Chasing giants: A Murray cod story from the other end of the world
My first love was chasing native Aussie Bass, small but ferocious, each strike a tiny thrill. But all the while, in the back of my mind, there was the Murray cod: a freshwater leviathan, Australia’s largest – smart, wary, and over one meter in length. I had seen stories, heard legends, but the rivers where they roamed were eight hours away. The dream seemed distant … until life moved me to Sydney.
Suddenly, the cod were within reach. My mate and I made a trip to a river that held the Eastern Murray cod. That weekend, 29 fish came to the boat between us, all under 65cm. Small, but explosive. Each strike was a jolt, a promise of what lay ahead. My passion ignited.
I fished rivers relentlessly, scouted new locations, hunted meter-long giants. But after countless trips, I hadn’t caught a cod over 70cm. These fish are cunning, deliberate, and elusive. Then, a spark of hope: a trip to the Murrumbidgee. On the cusp of calling it a day, my mate hooked something enormous. I raced over – 90cm. Immense. My excitement mixed with frustration I hadn’t even had a nibble that day. The chase, as always, continued.
A few months later, we set our sights on Burrinjuck Dam, three-and-a-half hours from Sydney. Winter was supposed to be prime, yet years passed with nothing to show. Empty nets, 'donuts', cold drives home. Was it timing? Technique? Lure choice? These cod were testing me at every turn.
Then I discovered Social Fishing, a community of anglers sharing insights, locations, and strategies. I immersed myself with videos, threads, conversations with locals. Slowly, the picture became clear: barometer, moon phases, light, water temperature, flow, rain, rising and falling levels, even the retrieve speed mattered. Before a cod would strike, everything had to align.
Armed with newfound knowledge, I returned to Burrinjuck. Trip after trip, still nothing. But on this trip, everything lined up. Last morning of a two-day stint, I cast a surface lure. A few casts in – a violent explosion, water flying, heart leaping. Rod bent. Line screamed. Mick helped net it. 82cm. Not the meter I craved, but a surface bite like that? Pure adrenaline.
Then came Covid, grounding travel, limiting fishing. I studied, observed, learned. By 2025, I had my own tinnie and a chance to fish with Social Fishing legends Rhys Creed and Dan Webber on the Murrumbidgee. We chased cod, glimpsed giants, but I still hadn’t landed my magic meter fish.
June 23rd, I arrived at Burrinjuck alone, relying solely on instinct and years of study. Days of tough conditions tested me in rain, wind, and cold but I persisted. Late afternoon, near 4pm, I found a bay lined with dead trees and a trickling creek. Three meters deep, I pitched a lure, retrieved slowly. A subtle tick, then the strike. Rod loaded. Heart racing. Murky water revealed the giant: 105cm. The 8–inch lure looked tiny, deep in its giant mouth. Cheers echoed across the dam. She went back strong, healthy, free. The culmination of years of chasing, planning, and learning. Achieving the dream on a solo trip. Forever rewarding.
Two days later, a rocky wall. Halfway through a retrieve, a violent strike. Rod bent. Heart in my throat. 94cm. Thick, heavy, a triumph even if not over a meter. I called Rhys and Dan, shared joy amplified by their excitement.
One month later, with Brydie, another Burrinjuck adventure. Only a few hours of light with only one afternoon season to get it done, but the lake was alive. Brydie suggested one bank before we call it quits for the night, first cast: 90cm. Second cast: 102cm. Two giant fish in two casts. Unreal. The culmination of years of struggle, study, and persistence all in one breathtaking afternoon.
After countless hours, cold mornings, wet weekends, empty nets, and missed strikes, 2025 had delivered: four giant cod, two over a meter. The dream, long pursued, realized and achieved.
This isn’t just fishing. It’s a testament to patience, learning, and the relentless pursuit of a challenge that demands respect. The Murray cod had tested me, teased me, and finally rewarded me and in the process, I learned that the chase is as thrilling as the catch.
Now to crack the120+ bring it on!
