Welcome to the Murray Cod Fishing Guide Victoria. Murray Cod is Australia’s largest freshwater fish found in the northern half of Victoria. These amazing fish can grow to 1.8 meters in length and over 50 kilos in weight. They are slow-growing fish that can live up to 50 years of age. With a very distinctive green spotted pattern over their head and body finished with an enormous opening mouth. Murray Cod numbers have decreased rapidly in recent times which has enforced stronger limits and more cod stocking programs. This fish is generally targeted in areas such as Murray River, Goulburn River, Ovens River, Mulwala, and Eildon.
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Murray Cod Facts & Catch Limits
- Has the scientific name Maccullochella peeli.
- Murray Cod catch limits are a minimum size of 55cm and a maximum size of 75cm.
- Ensure you check Murray Cod season open and close dates which affect all waterways except for lake Eildon which is open all year round.
- Our largest freshwater fish that can grow over 50 kilos
- Murray Cod have a daily bag limit. Can only take 1 for the river, and can only take 2 for lakes, urban lakes, and impoundments. ( this is specified at the bottom of this article )
- The largest Murray cod ever officially recorded was 183 cm or 113 Kg
Best time to catch Murray Cod ( Seasons )
In Victoria, Murray Cod are more active in warmer months ideally between Summer and Autumn. They are often best targeted at Dawn/Dusk.
Ensure you check regularly for season open and close dates which are 1 September to 30 November inclusive. The closed season does not apply in the following waters: Lake Eildon, Waters south of the Great Dividing Range, except the Yarra River, Waters of the Wimmera and Millicent basins, except the Wimmera River
How to catch Murray Cod
Murray Cod is Australia’s largest freshwater fish that grows to impressive sizes. They are aggressive strikers and exceptional to target with surface lures. Cod are ambush predators that love the cover of structure so make sure you concentrate your efforts on any visible structure. This will include submerged logs, overhanging branches, rock bars, deep holes, and any visible structure. They will also seek shelter in deeper holes and rock ledges. Cod are most active in low light conditions such as sunrise and sundown.
Good lure options for Murray Cod include hard body lures, surface lures, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, shads, lipless crankbaits, paddletails and curtail soft plastics. These should be worked slowly or tolled from your boat or kayak if access is permitted. There are some amazing surface lures on the market these days including imitation mice, frogs, ducks, and snakes with realistic action that are fun to target cod with. Bait anglers can target Murray cod with live yabbies and worms.
Gear selection for Murray cod can be quite challenging as you will need to make a choice to go heavy and target the really big ones or go lighter and target the smaller size models. These days popular gear choices include things like millerods codfreak paired with a Shimano Curado DC baitcasting reel. Gear that is built to be able to cast large swimbaits, soft plastics, and spinner baits but also rugged enough the handle a fish over a meter in size. These are also strong rods built for purposes like a Shimano T-Curve combined with a bait caster reel spooled with a 20lb to 40lb braid and a 30lb to 50lb leader.
Best Baits to Catch Murray Cod
Our best bait recommendations include scrub worms, Bardi grubs, and yabbies. The are several ways to present baits either a running sinker rig or a paternoster rig. The rig choice will be dependent on where you are fishing, and the casting distance required. Where possible fish with as little weight. When land-based you may need a heavy sinker to cast out as far as you can.
- Scrub worms
- Yabbies
- Bardi Grubs
- Cheese
Our rig recommendations when bait fishing would include a running sinker rig or paternoster rig as shown in the images below. Please note we have detailed step-by-step video guides in our member’s area on how to create these rigs.
Simple running sinker
Thread a small running sinker through the mainline shown in blue. Tie a small barrel swivel to the end allowing the sinker to run up the mainline freely. On the other end of the swivel add 50cm of fluorocarbon leader ( shown in grey ). Finished with a small long shank hook.
Paternoster Rig
Best Soft Plastics and lures to Catch Murray Cod
These predatory fish are not too fussy and will have a go at many lures. Good options include large surface lures cast hard up against the structure. However, they will also take large soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and bibbed hardbody lures. Cast in one area for a few minutes if you don’t get any bites then move on. Keep doing this until you start getting some bites. Mix up colours and lure styles if the bite goes quiet. Some days bright colours work great the next day natural colours. For jig head selection it’s a good idea to have multiple weights and sizes with you. This way you can adjust based on the current strength and weather conditions. We generally would have a 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, and & 1/12 jig head in a 2/0 and 3/0 size. Take your time when rigging and make sure the plastic is on straight, this improves the plastic action.
- Stump jumpers
- Bassman spinnerbait Codman
- Megabass Vatalion 190mm jointed swimbait
- Codger 55mm cod hard body
- Jackall TN50 & TN60
- Rapala X-RAP PETO 14cm
- Balista Dyno 90 hardbody
- Megabass Magdraft 10″ Swimbait
- Bassman DT spinnerbait
- Ignite Cod Fury 220 soft plastic swimbait
- Jackall Gantia
- RMG Nightwalker
- Daiwa Duckfin live shad
- Jackall Pompadour
- Wilson slick back hard body lure
- old mate lake Nagambie cod classic lure
- old mate cod lures
- Koolabung code walker
- RMG Poltergiest
- Savage Gear 3D snake
- Bassman Biggen spinnerbait
- Icon Carnage spinnerbaits
- Koolabung codcracker
- Deps buzzjet
Best locations to catch Murray Cod
- Murray River
- Benalla Lake
- Big Meran Lake
- Booroopki Swamp
- Boga Lake
- Buffalo Lake
- Cairn Curran Reservoir
- Charlegrark Lake
- Charm Lake
- Cooper Lake
- Cullulleraine Lake
- Eildon Lake
- Eppalock Lake
- First Reedy Lake
- Greens Lake
- Harrietville Dredge Hole
- Hume Lake
- Kangaroo Lake
- Kiewa River
- Kow Swamp
- Laanecoorie Reservoir
- Lascelles Lake
- Moodemere Lake
- Nagambie
- Nillahcootie Lake
- Numurkah Lake
- Taylors Lake
- Victoria Lake Shepparton
- Walkers Lake
- Waranga Basin
Lakes and Urban Lakes for Murray cod Classification
Specified lakes and impoundments
- Barkers Creek Reservoir
- Benalla Lake
- Big Meran Lake
- Booroopki Swamp
- Boga Lake
- Buffalo Lake
- Cairn Curran Reservoir
- Charlegrark Lake
- Charm Lake
- Cullulleraine Lake
- Eildon Lake
- Eppalock LakeFirst Reedy Lake
- Greens Lake
- Hume Lake
- Kangaroo Lake
- Kow Swamp
- Laanecoorie Reservoir
- Lascelles Lake
- Lauriston Reservoir
- Moodemere Lake
- Nagambie Weir
- Nillahcootie Lake
- Numurkah Lake
- Rocklands Reservoir
- Taylors Lake
- Victoria Lake (Shepparton)
- Upper Coliban Reservoir
- Walkers Lake
- Waranga Basin
Urban Lakes
- Albert Park Lake
- Casey Fields Lake
- Karkarook Lake
- Melton Reservoir
- Navan Park Lake
- Quarry Lake (Ferntree Gully)
- Roxburgh Park Lake
- Spavin Lake
Murray Cod Fishing Guide Victoria – Fish image supplied VFA and DEPI. They carry out wonderful initiatives locally and we would encourage you to visit their website and support them. You can obtain a free Victorian recreational fishing guide from the Victorian Fisheries Authorities weblink
If you feel this fish species guide is missing key information or needs any corrections. Then please let us know by emailing our team at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au with specific details in the email. Thank you