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"Murrumbidgee" is an aboriginal word meaning "never-failing". In 1829, Captain Charles Sturt and his party sailed down the Murrumbidgee in a whaleboat, intent on solving the riddle of the western rivers. Did the rivers flow in to an inland sea as was thought? Of course they didn't, as the people in those days learnt, thanks to him!
The 1690km long Murrumbidgee is part of the great Murray-Darling Basin, and drains the southern and south-western portions of NSW. Today the Riverina-Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area is recognised as one of Australia's main food producing areas. It's famous for its fruit, rice, wine, cereal crops, dairy produce, vegetables, livestock, and wool, all thanks to the Murrumbidgee River!
The river and its tributaries are now caught in man-made walls at Burrinjuck and Blowering dams, and associated weirs. The waters are used to produce hydro-electricity, meet irrigation demands in the Murrumbidgee, Coleambally, Hay and other irrigation districts, and to supply the many towns along its course.
It also provides sporting and recreational prospects, as its turbid and often sluggish, waters are host to many introduced and native warm-water fish species, and to crayfish.
The area to be described here, between the Berembed and Hay Weirs, offers excellent fishing and camping opportunities. Recreational anglers from Narrandera, Leeton, Griffith, Darlington Point and Hay (along with each town's surrounding districts) predominantly enjoy fishing and camping within three areas along the Murrumbidgee, namely from Berembed Weir to Yanco Weir (centre on Narrandera), Yanco Weir to Gogeldrie Weir (centred on Leeton) and Gogeldrie Weir to Hay Weir (centred on Darlington Point and Hay).
Within these three river zones there are many stretches of lovely sandy beaches, popular tourist locations, rich river flood plain country based on open farming and irrigation, river banks lined with magnificent red gum trees and good camping and fishing sites on State Forests and private property. Travelling stock and camping reserves (TS and CR) are approximately 1Okm apart either side of the river.
Local fishermen, and travellers to the area fish for the prized Murray cod and golden perch (yellow-belly), together with silver perch (though their numbers have dwindled and their distribution patchy) and introduced species such as English perch (redfin). The area is mostly fished with natural baits using rods, heavy handlines and strong setlines.
Regulations
There is a NSW Fisheries Centre at Narrandera (ph. 069 59 1393). Fisheries inspectors patrol in boats and four-wheel drive vehicles, and can give you assistance and advice regarding laws in the area.
Fishermen are permitted to use four setlines, each with a tag showing name and address, and a single hand held rod with no more than two hooks attached.
Setlines may have one hook only. Rods may be substituted for setlines with no more than five rods per person.
Untagged setlines and rods may be confiscated by Fisheries Officers. Finfish and frogs cannot be used as bait. Size and bag limits apply in relation to native fish.
For Murray cod the minimum length is 50cm, with a daily bag limit of two fish, and no more than four cod in your possession. A closed season applies during September, October and November. The same daily bag and possession limits apply to freshwater catfish (30cm minimum) and silver perch (25cm minimum). Daily bag and possession limits of 10 and 20 apply to golden perch (minimum 25cm)
Local Baits
Fish are caught with baits such as yabbies, shrimp, bardie and willow grubs,
scrub and earth worms, mussels and grasshoppers. Yabbies and shrimp are the main baits. Shrimp are taught in nets at the river, using soap, red meat or carp as bait.
Yabbies can be easily caught during the summer months in the numerous irrigation channels around Leeton and District. In winter, irrigation is stopped, but yabbies can still be found under rocks in the dry channels, or, with the owner's permission, dragged from in dams.
During summer, bardie grubs can be found along the river banks by chipping away the top soil around redgum trees till their holes are exposed. They can be easily extracted from the hole using a speedo cable or a green bulrush stem.
Scrub worms are often found at the river near a swamp or billabong, or by turning over logs that have lain in damp areas.
Mussels can be found in patches on the river bed, but collection usually
involves swimming! In winter, mussels can be found in the main canal and the supply channels when the irrigation waters temporarily cease to flow.
Techniques
To get amongst the fish during the day you need to cast your lines in areas of fallen trees and snags, backwaters and clay ledges where fish seek protection and search for their food. Angling from the bank or a boat around snags, fallen trees and deep holes is the preferred method of fishing, together with setlining. It would be wise to come well equipped with a large array of different sized hooks and a bagful of lead for there are plenty of snags to test your patience.
The area a few hundred metres below each weir is often good fishing using rods and handlines with light tackle. Yellow-belly are the dominant catch, taken on worms, small yabbies and shrimp. Deeper water lies above the weirs (up to 6m), and it's often here that anglers have a chance to catch a good sized Murray cod using large yabbies or bardie grubs.
At night, fishing from a beach can be rewarding, especially towards the
downstream end. Still, it's good practice to leave a handline or two set in the snaggy areas for those fish that like the protection of cover. Regular checking is necessary.
The summer months and Easter are the best times of the year to catch Murray cod, with bardie and willow grubs being excellent baits, especially after dark Early
morning and late evenings are the most productive times to catch both cod ,and yellowbelly, Redfin and silver perch can be had during the day and the late evening using worms, small shrimp and small yabbies.
Regrettably, freshwater catfish are rarely caught these days!
Carp have dominated our waters for the past three decades. They are here in large numbers, and are always on the bite. When caught, carp should be killed and not returned to the river. Anglers have been known to catch a score of carp before a native fish is nailed, so don't be too disappointed!
