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Launched on the banks of the Goulburn River today, in magnificent conditions, the line has been cast for the 2020 GoFish Nagambie tournament, which is promised to be better and bigger than ever.

GoFish Nagambie Chief Executive Rod Lockwood said, “Our plan in 2019 was to lay a platform, learn from the experience and develop a sustainable long-term event. We have built relationships and connections building an event that is driven by community support. It has been one of the most successful ‘Fishing Events’ that we have ever seen, and it’s set to GROW in 2020. Everyone had expectations for GoFish Nagambie, and for us we have exceeded them all.”

Nagambie is home to Australia’s richest and largest freshwater fishing competition and has seen a notable increase in recreational fishing since the inaugural tournament in 2019.

Executive Chef of Mitchelton Wines, Dan Hawkins said, “Every day I notice more boats, and more fishers on the banks of the Goulburn, testing the waters in search of pockets of luck. We’re only 90 minutes from Melbourne, this area is very accessible”

Australians across the country are prepping their fishing gear in anticipation of the highly successful landmark annual event, GoFish Nagambie tournament.

Women in Recreational Fishing Leader, Karen Rees said, “This is the first fishing event targeting women, it’s ground-breaking. It’s a rare thing to see women in the lime light and it’s pretty exciting. I encourage all women to come and have a go, bring your family and enjoy some time together.” 

The GoFish Nagambie fishing competition has a focus on environmental sustainability as it uses a catch, measure and release model to honour the environment and our native fish stocks.

Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO, Travis Dowling has been casting a close eye on the waterways of Lake Nagambie and is extremely proud of the success of the native fish restocking program that has been taking place over the last ten years.

“We came together ten years ago with a plan to restock the waterways. We’re seeing a reduction in carp and an increase in native species being caught. The restocking continues and today the children of Nagambie have assisted with the placement of 10000 Murray cod into the river. It’s about educating for generations to come.” Travis said.

Whether you’re a keen angler, never fished before or are just looking for a weekend away, the 2020 GoFish Nagambie tournament is the perfect event to fill your last weekend of daylight savings.

GoFish Nagambie 2020 is expected to attract thousands of visitors which will see up to 5,000 anglers compete in the fishing competition with over $500,000 worth of prices to be won. Beyond the fishing competition, GoFish Nagambie is a lifestyle and outdoor festival where there is something for the whole family.

The outdoor event will feature family friendly entertainment, educational programs and a unique opportunity to promote the region’s local epicurean offerings and small businesses.

“Fishing is good for you physically, it’s good for you mentally and socially. It will take to new places to meet new people and develop lifelong friendships. There’s not much, not to like about it,” concluded Rod Lockwood.

With the recent expansion of the GoFish Nagambie tournament zone to include Murchison I thought it was a good idea to get out there and share some of the expectations, challenges and rewards you are likely to face when fishing this well-known monster Murray Cod hotspot.

THE LOCATION

Situated on the Goulburn River, Murchison is a small rural town and farming community that relies on the river and channels as its main water and irrigation source. Because of this, the water levels in the Goulburn river that run through Murchison can fluctuate from one day to the next making it a challenging, but extremely rewarding place to fish.

THE ZONE

The tournament zone ends at the Murchison football and netball club just off River Road and includes all waterways back towards the Goulburn weir. 

There is a boat ramp at the end of Campbell’s Bend Road that is accessed via a four-wheel drive track with plenty of trailer parking and very easy manoeuvrability to launch and park safely.

THE RIVER

With the fluctuating water levels it can be a challenging waterway to chart. When the river runs low, there are parts of the river you could walk across, the structure is very visible and the stock banks are left high and dry. When the river runs high there is plenty of structure that sits just below the water level and your prop becomes a makeshift chainsaw! Be aware!

There is plenty of structure – PLENTY. From small fallen trees and branches to monster red gum tree trunks and root balls, there is timber and hiding spots everywhere.

FISHING FROM THE BANK

There are ample opportunities to fish from the Murchison banks and these are highlighted in the GoFish Nagambie Tournament zone maps. Upstream from the boat ramp at Campbells Bend you will find nice soft sand banks to fish from with very easy access.

For those of you that are wanting to walk the bank, flicking at the exposed structures as you go, you will find that the riverbanks can become quite steep but not impossible to navigate.

