While fishing was a permitted activity, it will be refreshing to have unrestricted access again.

In the estuaries, flathead activity has picked up as the water begins to warm.

Good reports have come in from most locations between the breakwalls and Wauchope, with some nice fish to over 90 centimetres on offer.

Best results have been achieved by those throwing lures, however whitebait, prawns and mullets strips have all enjoyed success.

Whiting numbers have improved in the Hastings and Lake Cathie, despite it being closed to the ocean.

While best results to date have been achieved using either live beach worms, prawns or yabbies, look for surface lures to become increasingly effective from now on.

Also in the estuaries, a few school mulloway have been taken around the Highway bridges and Rawdon Island, while some reasonable bream have also been active in the same areas.

On the crustacean front, the past couple of weeks have seen the tremendous run of prawns at Lake Cathie continue, with great success enjoyed by those using both drag and scoop nets.

While we would expect results to begin to taper significantly given the current lunar phase, the next dark will do doubt be eagerly anticipated by all enthusiasts.

On the beaches, a few reasonable bream continue to be taken from both North Beach and Lighthouse, with those fishing the evening high tide enjoying the better action.

Along with the bream, a sprinkling of school mulloway have also been encountered, while those fishing Shelly and around Lake Cathie have snared some nice whiting on the morning run-up tide.

Off the rocks, tailor remain reasonable with a few fish on offer at daylight from around Plomer and Lighthouse locally.

Pilchards and garfish have both seen good success.

Drummer reports have been a little slow as you would expect at this time of year, however a few anglers continue to manage a fish or two each outing on both prawns and cunjevoi.

With the water still quite cool, they are still worth chasing for a few weeks yet at least.

Offshore, kingfish numbers have been terrific with good numbers of fish to around 10 kilograms taken over the past week. Live baits have been the offering of choice.

With the lockdown restriction now lifted, no doubt Trag Rock, the reefs in around 77 metres off North Beach, and other wider marks will be heavily prospected.

A few nice snapper also remain active, however the cold currents close in have seen them a little less responsive in comparison to the past few months.

Once again, lures seem to be consistently accounting for the better class of fish.

Until next time, tight lines and good fishing to all.