Dean Norbiato and Aaron Hill dissect the difficult art of landing a large Murray cod out of a kayak.

A swift and arrogant slap of its tail on the side of the Hobie made us aware that this was no juvenile Murray cod. Anxiously, I pulled at the monster with increased panic. “Lip grip him, lip grip him”, I yelled, as Hilly nervously fumbled with the lip grippers. Tense seconds elapsed, as I tried to bullock his immense weight to the surface. A series of drag testing surges had my low-profile baitcaster screaming for mercy, as the fish made a beeline for the surface.
We then landed a seemingly opportune and telling blow, as Hilly deftly pinned the XOS Murray cod in the side of the jaw. The brief battle with the great green fish had lasted no longer then a few restless minutes. A flood of emotions came over us, as we had finally landed our first Hobie caught metre Murray cod. Profanities colourfully decorated the occasion, as a series of back slaps and high fives were dished out, for what seemed an uncharacteristically short fight.
However, the still fully charged fish had other ideas, effortlessly rolling on Hilly’s grip. As quick as we had reached fishing immortality we were flung back down to earth, as Hilly joined our fish of a lifetime in the winter chilled water. The unthinkable had just happened. Our impromptu celebrations made way for an empty feeling of disbelief. All that was left from this career defining fish was a frayed leader, capsised Hobie and two severely soaked and ruptured egos – carelessness had prematurely released the cod of our dreams.
It is futile encounters like this that have steeled our reserve and fuelled our addiction for kayak fishing. The increasing popularity of this novel fishing method has led to an increase in the frequency of big cod hook ups. These supersized Murray cod can be tempted by all traditional boat luring methods. Successfully landing a huge fish from one of these floating Esky’s however, provides the angler with a number of new and unique challenges.
ACCESS ALL AREAS
The select waterways that are chosen to be stocked by the Australian fisheries adhere to a specific strategic blueprint. Waterways that boast greater public access will naturally allow fisheries to receive a far superior ‘bang for their buck’.
Small rivers and upper reaches more suited to kayak fishing are generally not favoured for stocking by the Australian fisheries, due to their remoteness and modest fishing pressure. While the percentage of fish in these areas is reduced, the overall size is commonly bigger. This is partly due to the natural selection in breeding, far less fishing pressure by anglers and more diversity in habitat and food sources.
This is an envious benefit for the kayak fisherman chasing the leviathans of the deep. Unlike boat fishermen who rely on a functioning boat ramp, the savvy kayak fisherman views a ramp as nothing more then a luxury. Fishing water void of these highly accessible boat ramps will ensure you are not visiting water exhausted by the throng of boat anglers.
A trade off of this exclusivity when fishing these finicky waters is that you will unavoidably encounter obstacles that require you to exit the craft. The simple aid of a rope tide to the bow of the kayak will allow you to easily manoeuvre through most obstructions. We prefer to fish out of a Hobie Mirage Outfitter. This model provides bungee straps to secure the Mirage feet and other valuables conveniently to the craft, while safely navigating it through rugged country. You can also safely store auxiliary items inside the hollow hull through one of its three water tight hatches.
Purpose made or purchased Hobie wheels can also aid in the navigation of particularly difficult territory. This will require both fishermen to firstly identify a path around the impediment, before carefully negotiating it through the corridor.
UNDERCOVER
The ability of a Hobie to deliver unobtrusive, yet probing casts with sinking lures, such as the LureStrike Double D spinnerbait or any Jackall Brothers lipless crankbait is paramount. Although Murray cod are a territorial species that staunchly guard their territory, they can also be easily spooked by clumsy anglers. This is a significant benefit of the Hobie style craft when successfully targeting big Murray cod. The stealth component allows the angler to silently glide towards a likely pocket of water without disturbing the environment’s equilibrium.
