When the frost starts to bite so to do the Murray Cod at Wyangala Dam.
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Australia's best freshwater fishermen and women are expected to land at Grabine for the Wilson 2019 Wyangala Cod Challenge this month.
The challenge will be held over 36 hours from June 28 with the winning team snagging themselves a $5000 prize.
A catch, photo, release event, the challenge has already attracted more than 60 teams.
A Lithgow team Lure N Tackle consisting of Dean McMahon, Lachlan McMahon and Jack Turner are among the entries.
According to fishing expert Garth Collins "this is the time when all the big fish get caught".
The water level might be falling but catches of one of Australia's most popular fish, are rising at Wyangala which is now sitting below 30 per cent of capacity.
"Traditionally from the first frost of the winter on the ground is the time to start fishing for the big cod," Mr Collins said.
"It's a bit of an old fishersman's myth but there's some truth to it.
"There's a lot of action just after dark, during the day is fine, but they really are starting to bite when the sun sets."
Mr Collins said one his customers, Steve McAuley landed five big Murray Cod earlier this month, the biggest more than one metre long.
"No one weighs them these days as most people are fishing for sport and its a case of catch and release," he said.
The legal size for Cod is 55cm to 75cm. Anything under or over that fishermen are required to release.
"Fishing has changed, there's practically none of this catch and kill anymore, except with a few old timers," Mr Collins said.
"For most people it is a sport and they release them. They realise if they keep taking them out of the water it is going to make it harder in the long run to catch a good fish."
The biggest catch Mr Collins has heard of in the past six months at Wyangala was a 1.26 metre Cod.
"There are also a few getting caught in the Lachlan, he said, "but not in the same numbers as the dam where they are being caught in all areas from the main basin and up the connecting rivers".
And what are the Cod being lured to.
"They're catching them on lures, bait, it doesn't really matter at the moment.
"I had a mate fishing from a kayak (Steve McAuley) who ended up with five, one at 65cm, one at 75cm, two at 95cm and one just on a metre fishing up the rivers.
"They're a beautiful majestic fish, to land one you have got to set your drag, have the right gear and be patient with them.
"A one metre cod could take anywhere from five minutes up to 25 minutes to land, it just a matter of tiring them out," he said.
The best Murray Cod fishermen in the country will be heading to Grabine at Wyangala Dam later this month for the Wilson 2019 Wyangala Cod Challenge.
The anglers will be casting or trolling hard to nail that monster from Friday night June 28, through to 8am Sunday, June 30 with the winning team receiving $5,000.
This can only be won by the team who catches the largest Murray cod for the 36 hour session.
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