We have just had our first decent southerly blow of winter. Whilst not high on the comfort level, from an angling perspective this brief stir was just what the doctor ordered, especially with a long weekend and hopefully fine conditions forecast.
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Off the rocks, hopefully the bit of swell mid week will have washed a little sand away from many ledges and really kick started the winter season.
This will be especially welcome by the drummer enthusiasts. Already there have been a few nice pigs about, and this decent stir should prove highly beneficial. Look for bream and blackfish numbers and activity to also peak noticeably.
Also off the rocks, there are good numbers of tailor about with some fish well above the chopper class on offer for those fishing the more eastern points. A few nice bonito and late season longtail tuna have also been encountered over the past week.
In the estuaries, flathead remain quite consistent with good fish again taken on both baits and lures. The flats around Pelican Island and Blackmans Point have both been worth a look. Bream numbers off the walls have been consistent if not spectacular, however look for an improvement courtesy of the recent swells.
Blackfish numbers, whilst also being reasonable around the break walls, should also pick up following the big seas. On the mulloway front, we have had reports of a few decent fish caught in the lower reaches, with large soft plastics being the lure of choice this week.
Live mullet and whole squid are also well worth throwing. Up river, there seems to be plenty of school sized fish, with plastics and soft vibes working well. A few reasonable trevally are also about to provide some great light line sport.
On the beaches, the big seas of earlier in the week were a little unwelcome but par for the course at this time of year. Hopefully most of the good formations which have developed over recent times will remain to some degree. Lighthouse has been worth a look for bream, with good results after dark on both pipis and mullet strips.
North beach and North Haven have both held tailor and the odd salmon, while a few reasonable mulloway have been encountered on South Beach at Dunbogan.
Offshore, conditions have been far from desirable over the past week however the forecast for the long weekend appears reasonable. No doubt snapper will now be a primary target for many, with winter prime time for chasing reds.
Soft plastics and other lure profiles will be a premier method of attack, however don't discount baits either, particularly if used at anchor in conjunction with berley. Also on offer off the reefs will be pearl perch and kingfish, while don't discount a bit of late season pelagic action in close.
June has a history of seeing some big Spanish mackerel and cobia along our part of the coastline, especially if the baitfish remain present which is indeed still the case this season.