Time to get out and enjoy the autumn weather

Adam Townsend the same for too long, so you may want to mix it up and change lures or even retrieve speeds until you find what works best on the day. Being flexible can mean the difference between a good fishing trip or going home empty-handed. a chin-weight, Cod-King Chatterbaits and Westin 2oz Spinnerbait to gain attention under the moonlight, with white being my go-to colour.

The New England Tablelands received some heavy downpours leading up to Easter that added some colour to the creeks and rivers, as well as giving them a decent flush out. This proved to be good timing just before the holiday period started, as many of the bigger rivers had been looking in pretty bad condition, with low water levels and plenty of algae laying around.

Blue skies, glassed out water and big cod. The impoundments and surrounding rivers can really turn it on at this time of year.

The full moon will be above on the 6th of May, with the new moon falling later on in the month, on the 20th.

Later on in the month favourites for the natives all year round, and definitely catch their fair share of big fish.

Copeton Dam currently sits at 91%

Night-time surface munching Murray cod fishing always gets the heart racing. The chunky cod couldn’t resist the wooden Kingfisher Paddler under the cover of darkness.

Both Copeton and Pindari dams had been dropping in water levels pretty rapidly before the rains, however both have since jumped back up again, which made for some pretty awesome fishing opportunities over the holidays and into May. The water levels have been coming up quickly, resulting in an abundance of bait life now sitting on the edges. I have found these areas to be ideal for casting lures and baits, as that is where the bigger predatory fish such as Murray cod and yellowbelly have been hunting for their next meal.

Bear in mind that feeding patterns don’t always stay

With the air and water temperatures noticeably a lot cooler now heading into the last month of autumn, it can make the challenge of fishing at night or even early mornings a little harder. Still, the rewards are always worth it at this time of year if you spend a lot of time on the water.

The next several weeks will be where the bait life in and around the water become more lethargic, with some even colder weather still yet to come in just a few weeks’ time. This is when replicating those baits will put you in with a good chance at catching one of the monster Murray cod these waterways are known for. When the moon is full and bright, I like to throw lures with a big presence like swimbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and so on. Some of my favourites include the Megabass Garuda with as the new moon comes around, my approach changes. Surface lures that best replicate water dragons (lizards) or paddlers like the jointed Kingfisher that replicate injured birdlife, start to work their way to the top of the tackle box a fair bit more. These terrestrial creatures are known to be after rising from 84% in a matter of days, while Pindari Dam sits at 85%. Here are the levels for both dams over the past few months: Copeton Dam – May - 91%, April - 84%, and March - 89%; Pindari Dam – May85%, April - 84%, and March - 94%.

Cold, foggy mornings always seem to have big Murray cod on the move, looking for bait in the shallows or high in the water column. At these times it’s hard to beat blind casting big swimbaits.