▲TopMURRAY COD AND LIPLESS CRANKBAITS

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MURRAY COD AND LIPLESS CRANKBAITS NEW STYLE WHAT TO LOOK FOR! WHAT COLOURS WORK! WHY WOULD I USE A LIPLESS CRANKBAIT WHERE TO TARGET MURRAY COD! QUALITY GEAR IN CONCLUSION

Lipless crankbaits in the past have been seen as an effective lure on tropical species such as Barramundi. However the number of fishermen using this style of lure to target Murray cod is increasing dramatically. The increased popularity of this style of lure has come about because of a major design change which has dramatically improved the snag resistance of the lure. The new style of lipless crankbaits have taken off in the last couple of years with competitors in the ABT Bass tournaments using them. The success of these lures did not take long to spread. Anglers soon began using them as one of their favourite options to target Murray cod.

▲TopNEW STYLE

The old style lipless crankbaits were often limited by two features. The weight of the lure as well as the angle in which it swam through the water. A major design change has seen the weighted nose system added to the lure. This has added two key ingredients it has added extra weight and most importantly changed the angle that the lure runs through the water. The weighed nose is available on Jackall and Daiwa T.D Vibration models. These two brands have led the way in establishing an effective alternative to hard bodies and spinnerbaits.

▲TopWHAT TO LOOK FOR!

If you are looking to purchase some lipless crankbaits to add to your Murray cod lure collection there are several factors you should look for. The weight of the lure is hugely important in determining how effective a lure may be in any situation. If the lure is too light and we are trying to fish deep water or any area with significant current flow then it will be increasingly difficult to maximise the amount of time the lure spends in the strike zone. If the lure is too heavy and we are trying to fish shallow water or areas with minimal current flow we will minimise the effectiveness of the lure. Therefore like any other lure it pays to buy a range of lipless crankbaits with a variety of weights so an angler can effectively fish a number of different situations. I personally spend the majority of my time using lipless crankbaits in the weight range of 3/8oz thru to 5/8oz range and a length from 60mm to 70mm. Jackall also does a 1oz model called a Doozer. This is a larger model measuring 90mm. The size in the lure can be directly related to the type of presentation given. The larger lure can be more of a territorial threat and provoke a positive response when a smaller profile has been previously ignored.

I always recommend buying quality too much time, money and effort is spent trying to land those large Murray cod. It would be extremely disappointing for equipment failure to cost you. If you do purchase cheaper brands of lipless crankbaits it is often a good idea to up grade the quality of split rings and hooks on them.

▲TopWHAT COLOURS WORK!

At this stage I have not found a Lipless crankbait colour that does not work. Some people may find that hard to believe. But if we look at why the lure is often effective we can have a better understanding of why this is the case. We often catch Murray cod out of an instinctive strike or a provoked strike. In the case of an instinctive strike it relies on the fishermen’s ability to read the water (Knowing where a resident fish is holding). and then his ability in being able to cast the lure only inches from the unsuspecting fish. In this situation colour plays only a small role in determining whether the fish will strike the lure or not. When the lure is cast into the correct position the resident fish does not have time to think about whether it will strike the lure or not. It is too good of an opportunity for an ambush feeder such as Murray cod to resist. The fishermen’s ability to read the water and place the cast in the right location is the biggest factor.

Colour in provoking a territorial strike is more significant. Colour, noise and the type of presentation given are all factors in determining whether a fish can be provoked into striking a lure when a normal feeding response has been unproductive. This is one major factor when targeting Murray cod as they are often very territorial. When Murray cod are in a suitable mood a number of lure presentations can be repeatedly made until a tail strike is provoked by the fish. Tail striking is a common phenomenon amongst territorial species. This occurs when an intruder repeatedly enters the comfort zone of any resident fish. It does not matter whether that intruder is a live fish or an artificial presentation such as a lipless crankbait. If the resident fish is in an aggressive mood the fish will eventually bite the offender on the tail in an effort to chase the intruder away. Depending on the mood of the fish on any given day the number of presentations needed can vary greatly. On a switched on day that can be as little as half a dozen casts. On a shut down day it can take one hundred or more. When looking at colour in provoking a territorial strike the brighter the better. Fluoro colours with good contrasts are more likely to stir a fish up rather than a natural presentation like purple or black.

Often toning down our colour selection can be a good tactic when targeting Murray cod under a normal feeding response. Water clarity and light conditions on any given day will be the two major factors in determining the effectiveness of any colour. In very clear water and days of bright sunlight we have had great success on transparent colours. In dirtier water we have had very good results on solid colours. Often quite plain colours of black and purple have produced. Good contrasting colours such as chartreuse and orange, brown and yellows have been consistent producers. Natural colours and patterns that imitate food sources such as redfin and carp are always good options whether in clean or dirty water.

▲TopWHY WOULD I USE A LIPLESS CRANKBAIT

One of the biggest reasons to use this style of lure rather than a spinnerbait or a traditional hardbody is the fact that far fewer fishermen are using them at this stage? Therefore if you are fishing in an area that receives a large amount of fishing pressure they can be an advantage as the fish are not educated to that style of lure. Another reason to choose to use a lipless crankbait is the growing range of weights, colours and different models that are available. The range should only continue to grow as more anglers discover how effective these lures are on Murray cod.

Lipless crankbaits by their design are very effective at maximising their time spent in the strike zone. They do sink and by varying the type of retrieve and the speed of retrieve they can be effectively worked throughout the water column. Lipless crankbaits are often at their most effective when retrieved very slowly. When they are retrieved they wobble from side to side in the process of doing this they loose depth. Therefore the faster you retrieve the shallower they run in the water column. When retrieving a lipless crankbaits that weighs 1/2oz we retrieve it approximately 20 percent slower than what we would a spinnerbait, therefore increasing the time spent in the strike zone.

