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General Category => Fishing Reports => Topic started by: Novice on July 07, 2013, 01:16:19 PM

Title: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Novice on July 07, 2013, 01:16:19 PM
Feeling homesick yet StevenM?

StevenM is currently wallowing around in the Mediterranean with his hugs n kisses, so here's a little cod trip report to get his casting arm all itchy.

Bushwacker ( now known as 'little Steve' ) and I , did our usual thing of driving the 300kms down to the border rivers region on Friday evening. With the Dumaresq having regular pulses of fresh dirtying it up of late , we decided upon a cod session further upstream with the QLD Severn River as our target. Upon arrival, it was clearly evident that we were in for frosty conditions in the morning. Steve was quick to get a fire going to keep him warm in his swag overnight.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s_zpsf0ef6369.jpg)

Indeed it was a very cold start to the day.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s1_zpsf1471810.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s2_zps812fb95b.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s3_zpse108aa8c.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s4_zps5a5b95eb.jpg)

Like most parts of this area , there are plenty of portages to drag the kayaks across.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s6_zpsadcf0fae.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s5_zps30361b21.jpg)

My first cod of the day came from this snag and fell to a Garra tera ( one of the little steve's re-done paint jobs)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s9_zps0ac48ff6.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s7_zps81aa79a7.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s8_zps706176fe.jpg)

It happened to have a tag in it, so details were kept and we passed the information onto Brian at Glenlyon on our way home.
Steve's first fish came from this likely looking snag.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s10_zpsab78e736.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s11_zps370bfb95.jpg)

The weather couldn't not have been better, it was almost warm by mid-morning.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s13_zpsb32ceea8.jpg)

My second cod also had a tag in it.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s14_zps57d1a70e.jpg)

We turned around at the Tenterfield Creek junction, it has changed  a bit since last December when I was last there. Enormous amounts of gravel must of arrived with the Australia day floods from January 2013.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s15_zps289ba824.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s16_zpsdaafe269.jpg)

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s17_zps24a60dc8.jpg)

Steve working an eddy from the bank.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s18_zpsf1b007c7.jpg)

The last fish landed for the day.

(http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/Novice-Dave/s19_zpse2751c3a.jpg)

The Glenlyon tourist park now has an espresso machine....the coffee before the drive home was very welcome.

Cheers,
Dave.

Getting homesick yet StevenM?  :walkplank




Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Doubletrouble on July 07, 2013, 03:41:00 PM
Terrific report and great pics. Thanks for sharing.
Judging by that 'iced coffee' bottle in one of the pics, it seems I am not the only one with a 'hand warmer'  ;)
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: CRAIGM1 on July 07, 2013, 04:39:42 PM
Great report dave
Must get down that way soon .
Cheers
Craig
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: takrat on July 07, 2013, 04:43:56 PM
Good report as usual Steve, Little Steve's Cattleman is just starting to get a bit of wear to it. I'm heading over about 75km west of Tenterfield tomorrow and camping for 3 nights. Hopefully another report will come of it.
JD
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Jason L on July 07, 2013, 06:25:17 PM
Nice work guys.

Is that new water for you Dave?
Good to see you got one using the Fatty Junior Steve.

Jason
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Sweetwater on July 07, 2013, 06:45:31 PM
Great effort & report gents.

There's some new trees there, good homes for all those cod.

2 tag returns? I've done several survey runs on that stretch, I might have met those cod before.
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: bushwacker on July 07, 2013, 08:36:47 PM
Who was that masked cod ?!

Yep Jason was pretty cool although expected as I had the one showed on the rod with the new to me Alpha's Ito and either another Fatty Jnr or a hydrobug surface lure on the other.

Couldn't raise a surface hit but looked too good not to throw one around.

It is one of the prettier rivers around the joint isn't it Sweetwater  :)

Cheers for the larrffs and ... well what ever those other jokes were supposed to be  :OMG
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: StevenM on July 08, 2013, 04:20:30 AM
Thanks truckers ( you can swap the tr for a f if yams want)

As far as getting home sick, sort of. I do love it over here but am missing my kayaks and fishing.

