After the much welcome and long overdue minor flood of last week, conditions are now beginning to return to normal and our angling prospects for the coming weeks look terrific.
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In the estuary, with a fair amount of colour in the Hastings, as you would suspect most of the action of late has centred on the lower reaches.
As usual during flood conditions mulloway were heavily targeted from the breakwalls but, on the whole, results were underwhelming. While a few school-sized fish were indeed landed, predominately on hard bodied lures, the better fish were few and far between.
Of the few larger models encountered, the treacherous north-easterly swell made landing them virtuously impossible. Bream, however, were terrific with bag limit catches common from many locations downstream of Rawdon Island. Mullet strips were particularly successful.
During the heavy seas, a few pan-sized snapper were also caught off the north wall which is always a welcome bonus for land-based anglers.
Now that a bit of clarity has begun to push back into the system, blackfish have been about off the south wall, while Settlement Point and Pelican Island are well worth prospecting for flathead.
On the crabbing front, while the fresh may push a few blue swimmers out of the system, mud crab numbers have been terrific around Blackmans Point and the Hibbard area.
Off the beaches, there is quite a bit of erosion courtesy of the recent swells, with North Beach particularly impacted. Mother nature, however, will likely correct this in the short term.
Despite conditions being somewhat challenging bream and whiting numbers have been excellent off both Lighthouse and North Beach. Beach worms have been the gun bait. Hopefully, when the water clarity improves, we may see a few tailor begin to reappear.
Off the rocks, during the heavy seas, a few nice bream and blackfish were on offer from the protected areas of Shellys and Miners. Cunjevoi, as is often the case, was particularly effective during the rough seas. Those venturing south of town have also been finding a few drummer and the odd snapper.
On the land-based game scene, the dirty water off most of the Mid-North Coast will likely see a late start to the season. We have had reports of fish further up the coast, so fingers crossed conditions conspire to see some warm and clean water push right in over the coming weeks.
Offshore, results have been mixed with the current roaring one day and completely stopped the next. Close in, snapper remain terrific with the reefs off Shellys in around 30 to 40 meters well worth a look on either baits or plastics. A few pearl perch and other mixed reef species have also been about.
Wider out, some warm water has come down from the north with the odd billfish encountered last weekend. No doubt the mackerel enthusiasts are dusting off their gear in anticipation of these warm currents pushing in over the coming weeks.
Until next week, tight lines and good fishing to all.