Preliminary final and pre-season cod.

  

Thursday 15^th Sept’05

 

Phone rings re enquiry into the possibility of a Friday morning fish for some young fellas on a footy trip in Echuca who have to be back at their accommodation by 2pm due to a pub crawl.  Conversation leads to a confirmed booking for four and a pick up time of 8am.

While heading to Echuca Thursday afternoon the mobile rings again with the voice on the another end introducing himself as Alan Didak from Collingwood Football Club.  The laughter amid the noise from the public bar had my suspicions justified when Alan Didak suddenly became Jim Atkins from Hurstbridge Football Club and was part of the fishing booking and  keen as !!!…  ( not a Collingwood supporter either.. tells me he is a St Kilda follower, and when I tell him I’m a Swans supporter, he replies their could be some tension in the boat come the morning with the preliminary final being played on the Friday night. )

 

Arrive in Echuca and take the opportunity to catch up with mate Nick Wren, and have a couple of coldies while exchanging past fishing experiences and  successful locations with the water levels high, dirty and only still only 14 degrees.  Decide on Barmah; say goodnight, thanks and head off to prepare tomorrows gear and a good night sleep.

  

Arrive at the lodgings of the four young Hurstbridge footballers at approx 7.50am and am greeted by “ Beefer “ on his way to get McDonalds for breaky ( footy trip remember ) who spots the sign-written boat and tells me he is one of the party and will rally up the others.   Enter Jason-Grant, Rich, Beefer and Jim ( Alan Didak ) Atkins wearing his Saints jumper.

 

First stop…Maccas. ( all now think breakfast is a good idea )

 

Arrive at Barmah and due to high water levels the boat is launched at Broken Creek. Cruise out into the Murray with a variety of lures, 50lb braid and the boys’ supply of green cans on ice, which lent to no shortage of laughter , sledging and tall tales from the night before.

 

A likely looking starting point is chosen, lures dropped and the first run is underway.  Jason, Rich and Beefer, all keen, and with a fair bit of fishing knowledge, continue holding their rods, and with the occasional snag and the sound of the drag are hopeful.  Jim ( Alan Didak ) Atkins is quite happy after the first run to slot is rod into the holder and let it do its own thing, commenting how much better the second beer tastes.

 

Half a dozen runs are made with numerous lure changes and at the start of the next, Beefer says he has a good feeling about this one.  Jason, Rich and Beefer still holding their rods.   “ Bang “  …Jim’s rod buckles over twice.

 

 “ your on “  I yell as I steer the boat into the middle of the river, watching as Jim tries to release the rod from the holder.

Jason grabs the net as we see the mouth of a cod appear on the surface and a minute later a 75cm / 30lb beautiful Murray cod is in the boat well and truly attached to a metallic green and gold number one stumpjumper.

 

With wet towel holding the mouth, pliers extracting the trebles, and two large live yabbies trying to escape from an obvious hungry cod,  the boat and occupants are abuzz with adrenalin.Digital camera working overtime, high fives all round, the cod explodes with a mighty splash as it is lowered back into the water to fight another day.

 

Well done Jim, who last went fishing as an eight year old at a trout farm.

 

Got a message from Jim later that night who was still on a high about the fishing, but not so about the footy result..

 

Col Hyland

 

Col’s fishing and river adventures..