The majority of water in most upper reaches and smaller streams varies between 1 to 7 metres. When targeting big Murray cod, I tend to invest most of my time casting water 1 to 4 metres deep. When casting such shallow and easily disturbed water, a canoe will afford the fisherman a greater camouflage from the aquatic life beneath.
This heart in hand style of fishing truly gets your blood rushing. It is not uncommon to see a cod detonate on your lure with only a few feet left on the retrieve. In one instance we had a metre plus Murray cod snatch a spinnerbait as it was being pulled out of the water, destined for its next cast.

HOOKED UP
It is impossible to anticipate just how powerful a large, agitated Murray cod will react once hooked. A combination of inexperience and nerves ensured that it took no less than three unsuccessful attempts, before we landed our first monster Murray cod out of a Hobie. These kings of the water literally possess enough power to tow a three metre kayak 30 m against the current. Once you hook onto one of these fish they immediately seize control; so you must do everything you can to get the fight on your terms.
With each unsuccessful attempt we learnt something new and valuable about how to effectively land a fish of this magnitude. These important lessons have helped us increase our capture rate considerably. Due mainly to the volatile and often unpredictable nature of large Murray cod, these simple tips are most effective when used as a guide to help develop your own technique.
When fishing in a tandem Hobie it is imperative that once a large fish is hooked you work as one to land the fish. The secondary angler, usually Hilly, must carefully navigate the craft into the most open part of the river. This must not be done at too brisk a pace as it can create an unmanageable amount of tension and inevitably leads to a popped leader or straightened hooks.
Once you have the fish in open water it is compulsory to tire the behemoth out. Acting too swiftly with a set of anxious lip grippers on a fully charged Murray cod can see the secondary angler exit the Hobie with little resistance – believe me! Keeping your rod tip low and parallel to the water, along with a well-calibrated drag, allows the angler to effectively absorb the trademark runs of these iconic fish.
After the wrist numbing surges have ceased, it is then time to employ the lip grippers on the fish. While a net would be more effective it is simply not a practical tool to take on such a vessel. It is not uncommon for fish of this size to effortlessly throw a pair of trusty lip grippers from its jaw. We have learned that a great way to combat this is to fasten down the sliding mechanism on the lip grippers with your thumb and forefinger, once you have them safely in the fish’s mouth.
With the lip grippers in the fish’s mouth and strapped tightly to your wrist, its time to find an access point to land the fish. Eliminate any unnecessary stress on the fish by keeping it upright next to the Hobie, allowing water to channel through its gills. It is now time for the angler who hooked the fish to take charge and power the craft to a likely looking landing zone. Rocks that slope into the water, sandy beaches or shallow water are all practical options that allow you to fully support the fish and reduce any unnecessary stress.
LANDING ZONE
When you reach the landing area it is important to have a strategy for both fishermen to exit the craft. While this may seem obvious, having two over enthusiastic fishermen trying to exit the Hobie simultaneously can result in lost fish and bruised egos. We prefer to have the angler not holding the fish to exit the craft first and safely take the fish from the secondary angler’s hands.
Like all fish it is strongly recommended that you keep the cod out of the water for as little time as possible. I subscribe to the theory that a fish should only be kept out of the water for as long as I would like to be kept under. We have also noted that keeping large fish in the water throughout this process not only makes for a great photo but aids in their healthy release.
Every battle with a large Murray cod out of a Hobie is unique. However, these simple steps when used as a guide will assist in putting the ascendancy back in your hands and a memorable photo on your wall.
Dean has been chasing Australian Freshwater natives for over 20 years, honing his craft in the various rivers and dams littered across south eastern Australia. He has been a freelance journalist and photographer for over 4 years, with his images and angler insight being the feature of a number of popular freshwater DVD’s and publications. He specialises in catch and release lure fishing for Murray cod and golden perch, with a passion for new methods and lures to catch these iconic Australia fish. Dean is currently an advocate for LureStrike, where he has his own range of Team Goodang Signature Series spinnerbaits.