BIG COD CAUGHT AT LESLIE DAM

[scotty]

ohh i was under the impression that once cod reached a certain age/size they change to female has anyone herd this b4

cheers

scotty

[McCod]

ohh i was under the impression that once cod reached a certain age/size they change to female has anyone herd this b4

cheers

scotty

Gday scotty... Yeah mate i have herd that from a few .... but its not so.
Barra change from male to female @ around 850 mm but that can vary also... there have been male Barra recorded @ around the mtr mark.
Have seen gilled and gutted male Murray Cod at 114 cm @ 63 lb

Cheers Les

[McCod]

Bit of good info on Murray cod and there breeding etc...
http://www.nativefish.asn.au/cod.html

Cheers Les

[mangajack]

There is another thing to consider about really large cod in confined waters too...

When a creek goes through the normal seasons like we used to have some 30 years ago with fairly predictable rainfall it would become waterholed and be soon flushed again with the next lot of rain to keep the water in good condition.
However with the seasonal rainfall being sporadic at best the last 30 or so years it may and often is several years before the creek runs again.

Add to this the top line predator the murray cod and how much effect a big specimen has in the waterhole's ecosystem. Eventually the biggest will try and find sustainence from everything in that domain. A big cod can not effectively eat large yellowbelly so what has been happening are these fish that have been attacked by the dominant cod die and ultimately turn the water rancid.

This scenario is definitely not uncommon and it is common practice for farmers to remove large cod soon after a flood or fresh so that the waterhole does not turn rancid in a year or so. Now some of the farmers will simply catch and eat the fish and others will relocate the fish back to main impoundments nearby that is thier right and choice to do either and we can't blame them for protecting thier valuable resource.

Water is too precious to lose especially to a farmer so the correct thing to do in thier position is to remove big cod.

I have witnessed rancid waterholes caused by big fish 4 times in the last ten years and in each case a metre or so long cod was the culprit. I guess when a fish that size gets hungry everything is going to get bitten regardless of its size.
Unfortunately three of those 4 rancid waterholes had dead big cod in them as well as rotting carcasses of damaged yellowbelly.
The farmer on that property definitely removes big cod now before it gets too late. He lost an entire 2000 acre paddock to grazing because the waterhole became rancid. Try finding new accomodation for 1200 head of sheep during drought and not starve out the rest of your stock.
I am in favor of taking big fish from small waterholes in the rivers and creeks. Relocate them if you want to or eat them but don't waste them.

Jack

[scotty]

thanks mc cod