The 5 Best Lure Types for Murray Cod

By Adam Smith

Spring has finally decided to show up after one of the wettest winters we have experienced in a very long time. With the warmer temperatures and sunshine comes the insect hatches which will liven up the trout as they have finished their spawning run and started heading back to the food rich areas of the lakes. Some of the Brown and Rainbow Trout will hang back in the streams as long as there is plenty of food around to sustain them. Spring time brings on the snow melt and with all the recent rain the rivers and streams are still running fast and high. You can still effectively fish them but you need to change your fishing approach. Target the back eddies and edges as this is where the fish will be holding out of the fast moving current.

dan morton river rainbow

Dan with a cracker river Rainbow taken during a spring time fish

Top Locations and Waterways

Spring is the time of year to be heading into the Snowies (Snowy Mountains N.S.W) to stalk the banks of the rivers and streams such as the Yarrangobilly River, Eucumbene River, Thredbo River, Tooma River above Tooma Ponds and the Tumut River above Sue City. All the aforementioned rivers are easily accessible and located in Kosciuszko National Park so there is no need to cut across private property and most can be reached with a two wheel drive car.  Just remember with the good weather come the insects so don’t forget to throw in a can of Bushmans or Aeroguard.

casting for trout in snowy mountains

First light is the best time to be on the water as this is when the fish will be feeding

Casting Techniques

When feeding, trout will sit facing upstream just out of the fast water where they will wait and ambush anything that drifts down the river. The Trout’s streamlined body and aquadynamic shape allow the trout so sit on the bottom of the river effortlessly as they wait for food to swim by. The speed of the current will determine how close the lure will need to pass by a trout face to elicit a response.


Fast Current – Lure will need to land closer to the fish.

Slow Current – You can afford to cast further away from the fish.

Cast at all the back water eddies, undercut banks, logs and submerged boulders as there may be trout there even if you can’t see them.

monster brown trout social fishing

This monster river Brown was hiding tight in against an undercut bank

Lure Choice for Spring Trout

By far my favourite lure to use in these streams is the old inline spinner. Below are just a few of my favourites:

  • Panther Martin Salamander Gold size 2
  • Rublex Celta in the BTG colour
  • Bluefox Vibrax size 2 in the black hot pepper colour
  • FTL Lures Twinspin in Silver – available online here: ftllures.angelfire.com

Small soft plastics minnows in natural colours like browns and greens are perfect for the larger pools. Drifting flies and streamers on your spin rod under a split shot is also a fantastic method if the trout are being fussy. A glow bug and a bead headed nymph under a lead split shot can be cast upstream and drifted back down, just remember to keep in touch with your flies, if the line is slack you might not realise you’ve had a bite. This is a very simple and successful technique so well worth a try.

adam smith brown trout social fishing

The author with this above average Brown from the small stream in the background. This fish took one of the FTL Twin spin lures.

Gearing Up

You’ll want to use a light 7ft, 2-4kg rod as the length gives you plenty of accuracy when casting which is necessity when you have spotted a trout and the lure needs to land within the strike zone of the fish. Anything around the 2000-2500 sized reels are ideal. I run a Stradic Ci4 2500 which has a 3-11kg drag system which works great for when the trout decide to run you in to the fast current making a 2lb fish feel like a 4lb fish. The reel should be spooled up with 4-6lb braided line which I’m yet to come across a better mono than Suffix sfx.

 

Give it a Go

This style of fishing is perfect for daylight saving time, being able to jump in the car and head to one of the many trout rivers in our state on a Friday afternoon after work and still have plenty of daylight for a quick fish and to setup camp. With the flexibility of being able to jump in the car to try multiple locations in a single day makes for a great adventure on your spring prospect.

 

Adam Smith

Adam Smith

Adam Smith is a valuable team member of Social Fishing and is also a lure maker. He is the founder and owner of FTL Lures where he makes quality and affordable spinners which are great for Trout, Redfin and Golden Perch. Adam love his Trout fishing and spends most of his time in the Snowy Mountains trekking the small streams and paddling across the lakes in his kayak. You can visit the FTL website at: http://ftllures.angelfire.com/

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