Well we made it down here to sunnny south Oz - only drama was the 110 kmh speed limit in this back woods county - seems so slow after running along at 140 - oh well was better for the fuel economy.
Heading out tomorrow morining to see if there are any golden perch around - dad has been cleaining up - cricket scores so hoping to bag a couple while we are here.
Will post some photos if we do any good - might have to post some even if we dont go any good - scorpion lures on offer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No all good down here water wise - irrigators are down to 60% of water allocations and word is that if it doesnt arin in the catchments come next year the govt is going to reduce that to 100% ie - YOU CAN NO LONGER DRAW WATER FROM THE MURRAY - Holy cr.p Batman - how do you reckon thats going to go down!!!!!!

Shane

_________________

Good luck with the yellas Shane, have a good holiday.

_________________

Well as per normal should have been here a week ago when cricket scores were getting caught anyway we are going a bit further afield later this week.
Hoping to get amongst some yellas and maybe even murray cod - anyway you never know until you try.

Shane

_________________

Well like any other fishing patience and persistence paid off. Went back up the river to check out the spots we fished last week and bagged out - let plenty go and had heaps of fun.
Landed a 51cm golden perch, plenty of other good size perch both silver and golden and Jordan landed 2 tagged golden perch and his first murray cod at 44cm. Photos to follow when we get back home next week.
The difference a week makes - the snags we got one or 2 fish on last week were loaded with fish - we pulled 15 golden perch off of the firxt snag we stopped at - one of them was the 51cm version and Jordan landed his cod and one of the tagged fish there.
As i said photos to follow next week.
Looking forward to getting back up and getting into some blue water fishing.
Shane

_________________

Unbelievable fishing, good to see the fish are there and you are having an enjoyable break.

_________________

hey shane i'll have to get some spots off you for when i go back to adel - am always keen for a fish down there but don't really know anyone who knows what they're doing or where they're going! if you can give some tips that'd be much appreciated

The day started early by holiday standards – up at 0500 to go out and pick up the live bait of choice for golden perch – the shrimp. I had poached all of dads traps the previous day and managed to secure a considerable amount of the crustacean which we secured overnight in a cage.
The road tip up river took us about 60 minutes with most of it being on bitumen and we were soon unloading the gear in preparation for a river side launch into the River Murray just above Lock 8. The wind was gently blowing and the sun had barely climbed into the sky as we approached the first snag a short run up the river.
I had fished this stretch of the river about a week previously with my father and we had landed 1 or 2 golden perch from most of the fallen trees that we tried. We tied up to the old tree and before I had time to complete the tying up Kyle had the first fish in the boat. The action was awesome for about and hour and a half with everyone hooking and landing many fish. As we pushed off from the snag when things finally quietened down and it was time to move, we had half our bag limit on board.
Golden Perch are crazy about live shrimp and the trick is to keep them on the boat as the perch simply cannot resist them. We use relatively stiff rods and a small sinker to get the bait down with 1 No 3 or 3 hook about 150mm up from the sinker. The shrimp is rigged onto the hook with a tiger worm or two to enhance the bait. When the bait reachs the bottom we raise and lower the sinker to attract the fish. Perch sometimes bite quite lightly and at other times the slam the bait. The technique we find most effective is to lift the rod tip when you feel any sort of action at the business end. If it is a perch and he is hungry he will usually continue to devour the bait. By raising the bait from the bottom it is very easy to see and feel the bite. When the fish takes the bait it is simply a matter of setting the hook and then trying to get the fish out of the snag. Some times it is easy to hook them but impossible to land them depending on how heavy the cover they are living amongst.
Most of the snags we visited that day held fish and while we had live shrimp we hooked and landed golden perch. The silver perch too loved the worms that we were using as bait and many were landed and returned to the river. 20 years ago it was legal to take this fish but some time ago it was protected and is now making a massive resurgence which shows the some of the strategies on the river are working.
We returned to the bonanza snag on our return journey and it paid off as Jordan landed his first ever Murray Cod – 44cm of beautiful cod. A few quick photos and the fish was returned to the river to grow bigger and become even more beautiful. During my holiday I saw many photos of cod caught up and down the river. Thankfully most fishermen are taking photos and returning these wonders to the river.
Jordan had an amazing day – not only did he manage to land to land his first cod and many great golden perch he managed to land not one but two tagged golden perch. We took photos, recorded the length and place of capture and released the fish in the interest of continued research into the species. I am still trying to pass that info to fisheries SA as the number on the tag is disconnected???
The River Murray is definitely at an all time low – rains into catchments are at lowest levels since records started being kept and irrigators all along the river are waiting nervously to see what the future holds. Inflows to SA are also at an all time low and the government is going to have to take drastic action in order to preserve this vital water course. There are signs however that things may be on the improve – all of the native fish are spawning, rabbits and kangaroos all around the place are breeding and birds are nest building along the river – with some luck they know something that all of the scientists cannot forecast and there is hope for the river. Without rain the government is threatening to stop irrigation along the river – the effects of which will be catastrophic right out into the whole country leave alone those who earn their livelihood from the life giving waters of the river.

I love getting back home and catching the native fish but I love the murray river and all it stands for even more – I am happy just being out on the river even if the fish aren’t biting.

Jim,
no worries mate i would be happy to have a chat with ya and pass on any help i can.

To everyone else a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and to those of you who are heading down the south with 2rods for new years eve look out cos i will be back on deck with a vengeance.

Cheers
Shane

_________________

G day Shane, your getting aruond my old stomping grounds there, I used to fish the Rufus and around lock seven and lock nine but never seen lock 8, had a memorable session in the rufus once when they opened the gates out of Lake Victoria to give you crow eaters some water, the perch and redfin were eating anything you put in the water ,we ran out of bait and were using bits of dead yabbies and shrimps of the ground.
The one thing I do miss (its about the only thing)about down there is the top camping anywhere you like along the murray its just too easy compared to up here.

Merry Christmas
Flicker

Great report Shane, good to see there's relatively healthy fish stocks there despite the drought

_________________

Thats what you think. We have been busy the last few days stripping all the good gear off your boat. Left the prop though. Looks like its seen better days.