The benefits you will have fishing from the bank over being on the water is that you will be able to access the back of the structures where cod like to sit in wait, get in behind some low hanging willows where yellow belly like to school up and be very selective on where you fish  the slack water pockets that are proven holding grounds for Cod trying to nab an easy feed.

FISHING FROM THE WATER – BOAT OR KAYAK

Because of the unpredictable nature of the Goulburn river through Murchison with the ebbs and flows, the smaller structure and broken tree branches are constantly on the move. It really is a perfect spot for smaller boats and kayaks that can manoeuvre through tight spaces. There are no shortages of anchoring positions that provide great opportunities to cast in tight on those exposed logs. The centre of the river runs at an average depth of 4 to 6 meters and holds some deep pockets up to 8 meters. The amount of submerged structure makes it difficult to troll through the strike zone, so checking the water depth and matching that to the dive depth of your lure is crucial for a successful hook up. 

ADDITIONAL TIPS, BAIT SELECTION AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

With Murchison having so much structure to fish, weather on the land or the water, flicking surface is a must on those early morning sunrise sessions. Those monster cod could be hiding anywhere and could be hungry at any time. Your chances of getting one off the top are far more favourable during the periods of low light when they feel more comfortable to venture out for a feed. When the sun starts to peek through the eucalyptus trees, stay on the shaded side of the river and get a few more flicks on the top before changing to your hardbodies or your spinnerbaits. When you do change lures and tactics and start flicking and retrieving hardbodies or spinnerbaits in and around the tight structure, try to visualize what that fallen tree or root ball may look like underwater. Chances are if you have a clear mental picture of that structure before you cast, you will be far more confident that you are casting into the pockets that are holding fish and won’t waste casts out in no man’s land!

If you are choosing to bait fish go with your old trusty! Be it chicken, cheese or natural baits like grubs, worms and yabbies they are all tried and true cod catchers in Murchison. If you want a local tip, the go to is freshwater shrimp. River shrimp are in good numbers through Murchison and easily caught with a bait trap. If you are bait fishing, try to not get distracted, it is very easy to park your rod in a holder and pick up your phone, sort through your tackle box or get stuck into your breakfast. If the fish do come to make an enquiry, make sure you are home to answer the call! That’s one call you do not want to miss! The 80k Cod call!

Happy fishing and stay safe!

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU, YOUR CAREER AND HOW AFN CAME TO BE?

AFN was formed in 1987 when we first started publishing Freshwater Fishing magazine. Before that I was the Victorian editor for Modern Fishing magazine. I published Freshwater Fishing mainly because none of the major magazines really wanted to publish freshwater articles.

From 1987 to 2000 I continued work as a Roof Tiler until moving over full time into AFN.

Back then trout were easily the No 1 target for freshwater anglers and even bass in NSW were bigger than cod.

We slowly pushed cod as they became bounced back and became more widespread and popular.

Back then there were virtually no Murray cod in impoundments in Australia.

MY DEFINING FISHING MOMENT IS

Strange, but probably getting into television. It’s very difficult doing a TV Show – fish generally don’t like cameras! I started very late too, probably 55 before I got really involved and being in front of the camera wasn’t a real driver for me. I had worked with Rex a couple of times over the years and of course did a series of How To Tactics DVDs.

But – TV has really taught me to be organised in my fishing – anything less and you’ll fail. It’s also taught me to be practical and be very adaptable. Take your opportunities and make the most of them.

I loved working with Alvey last year – they are an iconic Aussie company – and I just love surf fishing.

Equally my first Murray cod out of the Billabong creek (probably only a 45!) was defining – they were a rare commodity then in the 70’s.

I KNOW I’M ONTO A GOOD FISH WHEN

When a bite becomes just a continuous run. Braid is just something that gives you so much better feel than the old days with mono.

The Kimberley last year was a perfect example when you’re expecting a 2kilo reef fish and you get hit by a 20 kilo GT! It just loaded up and kept going.


THREE BITS OF GEAR I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT ARE…

Braid

Fly Outfit

My Boats

MY LURE OF CHOICE IS

I just love fishing all lures and in my job I need to know and understand how to fish them in all situations – salt and fresh – big small – heavy and light.

