Although this part of the Mid-North Coast managed to dodge the worst of the weather over the past week, we still received enough rainfall to add a small fresh to the estuary and just enough onshore breeze to make coastal angling challenging.
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All part of the winter angling scene I suppose.
In the estuary, blackfish numbers have improved dramatically with both main breakwalls, the coal wall and the back channel all producing nice fish.
Green weed, weed flies and sea cabbage have all proven successful. Lake Cathie has also produced some terrific blackfish to over a kilo.
Bream numbers too have picked up a little with some nice fish moving into the lower reaches.
With a bit of colour added to the system, the bream have fed a little more freely, particularly during day. Mullet fillets and mullet gut have been the baits of choice.
This fresh has also seen a spike in mulloway activity, with the breakwalls seeing a few nice fish taken on live baits and hard bodied lures.
Further upstream, good numbers of flathead are still about with mullet strips and yabbies giving the better results, but lure enthusiasts are also enjoying continued success.
The keen crabbers are still reporting plenty of very well-conditioned muddies.
On the beaches, limited opportunities have existed of late thanks to the onshore winds and swell.
However those keen to fish the more protected corners have been rewarded with a few solid bream and tailor to about 2 kilos.
Before the bad weather set in, mulloway numbers were most promising from both North Beach and Lighthouse, with fish over 10 kilos caught on worms and tailor.
Look for this species to be particularly active over the next month or so, which is to be expected as plenty of food is available along our coastline at present.
Find the bait and focus your efforts at that location particularly at high tide, and last light.
Off the rocks, as expected the swells have limited opportunities significantly, with the more sheltered locations the places to fish.
Bream numbers have been reasonable and should only improve over the coming weeks.
Drummer numbers have improved considerably, with areas around Point Perpendicular, Big Hill to the north and Shelleys locally, all producing fish.
On the tailor front, there are still plenty of fish about on most headlands, including some solid greenbacks well over 2 kilos.
On the outside front, opportunities have naturally been limited apart from a brief window of opportunity early in the week.
Those who ventured out report only mixed results with a few reasonable snapper taken close in off Lighthouse.
Hopefully this latest stir will see the winter inshore snapper season really take off.
Until next week, good fishing and tight lines to all.
