Episode 148: Lake Mulwala Murray Cod With Thomas Pinter

Thomas Top Tips For Mulwala Cod Fishing

• Thomas does most of his Lake Mulwala Murray Cod fishing in shallow water. In the low light periods pre dawn and shortly after he’ll fan cast surface lures looking for cruising fish. At other times he’ll concentrate more on structure.
• Best conditions occur on very warm days, especially if it is glassed out and there is a sudden increase in wind to the point that it becomes uncomfortable. If he’s alone Thomas will stay in the wind exposed areas and take advantage of the hot bite. If he has a friend on board he’ll often look for more sheltered water as the wind change is usually associated with a barometer change that stimulates bites even in the more sheltered areas. 
• Thomas likes the few days leading up to the new moon and the few days after either the new moon or the full moon, but finds the actual day of the new and full moons can be tough. The leadup to the new moon is prime time for surface lures, while the leadup to the full is great for swimbaits and mumblers.
• Laydown timber holds a lot more fish than standing timber and Mulwala cod can be in the shallows right through the day.   
• Downsizing lures can be a game changer if the fishing is tough. You’ll catch a lot more small fish, but big Murray Cod will eat quite small lures at times, so don’t be surprised if you land something extraordinary.

Thomas’ Murray Cod Tackle Recommendations

• A lightweight, fast taper 7’ to 7’8” baitcast rod in the 4-6kg line class with 30lb braid and a rod length of 40lb leader is a good outfit for the style of fishing Thomas practices in Lake Mulwala.

Thomas’ Top Mulwala Murray Cod Lures

• ⅝ oz spinnerbaits in any colour are great for working through shallow water at any time of day. Thomas uses them once the surface action has died off and slow rolls them, allowing them to bump over and through the structure. At times fast rolling a willow leaf blade can be effective, even in the middle of the day.
• The Gidgee Lures Wilbarra Fatty deep diving hard body in any colour is a good lure for bumping through the deeper pockets and creating a little noise. Thomas counter sinks small ball sinkers near the front hook hanger to make the lure suspend with a slightly head-down attitude.
• Thirsty’s hand made 300mm topwater snake lure. Thomas fishes this lure from pre-dawn through to around 8 or 9am and often finds that the better quality fish come towards the end of this period. He’ll position his boat on the edge of the dropoff and fan casts over the shallows. When the lure hits the surface he’ll let it sit stationary for 3 seconds, then he’ll give it a twitch or two or possibly a rip, work it back 5 to 10 metres and let it sit again for a few seconds. After that he’ll slow roll it back to the boat for the next cast. As the sun comes up he’ll spend less time fanning casts and will instead focus on placing and working lures closer to cover.