Also known as
- Cod US
- Green Fish US
- Greenfish US
- Goodoo US
- Goodo US
- Ponde US
- Pondi US
- Murray Perch US
- Mary River Cod US
- Queensland Freshwater Cod US
Identification
Massive freshwater apex predator with deep-bodied muscular build and explosive ambush attack. Punishing short-range surge into structure — 50kg-plus fish are realistic and tackle goes deep into snags fast. Females larger than males.
- Olive to greenish-yellow body with distinctive green net-like mottled pattern
- Cream to white belly creating strong contrast with the upper body
- Large mouth extending well beyond the eyes with a protruding lower jaw
- Broad flattened head with a concave snout profile and small high-set eyes
Where it holds
- Rivers
- Lakes
- Wetlands
Behaviour
An apex freshwater ambush predator with extraordinary dietary breadth — adults take yabbies, small fish, and aquatic insects, while large specimens regularly take waterbirds, turtles, snakes, frogs, and small mammals off the surface. Daytime sit-and-wait holders tight to submerged timber and undercut banks with eyes aimed upward — strikes come from below. Nocturnal mid-water hunting in warm months; peaks above 18°C (64°F), shuts down below 12°C (54°F). Strong site fidelity.
Diet: Baitfish, Yabbies, Aquatic Insects, Frogs, Mice
How it's caught
Line Fishing
Spinning
The dominant method. Cast oversized spinnerbaits, deep-diving and lipless crankbaits, large soft swimbaits, and surface walkers tight to submerged timber, rock bars, and undercut banks. Retrieve at the absolute slowest speed that maintains lure action — cod feed upward and need time to commit. Surface walkers and paddler-cup lures (Cod Cracker, Spook) at dusk and through the night are iconic on the Murray-Darling. 50-65lb braid with 30-40lb hard mono leader extracts fish from snags before they reach cover.
Live Lining
Free-line or lightly-weighted live yabbies, bardi grubs, scrub worms, or live baitfish drifted naturally past holding structure. Position the bait so cod can attack upward — heavy enough to hold near snags but light enough to look natural. 3/0-6/0 circle hooks with a 30-40lb hard mono trace; tighten down on the take and lever fish out of cover hard.
Trolling
Slow-troll oversized deep-diving bibbed lures (Stumpjumper, AC Invader, Boomerang) along river channel edges, parallel to submerged timber, and over rock bars at 1.5-3 knots. Cover water to locate active fish in long sections of unfamiliar river or impoundment. Heavier 24-30kg braid handles inevitable hookups in timber. Most productive during the warmer pre-spawn months.
Fly Fishing
Streamer
A challenging but established niche. Cast 10-15cm articulated baitfish, yabby, and large Woolly Bugger patterns on a 9-10wt rod with sink-tip or full-sink line, working tight to structure with slow erratic strips and long pauses. Best at dusk and through warm summer nights when fish move shallow into ambush range. Heavy 8-10kg fluorocarbon tippet and an aggressive turnover handle wind, large flies, and the snap-strike into cover.
