Fishing locally I have the huge advantage that I can slip out when conditions are perfect, for example at the start of a big high-pressure system, in the lowlight hours before or after work or, most importantly, when I pinpoint exactly where a big cod is living.

Further abroad, trips are usually planned in advance so I really have to just keep casting away rain, hail or shine.

Until recently I did have a good run on big cod on the Murray River within 20 kilometres either side of Wentworth. I was lucky to have good weather during my visits and, more importantly, a water-level rise was coming down the river.

Cod can sense water rises coming and a distinct period results when they throw caution to the wind and hit lures with vigour.

The timing of these rises used to be dictated by rainfall in upstream catchments but now man-made lochs are used to capture and manage water levels.

On my last trip to Wentworth we missed the rise by just one day so the cod had already filled up. Only a handful of golden perch and one small cod were caught among the carp.

I can sum things up like this: cod fishing in SA is still a sport for dedicated anglers in that you need the right conditions and you need to put in lots of time but, cripes, nearly every fish you hook is up over the magic metre mark.

This is thanks to the fact that it is illegal to keep a cod more than a metre long in SA waters. What a boon for tourism, and the cod.

But consider this: even though my team of expert anglers landed many cod up to 85lb they fished over many days. Each averaged about two hookups a day and they had to do things right. Casting to fallen trees lying into the river was one good method and large spinner baits with gold and silver Colorado blades and white skirts worked well.

Casting to the same trees with large deep divers also worked well, but a few lures came back with broken bibs and the like - not surprising with XL cod at close quarters.

Early in the trip while travelling up the river in search of the best cod fishing I visited the historic Overlander Hotel, it was like taking a step back in time.

The Murray River in SA is something else, I’ll be back for more.

Log on to www.southaustralia.com and follow the links to Murray River or call tourism on 1300 657 625 for a free copy of the Recharge on the Murray River Guide.