Headed across the Kiewa River yesterday afternoon feeling sorry for myself after a fairly big work break-up party , to have a fish with a mate and maybe, just maybe, a frothy or two IF I came good.....The mate called me names and as he had been at the same party, I had no excuse but to join him for one while we loaded his punt;a little 12footer with an 8hp merc.Was a fairly balmy evening on the beautiful Kiewa, which is sort of like a Vic version of Kakadu, teeming with birdlife etc.
We ran downstream from his camp for 10 minutes with my Labrador and ol mates Jack Russell for company, so with an esky and a couple of rods each, she was fairly loaded..!!We pull up at spot x and I throw my bait in and it zooms off at right angles like a pillie at 6 mile buoy on a spring tide...I thought "nope, no good there,don't be so hungover and lazy, move it".....So up it comes and I spy a nice bit of backwater eddying along and dropped it in, then saw a whack-whack on the rod-which just happened to be paired with an old 200 Calcutta that had caused me headaches years ago and was long retired..
Next thing I says to the mate," It's a bign mate, I mean it," and after a minute or two of a bruising tussle, up he pops in the fast current behind the little merc...The mate sees him first and says "This things huge mate, how we gonna get him in the tinny?".And as soon as he says that , he lips the cod with his bogas, and barrel rolls the big fella straight in-nice work .....The dogs flew straight up onto the bow, just enough room....The little Jack Russell , who is normally pretty cheeky, was looking back at the cod flapping around thinking "I could fit sideways in this giant things gob" .My lab, who normally mouths every fish that comes over the gunwales, sat tight upfront with an occasional peek back...
It was only a 10 minute run back up to the mates camp, where we had a couple of cameras, and we tied the big fella up nice and secure and got them ready.I was surprised to see him flapping his fins as soon as he got back in the river pretty much-and then we noticed he was blind in one eye;hadn't affected his hunting ability as he was in great nick for a swift river fish.
We took a fair few pictures, then noticed a nice sunny spot just upstream, so I put him back in the drink and swam him slowly there, let him have a good breather( while we nailed some real quick celebratory drinks with the mates parents ), then slipped him out for a few more snaps.He always seemed happy enough each time we put him back in, so we grabbed a tape measure out of the nailbag, and pulled him out one last time.Couldn't believe that he went 1200mm on the dot-what a monster for a little river really..I don't own a brag mat so it'll have to do.
My mate loves his cod, and I had some great pics, so he walked into the shallows and cradled the big fella for 5 minutes , the whole time he looked raring to go, then off he cruised.....What a Christmas present that was, with great people in a magic part of Australia.
And, I didn't feel that "tap-tap" in my forehead anymore.......Merry xmas to all the good folk on this site, it is a credit to Matt and you all....

Mustv'e lost th saddle in the fight..Well done!! merry Xmas to all. graham

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Wow a great catch from the Kiewa there!!

Only fished it near the entrance to the Murray down from Mungab

Had my first game of Aussie Rules at Tangambalanga against Kiewa Sandy Creek reserves 1989!

Great part of the country that...

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thats a great report and the best cod ive seen alive for ages ( i seen heap sof crackers dead after the backwater last year )

good on your mate for jumping in the water and looking after him !!!!

great reading !!!!

great yarn top fish
could swear in the first pic it's got a belly button

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Tis a good spot Sy, and thanks men for the replies; oh and Kiewa won the GF in 2011.......Small world mate eh....