Murray cod open season has kicked off and we’ve already seen fisho’s celebrating by heading out in search of their first Murray Cod of the season.

Murray Cod are arguably our most iconic native species. GoFish Nagambie 2019 saw a massive 401 Murray Cod caught by competitors so it is fair to say that Nagambie is a known hotspot for the highly sought after fish.

When practicing catch and release, adopting better handling practices helps to maximise post-release survival of Murray Cod. VRFish have partnered with the Victorian Fisheries Authority and Native Fish Australia to develop a Care for Cod campaign which aims to encourage anglers to use best practice handling techniques.
 
Care for Cod follows these four simple points:

• Be prepared | Have your cod gloves, knotless net and long-nose pliers ready for a catch.
• Reduce air time | Minimise the time the cod spends out of the water to under 30 seconds. Where possible, leave the cod in the water.
• Gently does it | Support the Murray Cod’s body.
• Use the right gear | When baiting fishing use circle hooks and a tight line to avoid deep hooking the fish, also reduce fight time by using heavier gear.

For more information on Care for Cod visit the VRFish website