As welcome widespread soaking rain rolled across the western plains over the weekend, so came with it the first day of Spring and the close of a Murray Cod season that saw plenty of big Macquarie River green fish grace the net and the pages of Dubbo Catches.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With the next three months set aside to leave the Murray Cod in peace to go about their breeding cycle, anglers across the Central West will now be busily dusting off and oiling up their golden perch and bass outfits and swapping large spinnerbaits and hard bodies for lipless crank baits and lures of the smaller variety.
The fishing at Windamere, Burrendong and all of our NSW impoundments will be soon hotting up as the first currents of warm water stirs the native goldens out of their almost dormant winter slumber, and into a spring time feeding frenzy.
Shrimp, yabbies and aquatic life forms of all shapes and sizes will become increasingly active as the days get longer, and with daylight saving soon getting underway those at work and school will get the opportunity to enjoy a few hours down by the river or at the dam after knock off time.
The spring months of last year saw some amazing yellowbelly photos sent in to Dubbo Catches from Windamere, Burrendong, Copeton, the Macquarie River and a host of other locations across NSW, and it is hoped this season will be just as good, if not better.
September onwards certainly is an exiting time for sports fishermen and women who chase trophy- sized golden perch in and around the Central West.
Pindaree
Mark Knaggs and Ian Kelly sent in some top quality pictures of yellowbelly and cod that they caught at Pindaree over the weekend.
Looking at the quality of the fish in the snaps, Pindaree certainly appears to be fishing extremely well.
Casting lipless crank baits to the edges Mark and Ian boated 18 goldens and a handful of cod.
The biggest cod being 67cm and 8lb, and the biggest yellowbelly 58cm and 7.5lb which from all reports took some extracting as it pulled like a demon. For the report and photos Mark picks up a selection of Jaz lures.
Freshwater Fever in the making
Co-producer and host of ‘Luring Murray Cod’, and ‘Cod Seeker’ lure craftsman Micheal Poulos has a new fishing DVD in the making, with the public eagerly awaiting its release.
His first DVD, co-hosted by Tamworth’s Dean McFarland, brought casting spinnerbaits into the lounge rooms of many recreational fishermen and women for the first time.
The new DVD is promising bigger lures, bigger fish, and plenty of action, with a 90lb cod caught on film from strike to the boat side. The DVD is due for release soon.
From the coast
A grey nurse shark has been saved from certain death off the NSW Far North Coast after a team of workers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) successfully removed a fishing gaff that was embedded in its throat.
The DPI, the Marine Parks Authority and Sea World learned of the distressed shark after scuba divers saw it swimming near Julian Rocks in the Cape Byron Marine Park.
A crew of three divers had to catch the shark using a lasso which was tied around its body. The shark was then encouraged into a perspex tunnel and brought to the surface and lifted onto the boat using a crane. Finally, the animal was placed into a holding tank where it was examined and the gaff removed.
Despite the circumstances, the 2.97 metre long female grey nurse returned to the water in good health. There was no bleeding when the gaff was removed and the shark was given a dose of antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
A pop-up satellite tag has been attached to the shark so that its movements and recovery can be monitored by scientists and local divers and Marine Parks staff have volunteered to keep an eye on her.
The grey nurse shark is an endangered species. There are thought to be less than 500 remaining in NSW waters.
