Condamine Cod

[charlie.hans.fishing]

Hi all.

In just a few days I'll be staying on a week-ish long trip in Killarney, and I'm interested in fishing for murray cod down there in the Condamine River. 

Since I have little experience freshwater fishing and/or fishing for murray cod, any advice would be appreciated! (lures, bait, locations, techniques, rigs, etc.)

 

Cheers Charlie

 

[ellicat]

Live shrimp and live crayfish hooked once through the third last section of the tail. Big earthworms in a bunch on the hook. Simple running ball sinker with as light a sinker as you can get away with. 5/0 hook at least.

Cheese is recommended as dead bait - mozzarella holds onto the hook best apparently.  Don't bother with dead shrimp pr crays.

Shallow diving lures. StumpJumpers are good and proven cod catchers. No need to go too big in the smaller shallow creeks/rivers. Never caught one on a spinner bait but on one trip everyone caught one on spinner baits except me, so probably just me. Purple or natural colours.

Fish close to snags or on the deeper side of bends.

Best times for me have been after 3pm. Be quiet.

Maybe @KhalidMSyed could offer some tips - he's been getting a few down Canberra way this year.

[ellicat]

PS Good luck. If you get a legal one they are great eating fish, my favourite. There's something special about catching them too.

[Bretto77]

Wow that's quite the leg up from @ellicat. Best of luck,  I'm sure you will have a great time

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Good luck Charlie, make sure you bring some surface lures down as well to give them a go. Try as close to snags as you can cast. Hope to see you get one. 

[charlie.hans.fishing]

31 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Live shrimp and live crayfish hooked once through the third last section of the tail. Big earthworms in a bunch on the hook. Simple running ball sinker with as light a sinker as you can get away with. 5/0 hook at least.

Cheese is recommended as dead bait - mozzarella holds onto the hook best apparently.  Don't bother with dead shrimp pr crays.

Shallow diving lures. StumpJumpers are good and proven cod catchers. No need to go too big in the smaller shallow creeks/rivers. Never caught one on a spinner bait but on one trip everyone caught one on spinner baits except me, so probably just me. Purple or natural colours.

Fish close to snags or on the deeper side of bends.

Best times for me have been after 3pm. Be quiet.

Maybe @KhalidMSyed could offer some tips - he's been getting a few down Canberra way this year.

Thanks Brian those are some great tips I'll be sure to use them. 

I appreciate it a lot. 

I've seen Robbiefishing on Youtube use mozzarella and tasty cheese a lot, they must be a well-renowned cod bait. 

His mate Brett has even used Maccas chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce and got a couple on that, too  

[charlie.hans.fishing]

38 minutes ago, ellicat said:

PS Good luck. If you get a legal one they are great eating fish, my favourite. There's something special about catching them too.

Thanks. I'm sure they are. I reckon they're my favourite freshwater native fish regardless that I've never caught one 

[benno573]

Apparently popcorn chicken from the cornel is another dead bait option.  

[KhalidMSyed]

3 hours ago, TheCharliefisho said:

Hi all.

In just a few days I'll be staying on a week-ish long trip in Killarney, and I'm interested in fishing for murray cod down there in the Condamine River. 

Since I have little experience freshwater fishing and/or fishing for murray cod, any advice would be appreciated! (lures, bait, locations, techniques, rigs, etc.)

 

Cheers Charlie

 

Never done any fishing in Condamine River but internet says that it is one of the largest catchments in the Murray-Darling Basin and harbours some of the best Murray Cod and Yellowbelly fishing in Queensland. So, great choice of fishing destination.

Most of the websites I have seen on internet seem to suggest using spinner baits as a good way of catching Murray Cod. Here are two examples:

https://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/report-the-condamine-cod-trail
http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/Articles/Display/19946-Snag-a-big-cod-along-the-Condamine

However, best to have a backup method if spinner baits don't work due to some reason. Live Yabbies and Cheese works well for Murray Cod here in Canberra and I think the same should work in Queensland too.