BUT I do love spinnerbaits! A lot of anglers think uni dimensionally with spinnerbaits. I’m very much multi dimensional.

If I had to nomination one style of lure give me my spinnerbaits – especially my over-sized suspending baits – big cod just love them!

MY CAREER HIGHLIGHT IS

I don’t know, maybe it’s not happened – maybe it never will! Lots of highlights – but if I had to nominate it was probably hooking and losing and SEEING a 30 pound brown in the Huon river in Tasmania.

That’s motivated me for years – I now know that they exist in Australia!

THE AFN FISHING SHOW TAKES YOU TO SOME AWESOME LOCATIONS, WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 SPOTS THAT AUSSIE ANGLERS MUST FISH

  1. Your own backyard! I love finding incredible fishing in my backyard. So Murray cod I the Yarra river or mulloway in Port Phillip bay
  2. Kane Dysart once said to me that flats and offshore fishing at Exmouth is the best fishing in Australia – He was right!
  3. The backcountry rivers of New England are amazing, granite, clear water and Murray cod that seem to always bite!

THERE’S BEEN 159 ISSUES OF FRESHWATER FISHING, WHAT’S BEEN A HIGHLIGHT STORY?

Probably the one on going to New Zealand and poaching their mega trout in the canals. I just loved doing a detailed map on where to go and how to do it! I was the camera man on that trip and Nige and I had to work it our for ourselves.

He got a 37 pound brown that I filmed and I got a 29 pound brown just before we went home. We got a great TV show and a great article.

Lots of Aussie anglers have since gone there motivated by the article and used my map and had great trips as well.

EVERY AUSTRALIAN ANGLER HAS SEEN AND IS JEALOUS OF YOUR BOAT. TELL US ABOUT IT AND SOME OF THE MODS YOU’D RECOMMEND TO ANGLERS?

I’ve been lucky there as it’s a US bay Boat and came pretty much fully finished (as most US boats do – the reason why I bought it!)  It’s a Bluewave – Pure Bay model and is some 10 years old now – in my opinion Bluewave are the best in the world. (I’ve driven to Hogan in it one up – all I needed was a wet suit and it got me there and back!)

Mostly I’ve added electronics and the bow stuff has really improved my fishing results.

Having transducers at and on the bow make that bow mounted Lowrance really useful.

WHAT’S YOUR TOP TIP FOR TARGETING AUSSIE NATIVES LIKE MURRAY COD OR GOLDEN PERCH?

Keep casting and keep expecting – then you won’t miss it.

I’m no different to anyone – sometimes it’s 1000 casts between fish! I like to just pepper – Get them over as quick as I can then get into a bite that gives one every 20 or so cast!

Mind you goldens can be much for forgiving though.

So, I was asked the question, “What are your top 5 tips for fishing Nagambie?”

As always, these questions are hard to answer when it comes to fishing, because things change from week to week, and this leads into my first tip…

  1. BE READY FOR CHANGE

This is a tip you take with you to most waterways, but even more so with Nagambie. Water systems change from week to week depending on the weather conditions, water level and flow and the behaviour of the fish. You need to always be adaptable to the situation and realise that things can change.

Here is a short few rules to go by:

Cold change, low barometer, cold water from Eildon – in these situations you will find the fishing to be very slow. The Golden Perch will shut right down and the cod will as well. Your best chance of landing a fish in this situation is to use bait, or fish your lures extremely slowly. The shallow margins of the lake will fish the best and most likely in the afternoon, especially if there is a bit of sun. You need to expect the fishing to be tough, so don’t give up because everyone has the same conditions.

Warm weather, stable pressure & sunny – this is perfect for active fish, especially if there is a warm week leading up to the event. This is where you want to be casting and trolling and trying to cover as much water as you can. If you’re fishing around a lot of other anglers, try to find a good area and stay there until you have covered the water. The shallow margins out away from the main river channel will fish best early in the morning and they will be good to work as they will see less pressure.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Do a research trip! Nothing beats visit the lake and spending some time fishing before competition day. If you want to have a chance at winning the comp, do your research. Spend some time on the lake so you understand how the system works, the kind of structure and test different techniques and try to come up with a plan for the tournament. That’s my second and also an extremely important tip.

