Trout Cod

[Haji-Baba]

Over a few years of fishing inland rivers I have thought that I may have caught
at least a couple of "Trout Cod".

I have never been sure of the differences in "Common"
Murray Cod and Trout Cod.

My supposed catches were in the border rivers and both were released.

Each would have been 600 mm. or more and beautiful fish.

Are they still present and where may the be?

My father caught Cod in the Condamine River anywhere between St George and
Cecil Plains and he always said there were two species.

What do you blokes know?

Have Fun Haji-Baba

[banshee]

I'm prety sure that the most visible difference on the Trout Cod is the protruding top jaw/lip,also think they are more of a Sth NSW/Nth Vic thing.Not all that common apparently.

[Goodoo haven]

They are not up in the northern parts of NSW or QLD. They are only in the Riverina, Canberra and the lower sections of NSW and the upper half of Vic. They were almost extinct several years back but with the fisheries breeding and releasing them back into these waters they are starting to make a strong come back.

The Trout cod is a stronger fighter than the Murray cod at the same size. They have a top lip protruding over the lower lip as mentioned above, and they are more of an olive green in colour to the Murray cod been a darker green.

[fishfeeder]

Does it taste like a COD or a TROUT ??
If its a fish you can keep that is... never heard of a Trout Cod before but sounds interesting...

Cheers

[Goodoo haven]

Its illegal to keep them at the moment, but i believe that will be lifted in a few years by the way they are breeding up in the rivers where they are inhabiting. But i think they would taste kinda like the cod as they are related to the murray cod.

[Haji-Baba]

Thanks for the info. They would be a good eating fish if you were allowed to keep them.

I am aware of the overshot top jaw and apparently a vertical black line runs up over the eye.

I shall have to find out more.


Have Fujn Haji-Baba

[Haji-Baba]

Just spent 1/2 hour on google, the overhanging jaw seems to be the main characteristic whilst the dark line is horisontal and not vertical as I supposed.

Apparently they were common in the Macquarie River in early years and as such they almost certainly were present in our "Border Rivers". Particularly in the headwaters of say the Severn or Dumaresq.

Most of these rivers join the Darling at about the same region.

Any way another learning experience for me.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

[Goodoo haven]

Any way another learning experience for me.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

Yeah, we all live to learn mate.