This past week has been just about as mild as February gets, with the mercury below 30 degrees and humidity at an acceptable level. Enjoy it while it lasts as no doubt summer still has a sting in its tail.
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In the estuary, whiting have been consistent with both Limeburners and around Blackmans Point producing some terrific fish. Live worms and yabbies are again the baits of choice. The lower section of the Maria is also well worth a look with after dark sessions producing some quality fish. On the bream front, best reports are still coming from well upstream, with around Rawdon Island and Telegraph Point fishing well particularly on surface lures, however the breakwalls have also given up a few nice fish on mullet strips. The lower estuary is also producing a few reasonable tarwhine at present, with yabbies the pick of baits.
For mulloway enthusiasts, the breakwalls have been holding a few fish around the 10 kilo range, with whole squid working well. On the crab front, muddies remain active with most upstream locations worth prospecting. Unless you’re sick of eating them, now is definitely the time your traps or witches hats should be in the water.
Off the beaches, tailor numbers have picked up with some reasonable fish taken around the recent full moon phase. Small metals imitating whitebait have been the lure of choice. Also on the beaches, North Beach has been fishing well for flathead in the close in gutters, with whitebait and soft plastics working well. North Beach also produced a few school mulloway during the recent good tides with live worms as usual the gun bait, while some nice whiting have been on offer off Lighthouse.
Off the rocks, tailor have been above average with both Plomer and Lighthouse fishing well. Again, metals imitating whitebait have been the most successful, with those throwing these small slugs also scoring a few bonito. Plomer has also held a few nice blackfish and school mulloway to around 8 kilos. No great reports on the land based game scene as yet, however I suspect any time from now on could see some action start given the build up of baitfish and warm currents.
Outside there’s good news with this week at last seeing the swell back down and conditions settle to a more comfortable level. No doubt Barries Bay will attract a fair bit of attention from the mackerel enthusiasts, with a few spotted and Spanish already showing up. Hopefully results will become a little more consistent from this month onwards. Wider out, marlin numbers remain excellent with small blacks common in the 40 to 80 meter depths, while the shelf is still holding some cracking blues.
Mahi mahi remain in great numbers with the FAD as always worth a look. For those content to fish the bottom, the reefs in around 40 to 60 meters off Plomer are worth a look for snapper, pearl perch and kingfish.
Until next week tight lines and good fishing to all.