3. FISH SHALLOW AND DEEP – WORK OUT WHERE THE FISH ARE FEEDING

On the day the fish could be feeding shallow, or they could be feeding deep… maybe even both. Whatever it is, you need to work it out. Early morning I would start in the shallow and see if it works. Chances are you’ll find fish on first light and then after the sun rises you may find they could go off the bite. This is when you might need to find water deeper than 3m and fish in those areas. Once you figure out a pattern, stick to it for the event as this will give you the best chance are taking out a prize.

4. WORK HARD FROM THE BUZZER

I know this is an obvious one, but it is critical for success! Don’t stop… keep fishing and fish hard. Be up well before the start of day one and on the water ready to implement your plan. And then fish flat out for the entire duration of the competition. The more time on the water fishing, the more chance of encountering that $80K cod.

5. GO NATURAL

My last tip and this is more leading towards the competition is to use natural presentations. If you’re a lure caster I’d still be throwing spinnerbaits and hardbodies, but swimbaits will come into play. With so many lures being thrown around you will need to use something as natural as possible and Carp imitation swimbaits are hard to beat. They aren’t the easiest lure to fish but working them in the shallow margins and past the standing stumps is where they come into play.

The other options which is as natural as you can get, is to use bait. In a competition like this using large yabbies, bardi grubs and shrimp is a great option. Not only will you catch numbers of fish but you’ll be in for a good chance at the winning cod.

Bonus – Enjoy the event

As a bonus tip for GoFish Nagambie, make sure you have fun! This event is all about sharing and enjoying this passion we all have for fishing. Start a new conversation with someone, share your stories or if you caught a fish, help someone out if they are struggling.

Fishing is all about having fun and enjoying your time on the water!

We don’t want to make outrageous statements BUT Nagambie is fishing as good as it ever has with most fishos coming away with a cod or two in the bag…and decent cod at that. Here’s the lay of the land for you.

Here are the top spots for the last two weeks fishing the Goulburn River in and around Nagambie.

MITCHELLSTOWN

A lot of Murray Cod between 50 to 65cm are coming in from between Chinamans Bridge and Mitchellstown Bridge. Flick surface lures or spinnerbaits into the lagoons around the lily pads.

LAKE NAGAMBIE

Reports coming in that the Mitchellstown side of the lake is doing all the damage at the moment. Chris Galea getting a 92 model of the top with Stump Jumper.

Off the boardwalk, you’re in with a decent chance of Reddies, Yellowbelly and smaller cod in town. Stick to worms and small yabbies.

KIRWANS BRIDGE

Kirwans Bridge Yellas have a big appetite at the moment particularly around the reed beds and overhanging willow trees..plenty of yellowbelly schools hiding out waiting.

MURCHISON

Below the weir, Murchison East through to Arcadia is fishing really well. The river is looking reasonably clear, nice height and isn’t flowing too quickly. Casting spinnerbaits in around the timber is producing the good. These trees are holding big numbers of shrimp, so the cod are hanging around too.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU, YOUR CAREER AND YOUR RECENT SUCCESS ON THE BASSMASTER STAGE IN THE US?

Growing up on the banks of the Balonne River in St George, Queensland, freshwater fishing runs deep in my veins. Fishing to me is more than the hook up, it’s about the experience. It’s the adventure, the thrill of the catch, camping in the outdoors, telling stories around the campfire and knowing that I’m right where I belong. It is a feeling of absolute freedom. Through my work as a Freshwater Fishing Guide, and Professional Tournament Angler, I want to help others experience the same love for fishing and the great Australian outdoors as I do.

I started competitive fishing in 2015 and quickly grew into a huge passion, I won Co-Angler of the year in 2015, Rookie of the year in 2017, Pro Angler of the year in 2018. I represented Australia in South Korea in May 2019 with a 6th place finish and also represented Australia at the BASS Nation Championship in the USA in 2019 taking out an 8th place finish amongst 120 of the world’s best anglers. To compete at an international level and almost take out the win was a major highlight.

MY DEFINING FISHING MOMENT IS

Every time I fish, I love the challenge of figuring out how the fish are responding and to get them to bite a lure I’m casting. Every fish you catch on a lure is a little win.

I KNOW IM ON TO A GOOD FISH WHEN

You feel that thump and the line starts peeling off that reel at a million miles an hour

THE THREE BITS OF GEAR I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT ARE

My GARMIN sounders, my Boat and my Millerods!