Lipless crankbaits are very effective at converting a Murray cod that has failed to hook up on another style of lure. If you get a strike from a fish that fails to find the hook then immediately change the lure to a lipless crankbait. The different action and style of lure is often aggressively taken on the proceeding cast.

At this stage we cast and retrieve our lipless crankbaits. This has proved to be very effective for us. Trolling lipless crankbaits will undoubtedly be productive also however to do this effectively an electric motor is necessary as very slow retrieves are needed to maintain depth.

▲TopWHERE TO TARGET MURRAY COD!

Murray cod are predominantly an ambush feeder. Therefore they will reside in a location that will provide suitable habitat. They lie in wait for an easy opportunity to ambush its prey. The most common form of habitat is timber structure. Timber in river systems can take many forms.

The most popular of these are Lay Me Downs. A lay me down are where trees have fallen over into the water. If targeting a lay me down there are a few factors which will help you to decipher where any resident Murray cod will be holding. The first key factor is current flow. When current is present the majority of your fishing effort should be concentrated on the up current side of the structure. Murray cod are more likely to swim forward and attack a lure. An incorrectly placed cast along the back edge may spook a resident fish as the lure passes past the fish’s tail.

If there are any V’s in the timber where two branches meet these areas are often productive and casting should be repeatedly placed into any V’s or areas where two branches meet. The more significant the size of the branches the increased chance of holding a fish.

Cross ups are a situation where timber has been washed up against the trunk of the tree by the current. These cross sections provide an ideal situation where Murray cod can take up residence directly behind the vertical log. This allows the fish to sit out of the current flow and the horizontal log provides ideal shade and cover.

Shade is a major factor when targeting Murray cod they are far more likely to attack a lure in reduced light conditions. Always take note of the direction of the sun and concentrate your fishing efforts on the shaded areas where possible.

Standing timber usually takes two forms.

1) The first is alive or dead trees which are situated adjacent to the rivers edge. These trees usually have a complex root system that protrudes into the river. Prevailing current flows over time have eroded significant amounts of soil around the root system. This situation provides ideal areas where fish can take up residence and patiently wait for the food to be washed to them. When targeting these areas with lipless crankbaits casts need to be very accurate. Lures must be within centimetres in order to provoke a strike. Lipless crankbaits can be cast parallel to the roots system and by varying retrieve speeds different depths can be targeted.

2) The second formation is standing timber which is located in impoundments such as Lake Mulwala. These are also excellent fish holding habitat these are often ignored by anglers in preference for more obvious structure such as lay me downs. The fact that they receive a reduced amount of angling pressure is a huge benefit. When targeting standing timber in a lake situation anglers should try and give a subtle presentation where possible. Lipless crankbaits should be cast several metres past the structure and slowly retrieved past the habitat. The length of the cast can be varied in order to vary the running depth of the lure. After a number of casts if there has been no response from a Murray cod a more aggressive cast should be made directly at the structure trying to provoke a territorial response from the fish.

Snag piles are often very productive forms of structure. Snag piles are formed by current flows pushing large volumes of timber into one area. When targeting these areas try and position the boat parallel to the front edge of the snag pile. A common mistake that a lot of anglers make is to cast their lipless crankbaits too close to the front edge of the timber. Timber in snag piles usually comes out on an angle of around 110 to 130 degrees. When casts are placed too close to the front edge they limit the diving depth of the lure and increase the risk of snagging without achieving a suitable amount of presentations. Lures should be cast several metres in front of the snag pile initially and progressively moved closer and shallower to the front edge of the snag pile.

Soft vegetation can take several forms within a lake or river system. Some of vegetation can be weed beds, Cumbungi and grass banks. All of these regularly produce Murray cod. These are good areas to gain confidence if you are just starting out with using lipless crankbaits. The soft vegetation is very forgiving and if your casts are not 100% accurate little damage is done as often the lure will pull through and the retrieve can be completed.

Rock bars, clay ledges or drop offs are also good Murray cod holding habitat. These types of structure provide ideal holding areas where Murray cod can take up residence. Lipless crankbaits can be very effective at all of these locations. The sinking capabilities allow the lures to be used in a variety of depths that traditional hardbody lures are not able to reach. Lipless crankbaits can be effectively worked along clay bottoms or drop offs with little concern of snagging. When working a rock bar ideally the lures depth should be just above the rocky structure.

▲TopQUALITY GEAR

In any form of fishing I always suggest to try and use quality fishing equipment. We spend too much time and effort in trying to land that quality Murray cod for equipment failure to let us down. I personally always use quality graphite fishing rods. The extra sensitivity is hugely important and allows us to feel exactly what the lure is doing. If the lure picks up a piece of weed on the trebles with a quick flick of the wrist the weed can be flicked off and the lure is swimming freely again. With a quality graphite rod we can instantly tell the differences between a subtle head knock from a fish or running the lure over timber. A couple of my favourite outfits for fishing lipless crankbaits are a Daiwa Alphas reel matched with a Daiwa Pixy 6’6” rod. For heavier work on larger Murray cod I fish with A Daiwa Steez Rod6’3” and reel.

▲TopIN CONCLUSION

I have been consistently targeting Murray cod on Lipless crankbaits for the last two years. They continue to impress me with their effectiveness as a cod lure. As a fishing guide with Cod Hunter Fishing Tours it is essential to have a wide range of lures and know when and where best to use them. Too often anglers will have a preference for a single style of lure and they will only fish with spinnerbaits or soft plastics etc. A competent angler will not limit his or hers opportunities by fishing a single style of lure. They will be prepared to try a wide variety of lures and techniques and by doing so will continue to keep learning. The day we think we know it all is the day we will start to catch less fish.