With your correspondent away on research and development duties let's focus on the angling opportunities autumn offers.
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The ocean waters are still warm so our summer species remain active and our popular winter species begin their annual spawning runs along our coastline in the next month.
In the estuaries, bream numbers and quality begin to pick up, especially after significant rainfall as we have seen recently.
For the lure enthusiasts, surface presentations will still prove effective, although blades, soft vibes and soft plastics will come into their own as winter approaches. On the bait front, live yabbies and mullet fillets always work well, as do gut baits, particularly after dark.
Flathead activity remains terrific with all manner of lures worth throwing. Prawns and mullet fillets will work, but by far the premier bait to offer is whitebait.
Whiting will still be viable with worms and yabbies the premier offerings, and surface poppers or stick baits.
Blackfish numbers will also begin to pick up in the lower reaches especially around the breakwalls. Greenweed, sea cabbage and weed flies will all prove successful.
And with plenty of mullet progressively moving into the lower estuary preparing for their annual run up the coast, some terrific mulloway are bound to be on offer. Live baits are best, but don't discount lures, especially if we see more flooding.
Off the beaches, whiting should remain active for at least another month or two. Worms and pipis are the go.
Tailor numbers and quality should begin to improve as the baitfish schools begin to travel the coastline, which should also see mulloway activity increase substantially.
Anytime from May onwards, bream should begin travelling. Pipis and mullet strips are gun offerings.
Off the rocks, our bread and butter species such as bream, tailor and blackfish should progressively improve, while a few early season drummer may well show up, particularly after a good stir.
Bonito should also be around in good numbers with small metals the go.
Autumn is also prime time for land-based game with Spanish mackerel, cobia and longtail tuna all viable targets along the more exposed ledges.
Offshore, Spanish and spotted mackerel, cobia and longtail tuna will all be on offer in Barries Bay as well as other close-in reef locations.
Wider out mahi mahi should be at the FAD until such time as it's removed. Marlin will also remain worth chasing for a couple of months along with snapper, kingfish, pearl perch, teraglin and other reef species.