The native fish usually come on the bite during a small rise in the river level.
They then become active, leaving the protection of their deep holes and snags in search of food. When the fish are 'running', daytime fishing from a beach can sometimes be productive when using small yabbies, shrimp or worms on rods and handlines. A big rise in the river will make the fish go "off the bite" with logs, sticks and foam being carried downstream. The fishing also tends to go very quiet on windy days.
Those of us who prefer to angle for redfin often go to the sluggish creeks and backwaters of the Yanco and Colombo creeks and the Gillenbah Creek near Narrandera. They can still be caught along the length of the river, but their numbers have dwindled somewhat.
Murray Crayfish
During the winter months fishing and camping are still on the agenda, with the added attraction of fishing for Murray "crayfish". Five hoop nets are
permissible per person, with name and address on each hoop. Ten lobsters can be taken per person on a daily basis, with no more than 20 lobsters in your possession.
Berried lobsters and those less then 8cm orbit-carspace length must be returned to the water.
General Precautions: It would be remiss of me not to mention a few words of advice that could make the difference between a pleasant trip, and an abject failure.
Notify someone of your intended whereabouts on the river and of your approximate arrival home time. Make sure you've packed your first aid kit, medicines, sunscreen and "buzz off". Take suitable clothing and bedding for the likely weather conditions. A mobile phone or two-way radio can be handy in case of emergency. Make certain you pack a shovel and a tow rope.
Listen to the local radio station 2RG-963 for river heights and weather
forecasts If the weather looks like turning ugly, pack up quickly and leave the river as soon as possible to avoid being bogged or becoming stranded. Be wary of crossing dry creek beds before a high river is forecast. The creek could run and you will be left stranded.
Don't light campfires during periods of total fire bans or during State Forests fire bans. Use a gas BBQ during the summer months. Take your rubbish home in
garbage bags.
Camping
Most fishermen who camp on the river at reserves, State Forests and private property use tents and caravans. It should be remembered that permission needs to be sought from the property owner or manager before going on to private property. Without permission, you could be evicted!
There are also excellent caravan sites at Narrandera, Leeton, Darlington Point, Griffith and Hay for those who just want to spend a day angling rather than remain at the river.
Select a safe campsite away from towering gum trees to overcome the worry of a limb falling on someone, your car or your camp. Never set up your camp and tent on a beach because a wall of water may come down the river and wash you out.
Always set up your camp on high ground with your car facing the way out.
For those staying at the river for several days an old fridge, that can be used as an ice-box for your food and drinks, is very useful. Twenty litre blocks of ice can last for a week or more in winter and at least five days in summer, and may be purchased at Quelch or Bell's Produce in Leeton. If you plan staying at the river for some time, a plastic holding net may be used to keep your catch of yellow-belly, and a tethering cord
might be kept handy in case a large Murray cod pops up!
Boating
Anglers who intend camping at the river for several days often use an aluminium boat from which to angle or to set their setlines on snags and tree roots, baited with shrimp, yabbies or grubs. The lines are checked in the morning, during the day, and with the aid of a spotlight at night.
The morning could hold the promise of what we all cherish to see - the line thrashing about with a large Murray cod at the end of it! For this reason, it is prudent to use heavy breaking-strain line with large hooks. A landing net left permanently in the boat is necessary to successfully land your fish Spinning around fallen trees and snags from a boat in the early morning and late afternoon with an aeroplane spinner or a flatfish could also tempt a Murray cod to strike. Golden perch will attack lures as well, but because our stretch of the river is often turbid, not many of us fish this way unless the water is low and clear.
Below Godeldrie Weir to Hay Weir the Murrumbidgee River can drop markedly without notice (to 0.6m) due to irrigation and town water demands. This often occurs in summer making fishing a frustrating activity, particularly if you have to pull your boat over sandbars and snags to check your setlines.
Boating Regulations
Mechanically powered boats capable of 10 knots or more, must be registered with the Waterways Authority. Any person who drives a boat on enclosed waters in NSW at 10 knots or more must have a boat drivers licence, which should be carried at all times when driving the boat.
Minimum legal safety equipment includes a lifejacket, a paddle or a pair of oars, a bucket, and an anchor with a line attached.
Angling Clubs
To assist with restocking, angling clubs purchase fingerlings of Murray cod, golden perch, and silver perch, and release them on an annual basis at different locations along the river. This is usually done during the summer months.
Good information can be gained by visitors from talking and listening to local fishermen on where, when and how to fish.
Angling Clubs are active at Leeton (Leeton Hotel Anglers' Club), Narrandera (Narrandera Bowling Fishing Club), Darlington Point (Darlington Point Anglers' Club), Griffith (Catholic Club Yoogali Anglers, Area Hotel Anglers' Club, Griffith Leagues Club Anglers, Griffith ExServicemen's Anglers' Club and Yenda diggers Anglers' Club), Grong Grong (Grong Grong Anglers' Club) and Hay (Crown Hotel Anglers' Club).
Tourist InformationThe area is serviced by the Hume and Sturt Highways from Sydney, the Newell Highway from Melbourne and the Sturt Highway from Adelaide. Tourist Information
Centres are located at Narrandera, Leeton, Griffith, Darlington Point (caravan park) and Hay. Outboard motor service can be obtained in Leeton (Terry Ward Marine) and Griffith (Bidgee Marine or Griffith Marine Centre). Suitable fishing tackle is sold at sports stores in every town along the river. Happy Fishing
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