Reports of massive Murray cod being caught up and down the Macquarie River are echoing across the western plains, with good size fish from 90cm up to an incredible 116cm coming across the desk of Dubbo Catches thick and fast.
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Fishers are reporting that daylight hours have been highly productive, with lure fishers accounting for many trophy fish in recent weeks with the hot bite attributed to the cold snap that signals the dead of winter is about to roll into town for an extended stay.
It has long been reported that the first frost is the ideal time to catch and release a trophy size Murray Cod, however the hot bite was seemingly late this year, with big fish reports really firing up over the past fortnight.
Oar Gee Ploughs, Flatfish, Gobsmacked and Native lures have all accounted for fish, with some really nice fish also falling for surface lures.
Illegal fishers
A compliance operation along the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers has resulted in almost $24,000 worth of penalty notices being issued to recreational fishers for not complying with regulations for Murray crayfish. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director Fisheries Compliance, Patrick Tully said compliance rates were disappointing with over 100 offences being detected in the first two weekends of June.
“Fisheries officers found 27 recreational fishers in possession of prohibited size Murray crayfish, while 12 fishers were detected taking crayfish from the closed waters of the Murray River downstream of the Tocumwal Road Bridge.
Murray Crayfish may only be taken during the months of June, July and August from the Murray River between Hume Weir and the Tocumwal Road Bridge including Lake Mulwala and from the Murrumbidgee River between the Gundagai Road Bridge and Berembed Weir excluding Old Man Creek. Murray Crayfish are protected in all other NSW waters.
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matt@reddenhansen.com.au.