MY LURE OF CHOICE IS

A Bassman Spinnerbait for anything freshwater

MY CAREER HIGHLIGHT IS

Competing in America at the BASS Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell in America and making Championship Sunday

YOU FISHED GOFISH NAGAMBIE IN 2019, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BIGGEST ADVICE FOR THOSE TACKLING IT IN 2020

Slowing right down and fishing every snag that you see, there could be a big cod anywhere

MY LURE OF CHOICE FOR GOFISH NAGAMBIE IS

A 3/8-ounce Bassman Twin spin Spinnerbait in Red and Black

I’M MOST EXCITED FOR GOFISH NAGAMBIE BECAUSE

There’s a ton of entertainment, things to do and see and so many like-minded people

IF I COULD GO FISHING WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD IT WOULD BE

Kevin Van Dam an American bass pro

We all know the big prize at Nagambie is for the biggest cod… but its not the only prize! There is cash to be won for carp and prizes (yet to be announced) that you could win and best of all you can win them with a Carp.

In this edition of GoFishing with Rhys I’m going to share my tips that will help you to catch that winning Carp.

CARP TACTICS FOR NAGAMBIE

Like all freshwater waterways, Nagambie is loaded with the invasive species. This competition is a great opportunity to remove a few from the water, but even better, a great chance to win some prizes. Carp are a relatively easy species to catch, as they love searching for any food to suck up off the bottom. They are primarily a bottom feeder and will suck around in the mud and silt looking for food.

Best Baits for Carp

Using bait is the only way to go. You can catch them on lures, but it is rare and if you want to give yourself the best chance… use bait. The best baits to use are bread, corn and worms. The reason these three all work well is because they have a strong smell which attract the Carp from a long way, the scent the carp can smell in the bread and corn is sugar, they love anything sweet.

Tip: when using bread, make sure you only use white bread. Firstly, because it is the easiest to mould onto the hook and it stays on for longer, but more importantly is has the highest concentration of sugar. Whereas wholemeal or grain has little sugar and you’ll reduce your catch rate significantly.

Baiting up your Hook

Once you have your chosen bait (I’d go with bread and worms) you need to bait it correctly. With the bread just take a piece off and mould it into a flat ball shape or like a flat long disc. Then pin the hook through the bread and make sure your hook point is exposed (never hide your hook point or you’ll miss fish). If you’re using worms make sure you load up the hook with as many as you can.

Best Rig to Use

I like to run a running sinker rig with a paternoster setup. It’s simple; first cut a 40cm length of line off your mainline (if you’re using monofilament, if your using braid you’ll need some leader material) get a light ball sinker (size 2) and run it up your line, and then tie on a swivel. Then tie on the length of line you cut off to the other end of the swivel (or your leader material). Tie a hook onto the end of the line, this is your first hook. Then you want to make a paternoster loop halfway between your swivel and hook and once this is done, loop on another hook. This way you have two hooks and can use two different baits.

Areas to Fish

Now the most important part is to pick where to fish. The areas you want to find are shallow muddy sections, close to weed. I would avoid chasing Carp in the main river channel. Look for the backwaters and shallow sections in the lake. The key part is to find reedy area, this are places they will feed and search for food.

Final Tip

This could almost be the winning ingredient which will make a massive difference come comp day. Carp are a schooling fish and your goal is to catch as many Carp as you can. You can make this a whole lot easier if you can draw in entire schools of Carp to the area.

You can do this by using burly! Want you want to do is get a bucket and packet of breadcrumbs, find some sand or dirt and even buy a can of creamed corn. Get the sand and mix it with the breadcrumbs, you’ll also want to grab a few slices of bread and try to break them up into tiny pieces. What I like to do is break a piece of and rub it in my hand with the sand to mix it together. Then add your creamed corn to the bucket, this acts as like a glue (don’t make it too wet).

You should now have this fine mixture and what you want to do is grab a handful and throw it in a circular motion out where you are fishing, so it fans out in the area. You don’t need much, its basically something for them to smell and be attracted to, but you don’t want them to spend all their time eating your burly and not your bait.

Do this every 20 mins or so to keep the Carp in the area.

$80K IS ON OFFER FOR THE BIGGEST MURRY COD

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