Note however that fishing is not allowed in the following areas all year round:

Condamine River:
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Chinchilla Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Loudon Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Lemon Tree Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Yarramalong Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Cecil Plains Weir
From 27º02.24' south, 149º57.12' east (approximately 14 km upstream from the weir) to 200 m downstream of Reilly's Weir
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/recreational/recreational-fishing-rules/closed-seasons-waters/freshwater-areas

Good luck with your fishing in Condamine River. Share photos in this forum if you catch anything.
 

[Bob9863]

 Cheese is a great bait as you don't get by catch with it, shrimps and yabbies are brilliant but expect some yellow belly too. 

Fish deep holes next to decent current, fish close to the shore, either side of the river. 

Stump jumpers are great especially as you fish for cod in the snags, buy a lure retriever too, if your not getting snagged then your not fishing in the right place. 

Over cast a, spot, cod are lazy ambush predators, you might cast 20 times at the same snag before you get close enough that the fish will grab it. 

Dawn and dusk along the banks are great times to catch them cruising the bank, try a cheese rod and lures too. Big spinner baits and chatter baits are great lures for cod and remember they like big meals so use big lures and retrieve them slowly with the occasional pause. 

Don't fish light braid, 30lb is about standard as they love the timber and pretty much always run for it. 

And perseverance pays off, don't expect a lot of hits but expect them to hit hard when they do. 

[charlie.hans.fishing]

1 hour ago, KhalidMSyed said:

Never done any fishing in Condamine River but internet says that it is one of the largest catchments in the Murray-Darling Basin and harbours some of the best Murray Cod and Yellowbelly fishing in Queensland. So, great choice of fishing destination.

Most of the websites I have seen on internet seem to suggest using spinner baits as a good way of catching Murray Cod. Here are two examples:

https://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/report-the-condamine-cod-trail
http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/Articles/Display/19946-Snag-a-big-cod-along-the-Condamine

However, best to have a backup method if spinner baits don't work due to some reason. Live Yabbies and Cheese works well for Murray Cod here in Canberra and I think the same should work in Queensland too.

Note however that fishing is not allowed in the following areas all year round:

Condamine River:
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Chinchilla Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Loudon Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Lemon Tree Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Yarramalong Weir
From 100 m upstream to 200 m downstream of Cecil Plains Weir
From 27º02.24' south, 149º57.12' east (approximately 14 km upstream from the weir) to 200 m downstream of Reilly's Weir
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/recreational/recreational-fishing-rules/closed-seasons-waters/freshwater-areas

Good luck with your fishing in Condamine River. Share photos in this forum if you catch anything.
 

Thanks so much.

I didn't know about the fishing restrictions at certain times of the year so i appreciate you pointing that out. 

Cheers, 

Charlie.

[charlie.hans.fishing]

49 minutes ago, Bob9863 said:

 Cheese is a great bait as you don't get by catch with it, shrimps and yabbies are brilliant but expect some yellow belly too. 

Fish deep holes next to decent current, fish close to the shore, either side of the river. 

Stump jumpers are great especially as you fish for cod in the snags, buy a lure retriever too, if your not getting snagged then your not fishing in the right place. 

Over cast a, spot, cod are lazy ambush predators, you might cast 20 times at the same snag before you get close enough that the fish will grab it. 

Dawn and dusk along the banks are great times to catch them cruising the bank, try a cheese rod and lures too. Big spinner baits and chatter baits are great lures for cod and remember they like big meals so use big lures and retrieve them slowly with the occasional pause. 

Don't fish light braid, 30lb is about standard as they love the timber and pretty much always run for it. 

And perseverance pays off, don't expect a lot of hits but expect them to hit hard when they do. 

Thanks a lot for the advice @Bob9863

This will sure help me out, getting advice from the pros 

I know you're a gun on the yellas, you've posted up some awesome fish on the forum, and better yet, to help out team south.

I just recently bought a baitcaster setup for cod and jack fishing, with 20lb braid, so that should hopefully hold up. 

- Charlie

[Bob9863]

That will work, I've caught some good cod up to 90cm on a 4kg spinning rod with 10lb braid, it all depends on the structure in the water. 

Generally the lighter you fish the more hits you get.