Fish Tales - Chapter 6 - The Murray - March 2022

Participants

Me – nicknamed – the Skipper

Maurice – nicknamed – Momo

Stephen – 

Lyn – 

Robyn – nicknamed – the Wench

Target Species

Murray Cod, Yellow Belly

Co-ordinates

Mildura to Trentham Cliffs

Methods Employed

Bait – worms, shrimp – bottom dropped

The Tally

Carp – 201 – Momo ceremonially caught #100

Carp in Shrimp Net – 210

Catfish – 6

Yellowbelly – 1

Bream (Estuary perch) – 9

Yabbie – 2

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The Story of the Trip

The Murray by the time it reaches Mildura is far less pristine than in its headwaters way back in the Southern Alps. Here the water will be lucky if it has not been used several times for irrigation on its way along the border causing salinity levels as well as any pollutants it might sieve through to go through the roof. It seems everyone here draws water from the river, it leaches down into the soil and back to the Murray.

Add to that the effects of the introduction of European Carp to the waterways of the irrigation areas in a fools attempt to keep them clean and here in south western New South Wales of north western Victoria depending on which side of the river you stand the river is nothing like the water from whence it comes. The Carp have taken over and are in plague proportions. There have been restocking measure put in place and the Carp (along with its cousin the Redfin) are considered pests and if caught are not allowed back in the river alive.

They do offer some sport but it is very easy to get bored with the dead weight approach they have to being caught. Now and again one will put up a half decent fight for freedom but because of their sucking motion on the bait they are generally well hooked by the time any strike is made on the line.

Not until this trip have I ever seen anything eat them. The wild pigs certainly don’t, nor do foxes or other feral animals. It wasn’t until we saw a goanna having the time of its life feasting on a vast line of them we had left after a considerably big day of success.

There are native species in the river, but they are few and far between and all are presently protected in this area in an attempt to restock the river. 

But the Carp are still winning.

You will see by the numbers below even the shrimp net proved effective as a capture method, especially when one night I thought I would enhance the bait for the shrimp by adding a rancid bread bun to the trap. The result was a trap I could barely pull from the water containing in excess of 100 Carp.

The 100th Carp just happened to be grabbed by Momo, bending the rod as he walked past, I was quick enough to grab the camera and record the “fight”

The only real challenge towards the end of the trip was to see if we could hook upwards of 200 Carp for the fortnight. Without even trying we managed well in excess of that with the net.

Thankfully the odd Australian species when hooked, despite their size put on a better fight. Several of the catfish would certainly have done for dinner had the protection order not been on them and two Perch were also “legal” according to the measure tape on the esky on the boat.

For the record here are each days numbers. At the end of the day I caught almost as many as we netted, and managed a bit of variety whilst doing our civic duty so to speak.

Of the big ones, the biggest went 4.0kg followed by three others between 3.0kg and 3.5kg – all but one, towards the end of the trip. The Murray is still very much infested with Carp although i managed to relieve it of more than 400 of the pests.

Based on the netting experience, all they need to do is to build a drum net, fill it with bread and a myriad of the mongrels could be dealt with every day. What about the other fish you ask – yeah and the Carp will let them in??? It would take very little to sort them from the pests.

Day 1

Carp – 6

Catfish – 1

Day 2

Carp – 9

Catfish – 1

Yellowbelly – 1

Day 3

Carp – 5

Catfish – 2

Day 4

Carp (in shrimp net) – 104

Carp – 3

Yabbie – 1 (big enough to eat but will be cod bait)

Day 5

Carp (in shrimp net) – 3

Carp – 43

Catfish – 1

Bream (Estuary perch) – 1

Day 6

Carp (in shrimp net) – 55

Carp – 13

Bream (Estuary perch) – 6 (one almost legal – 1 cm short 25cm – 1 legal 29 cm)

Day 7

Carp (in shrimp net) – 5

Carp – 21

Bream (Estuary perch) – 1

Day 8

Carp (in shrimp net) – 29

Carp – 4

Day 9

Carp (in shrimp net) – 3

Carp – 4

Bream (Estuary perch) – 1

Day 10

Carp (in shrimp net) – 2

Momo had us tied up across a great big snag – gave up early after a number of re-rigs

Day 11

Carp – 7

Day 12

Carp (in shrimp net) – 2

Carp – 26 (one 4kg another 3.5kg)

Day 13

Carp (in shrimp net) – 1

Carp – 27

Catfish – 1

Day 14

Carp (in shrimp net) – 6

Carp – 33

Yabbie – 1 (went back as too late for bait)