Anglers descending on cod central at Mulwala

YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

During the recent Cod Nationals, 90 of the country’s finest cod anglers converged on Lake Mulwala to pit their skills against each other. The cod numbers produced were outstanding, proving once again just how good this fishery is.

The best tip available to any angler fishing Lake Mulwala, especially those new to the lake, is to target waters around 2-3m or 6-9ft in depth. Weed beds or fallen timber add to the equation. Put these together and you are in with a great chance of plenty of green fish encounters. The average size Mulwala Cod ranges from 40-60cm, but there plenty of monsters lurking around out there, awaiting a wellplaced offering.

Lure choice and colour tends to be a personal preference. One thing I certainly believe in is sticking with something you are confident in, as you will fish it better than something you don’t like. Throughout the Nationals, spinnerbaits accounted for slightly more fish than hardbodied lures did.

Looking back, early March saw the running of the His & Hers Partners Classic. A total of 48 teams participated, with the results being outstanding.

Kade Blow and Annie Hockley cleaned up the field, with Kade’s 110cm fish being the biggest for the males, and helping the team take the overall title. Karen Nelson landed a magnificent 106cm cod, boosting her and husband Lee into second place.

Cod Nationals

Mid-March saw the running of the 13th Great Northern Cod Nationals. The cream of Australia’s cod fishos descended on the lake, and returns proved the field’s capabilities. Over four days, 549 cod were recorded measuring in excess of 50cm. Many more below the 50cm mark were captured and not recorded.

The clear favourites, Derek and Kade Blow from team ‘KD Fishing’, fished amazingly well to blitz the field. Derek and Kade had won the previous three events based at Mulwala, and their great form continued. Over the five sessions fishing, the boys picked up close to $15K cash and prizes. Kade also took out Champion

Individual Angler and Largest Fish Overall for the event, with his Big Cod coming in at 81cm.

A super effort to finish second went to Steve and Thomas Pinter (team ‘Black Widow’). The pair had won the previous three Nationals, and finally got to hand the baton of

‘Nationals Champions’ to another deserving father-son combo.

Third place went to Brad Murray and Daniel Mutch (team ‘Mutchy’s Contracting’), who fished consistently well over the five sessions.

There many others who deserve an honourable mention, but there isn’t enough room on the page!

However, one crew I’ll make special mention of is Lance, Cohen and Hayden Berryman from Bezaro Lures. The boys spent five solid days casting their amazing handmade hardbodied lures around with great success. The boys are aged 13 and 15, and they and their father have an amazing appreciation for Murray cod. It was a pleasure to fish with them. The kids never complained once, asked plenty of questions and listened intently for the entire session.

BELOW THE WEIR

Below the weir has continued to produce amazing numbers of average-sized cod on both bait and lures. This area remains a great place to fish, especially if the lake blows up a bit rough. One thing to keep in mind though is the amount of timber that lies just below the surface. These hidden hazards can create some major problems, something I found out recently after hitting one! My boat is now out of action, awaiting some insurance work to be done.

• If you’re visiting town, I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (opposite the Post Office) in Mulwala. If you’re in Yarrawonga, visit us at our store located between Rivers and One Zac in the main street and say g’day. We’re Yarrawonga/ Mulwala’s fishing specialists and specialize in all things ‘green’!