# QLS - Cod, Yellas and JF



## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Took the new car for a drive this weekend out to meet up with Craig for a Sunday session out near his farm. I actually headed down Friday arvo and got camp set up and was on the water for a quick session upstream by 6pm. Fished for about 2 hours but only managed to land a yella on one of Sel's Tangles.










Off to the pub to grab a 6 pack and drank. danced and sung my night away. Why not? No one else was there!

Up at 4:30 on Saturday and on the water straight away. Headed downstream. Took a while but I finally managed to open my cod account at a shallow set of rapids that had some good snags on the other side. Took about 10 cast in the one spot but I finally enticed him to take the spinnerbait. Man these cod are funny. It wasn't a bad cod either, not legal at 55cm but very fat and healthy.










Just after the rapids I decided to try and break my duck on hardbodies. Threw Sel's Tangle at many snags until a cod followed it almost to the yak and then took off with it. After a spirited fight (for a cod) I had him yakside but couldn't get the lip grippers in his gob. The wind blew me into the bank where he swam around some long grass. Again I tried to get the lip grips on him but again I failed and then with one shake of his head he dissapeared to the depths still sporting the Tangle. Bugger!!!

I rerigged with another Tangle and proceeded to throw that for an hour with no hits. I came to the junction where there was plenty of water flow so I dragged up it a bit and managed to land another nice little cod on the spinnerbait. I decided the flow was too strong to perserveer going up so I turned around and headed for camp as I was going to pack up and head to another spot for an explore.


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Second spot was only 11.2km downstream and a new spot for me to explore. I launched the yak and headed up stream. Managed to get my first cod about 100mtrs from the launch spot. Not big but a good start in a new spot. Once again on a spinnerbait.










Then there was nothing for a little bit even though every snag looked good! Finally managed to get another fish in a nice shaded pocket of creek right next to a big lay down. It hit the spinnerbait as soon as it touched down but failed to hook up. It hit it twice more during the retrieve without hooking up. So I fired another cast in there and hie hit and missed again but then he finally found the hooks and managed to snag himself on a log. Luckily it was within arms reach and I managed to wrangle another yella to the yak.










Next cast on the next snag another yella like the look of my spinnerbait and duly came to the yak. I paddled ashore as it was time to stretch the legs anyway. A quick pic and he swam off back under his snag.










And that was it for about an hour or two. I pushed upstream for another kilometre or so and then decided to turn around and ride the flow back home. Not much casting was done on the way back but I did manage to pull another healthy looking cod into the yak.










Time for a feed as it was about 2pm. Headed off for a burger and coke. I still had 4 hours until I was going to meet Craig at his house so after lunch I headed back to my camping spot and went up stream for a few hours but to no avail, not even a touch. So after 12 hours on the water I headed for Craig's place to meet his family and was surprised to see mudcrabs getting chopped up way out in the bush! He'd brought them all the way from Yeppoon, now that's keen.

A good feed amd a chat and then, luxury. An air conditioned caravan to sleep in for the night. How good is this!!


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Woke at 6pm after a solid night sleep. Jumped in the car and headed off for a fish at Craig's spot. It didn't take long for Craig to get on the board landing a nice 54cm cod on a hardbody (something I can't do!)










Not long after I had a cod follow one of StevenM's Katzz RR's right to the side of the yak before he rolled away, giving me a shower in the process. Scared the shite out of me. It was looking like a promising session.

About 15 minutes later I was just about to change sides of the creek to fish the shady side but decided to cast into one last shady spot under a tree with some snags. I got a hit as soon as it touched down but it missed the hooks. A couple of winds and a pause enticed the fish to strike again and this time a nice little cod managed to find the hooks and came to the yak. Yeehaa my cod on hardbody duck is broken. I tried my hardest to loose the fish while trying to get the trebles out of him but I managed to finally get a photo of a cod that I had caught on a hardbody. Stoked!










It went fairly quiet after that. I had another cod roll away after following my spinnerbait right to the yak and Craig managed one more cod taken from the shady side of the creek.










We headed down a bit further before I pulled the pin. The days fishing before took it out of me and I was ready for the 3 1/2 hour drive home. So we called it a day and I headed home. Thanks Craig for your hospitality (and Sarah too) and I'll be back before you head off to Canada.

PS I missed a fish somewhere. I think it was one from the new spot. Here's a pic.


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## badmotorfinger (Mar 15, 2010)

Thanks for the report. Make me want to head west and chase the green fellas.


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## clarkey (Jan 13, 2009)

Sounds like a good few days mate,might have to head over the hills myself over the break.
Where were you camping,camp ground or just down by there river.


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Just down by the river Clarkey. There's a few spots that you can camp.

Steve I am contemplating heading down there over New Years.


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

We are certainly lucky in this country. With freshwater fishing like that you really have to wonder why we imported all those ferals. Great report and pics WayneD. I'd be happy with one of those fish in three days. The hub crowd need some transferred to Googong.


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

A great read Wayne and some nice fish for you and JF. Looks like a pretty nice part of the world.


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## DennisT (Jan 2, 2012)

Great Report,

Congrats landing that one on a HardBody.

Looks like a great spot.


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Great report, well written!
I missed this when it was put up and Cam07 pointed it out to me yesterday.
Was great fishing with you Wayne, the river flooded not long after and is only just getting back to fishable.


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Great that it has had a flush then Craig. I never got around to the new years fish. Maybe Australia Day long weekend I might get out. Will let you know.


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