The Magic of Mulwala by Roger Miles

Lake Mulwala has a deserved reputation as the best Murray cod fishery in Australia. No other water comes close to producing Murray cod with such consistency and in such numbers as Lake Mulwala. Recent seasons have been the best ever and it is great to see the growing trend of anglers practising catch and release so that the fishing will continue to improve.

Located 215km north of Melbourne, Lake Mulwala is popular with southern anglers but also draws would-be cod fishers from all around the country. At a huge 4,450 hectares and with over 43km of shoreline, however, many anglers simply don't know where to start. Hopefully this article will take away some of the mystery and encourage more anglers to come and have a crack at catching an Aussie icon.

TARGETS

The most popular species targeted by anglers in Lake Mulwala are Murray cod and golden perch. The average-sized Murray cod caught by anglers is between 50-62cm. Larger specimens measuring over the magical 1m mark are also caught and released each year. The average-sized golden perch is around 40cm.

The 2008 season has seen increasing numbers of redfin caught, which have provided good sport and a tasty meal for anglers wanting to practice catch and release with the native species. In 2008 the lake's water clarity has been good and large volumes of weed is prevalent in the lake. This has provided ideal conditions for the redfin. It will be interesting to see whether the trend continues in the 2009 season.

There is also a large population of European carp present in the lake. These noxious pests do provide good sport for anglers, but must be removed from the waterway if caught.