC on the way home and I think I was walking in the door at 3ish. A great exploratory trip with a few short but fun sessions and I'm sure I'll be back there when time permits.

Hope you enjoyed the read. Normally I get bored after writing one or two paragraphs but this was such a good trip I wanted to preserve it in the written word.

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2013, 08:01:19 PM »
Was good fun  8)

Only used lip grips because my hands and trebles dont agree with each other  :NiceThread)

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2013, 09:15:47 PM »
Nice work fellas, thanks for the report, good to see you got a few fish.

Did you see any carp at all?

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2013, 09:33:01 PM »
Well done guys, good report Wayne. Without giving too much away, what system were you fishing in?

Cheers Andrew

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2013, 09:42:05 PM »
Nice work fellas, thanks for the report, good to see you got a few fish.

Did you see any carp at all?

Saw a few in our last session. Even saw one big bugger that jumped twice would have been around 60cm at a guess.


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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2013, 09:50:23 PM »
Well done guys, good report Wayne. Without giving too much away, what system were you fishing in?

Cheers Andrew

Not my spot, so won't tell sorry Andrew. If Steve wants to say that is fine by me, but I think he was told about it from someone else as well. There is plenty of spots to fish along the river and it is a long river so giving up the name shouldn't matter but like I said I was just the driver. I'm sure you understand. Sorry, normally I would post locations and have done so in the past.

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2013, 10:02:01 PM »
Nice effort lads

 :thanks

Looks like a good fun trip.

 :youbeauty

Has got me all itchy again, hope the weather gods play nice for a bit of Qld ribba exploring for me this weekend.

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2013, 10:31:44 PM »
Cracking report and great to see some cod pics!

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2013, 05:16:26 PM »
Fishing in Queensland mate?

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2013, 06:03:32 PM »
Fishing in Queensland mate?

Yes they were.

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2013, 09:24:38 PM »
Wow Wayne, is that the most words you've ever strung together in one go?  :Clap)
Looks like a great trip boys well done  :youbeauty

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Re: Exploratory Cod trip
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2013, 09:59:04 AM »
Awesome pics and fish.  Just wondering what lure is that you caught the cod on.

I've only just recently caught my first and second cod awesome fish

 

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