I leave here on Thursday afternoon of the 18th and get home sometime around 5 in the morning on Saturday the 20th. Have a few chores to do but need to go for a fish on Sunday the 21st before I return to work. Get some sunshine and get rid of the jet lag.

So where are we going?

Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: squarebear on July 08, 2013, 08:31:50 AM
My Nigga,
Thought you'd have turned into a Malteser by now?  What am I saying:  You're already round and squishy and we just need to darken up the coating.  That little bloke with the tag is the first one I caught on a Jeff Special according to Dave.

Where-ever we go, I'm in.  I wouldn't miss the first expletive ridden burst of Latin when you get smashed.  Have you improved on the offerings now that you are becoming truly "bi-lingual"

Poppy
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: bushwacker on July 08, 2013, 10:05:42 AM
Count me in I wont even bother taking any rods but just to hear the commentary !  ;D
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: squarebear on July 08, 2013, 11:00:31 AM
Dave,
The shot of the Pongo on the bank looking upstream: Is that the land of great mirth for you pair of mongrels?  The electric fence?  Before you start, I know that the one I turned turtle at is downstream. I remember them so well.

Just remember that you pair of iceholes will be old one day also! Pity I'll be dead and won't get to laugh at you when your kayaks make creaking noises as they move across the water.

Poppy
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: bushwacker on July 08, 2013, 12:17:59 PM
Sunday 21st ... Moogerah ?

Lets take the Maltieser for a fish

Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Novice on July 08, 2013, 12:20:56 PM
Dave,
The shot of the Pongo on the bank looking upstream: Is that the land of great mirth for you pair of mongrels?  The electric fence?  Before you start, I know that the one I turned turtle at is downstream. I remember them so well.

Just remember that you pair of iceholes will be old one day also! Pity I'll be dead and won't get to laugh at you when your kayaks make creaking noises as they move across the water.

Poppy

Jeff, have you forgotten to take your meds again? You are starting ramble, better press that button beside the bed so that the nurse can up the dosage.

Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: callum on July 08, 2013, 07:13:23 PM
Great effort & report gents.

There's some new trees there, good homes for all those cod.

2 tag returns? I've done several survey runs on that stretch, I might have met those cod before.
Does that mean that fitzy tagged undersized cod? He has a sook about people tagging undersized bass in the suntag news post. He also mentioned something about different rules for different groups...? Have i missed something?
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Jason L on July 08, 2013, 07:46:00 PM
Does that mean that fitzy tagged undersized cod? He has a sook about people tagging undersized bass in the suntag news post. He also mentioned something about different rules for different groups...? Have i missed something?
??? Watch where you tread here mate. Fitzy has done more for restocking and recreational fishing than anyone on this forum. I don't think that stating a fact about tagging undersize Bass is having a sook and yes you have missed something.
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: callum on July 08, 2013, 08:57:36 PM
The post says: What the??? Are taggers a law unto their own?
Are they? I havn't missed sh!t.
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Novice on July 09, 2013, 06:59:13 AM
Does that mean that fitzy tagged undersized cod? He has a sook about people tagging undersized bass in the suntag news post. He also mentioned something about different rules for different groups...? Have i missed something?

You are not quite comparing apples with apples . The tagging of Murray cod in the Dumaresq upstream of Bonshaw was paid for by the Murray Darling Basin Committee , administered by qld and nsw fisheries, utilizing volunteer labour and had a start AND end date of tagging activities. The program was brought about because no data on population size/density existed. As the program only finished last December , the final reports are yet to be publicly released.

You are drawing a long bow trying to equate tagging of cod( whatever their size) with tagging of bass where the tagging is done under no real framework/program ,without a start and end date , and no direct input from fisheries. The main gist of that particular thread was continued tagging of bass in SEqld impoundments doesn't add anything new to the knowledge pool that already exists.

Cheers,
Dave.


Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: aussiebasser on July 09, 2013, 07:15:09 AM
Does that mean that fitzy tagged undersized cod? He has a sook about people tagging undersized bass in the suntag news post. He also mentioned something about different rules for different groups...? Have i missed something?

callum, there is a great difference between participating in a tagging program undertaken by a joint team of NSW and Qld Fisheries Officers to study the effects of overstocking rivers with an apex predator, and the un-checked, open slather tagging carried out by well meaning anglers involved in a group who do nothing to provide feedback to the Stocking Groups, or to the general public when they make enquiries about tag returns.  There are two completely different issues here, which you obviously do not understand.
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: squarebear on July 09, 2013, 09:44:56 AM
Does that mean that fitzy tagged undersized cod? He has a sook about people tagging undersized bass in the suntag news post. He also mentioned something about different rules for different groups...? Have i missed something?

Actually it wasn't Fitz that tagged that fish.  It was me, and at the same time another 60 plus anglers were doing the same across the study area at the behest of NSW and QLD fisheries in the organised 5 year tagging programme.  It would be pointless to tag only legal fish because we'd be leaving a huge gap in the fundamental data that the study was out to capture: Growth rates in an overstocked system??
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Sweetwater on July 09, 2013, 10:05:55 AM
Hi Callum,

Did you see a hat floating and stick your head in it?

A fair comment and concern, however since you're taking a personal shot at me, I will respond. The comparison is chalk and cheese between any tagging I've done and the open slather tagging of bass in SE Qld lakes.

Since you've taken the interest and I've obviously touched a raw nerve,  I will point out that any tagging in Somerset and Wivenhoe has not been requested by the fisheries management body, nor is it required, nor has any previous data been shared; therefore worthless as a management tool.

As I've pointed out to those who run the tagging program, if there's some specific info we need, we will ask for assistance. And if there is a specific program you'd like to run on these lakes I'd happily support it, but there was not then, nor has been since any request for a specific program. I can only assume from this, that the tagging on the above mentioned lakes is just done for the hell of it. We know fish growth rates, we know intra-lake migration and triggers, we know fish readily go over the wall. What else is to be learned by continued, open ended tagging? I don't really care if people want to go stabbing fish for no reason if that's what floats their boat, but I'd like to see undersized released straight away if the tagging is being done just for shits & giggles, hence my comments in another topic.

The only tagging I've done has been involved with has been on the Dumaresq River to support a research program instigated by the local stocking group and supported by 4 states and MDBA,  a program which had won awards and has gathered some fantastic data which has been shared with all involved. This was all done under permit and observation from research and enforcement authorities. It was conducted on a designated body of water, DNA collected, fish measured, tagged, locations recorded all within a specific time period. Some fish were also fitted with tracking devices and tracking stations in place throughout the system to monitor fish movement / migration.



Now, just so everyone is clear, suntag lost funding recently due to QLD Govt austerity measures, at the same time RFEP funding was lost. Suntag pleaded poor and got funding back, while RFEP has not. So is tagging more important to recreational fishing that the fish themselves? Considering there's over 100 water bodies in Qld with no state funding (due to RFEP being cut), the likes of Ewen Maddock Dam, Lake Kurwonbgah & Wyaralong Dam to name a few are now potentially going to be fishless, but anyone is free to go and tag undersized fish at these at will; the priorities are just plain crazy IMHO.  I know where I'd rather some restored funding to go........ What about you?

Thanks for your comments.


Back to the topic. I'm heading out there in a couple of weeks to try for some frosty cod.
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: callum on July 09, 2013, 04:05:53 PM
Thanks for clearing that up fitzy although it was not a personal attack its just that your name was on the posts in question. It wouldn't have mattered whose name was on them. Novice kinda gets what I'm saying and I agree now that its drawing a long bow. I'm still against tagging or even targeting undersize fish, especially goodoo.
And aussiebasser, that profile of mine that you posted earlier? Common sense would tell you that there is a little bit of bullshit happening there.
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: BR65 on July 09, 2013, 07:51:08 PM
There is no better place to be than a frosty dawn throwing a surface walker on a western river, the light is awesome, the anticipation is horrendous, Gods country...
Title: Re: A Cod fishing report for StevenM
Post by: Paulie on July 10, 2013, 03:40:59 PM
Science