While these are challenging times on the angling front, results are improving and pointing to a terrific summer season ahead.

In the estuary, flathead and whiting are once again the best bets with numbers and quality of both species improving.

On the flathead front, most sections of the Hastings are worth a look, with good reports coming from around Rawdon Island, Hibbard and Pelican Island in particular. Lures have been by far the most productive, with the surface and bent varieties seeing terrific responses in shallow water from the better quality fish. For plate size lizards, soft plastics, vibes and whitebait are all proving successful.

For whiting enthusiasts Lake Cathie continues to produce the goods with some great action enjoyed during daylight on surface lures. Limeburners is also worth a look for whiting, with yabbies and beach worms seeing good results.

Elsewhere in the Hastings a few school mulloway have been taken from the north wall, while those throwing larger lures in the upper reaches have scored some nice fish.

Also in the upper reaches, bream have been quite consistent, while the bass action has certainly picked up.

On the beaches, the lead-up to the current full moon saw a few tailor and school mulloway from Lighthouse during evening sessions.

North Beach also produced a few school mulloway, as have the beaches around the Camden Haven. Good to see this species improving after being relatively quiet last year. Beach worms, whole squid and tailor fillets are best baits.

Apart from mulloway, a few bream have been active early mornings on North Beach, whilst Lighthouse and Shelly Beach have produced some nice whiting.

Off the rocks, things have been a little on the quiet side, however those chasing blackfish on cabbage still report some nice bronzies and the odd drummer still inhabiting the washes around Point Perpendicular and Diamond Head to the south.

Bream numbers have been reasonable, with Plomer and Miners worth a look. There are still a few tailor from the Lighthouse at dawn but mostly average sized.

Offshore results have subdued largely due to a vast patch of cold, green water which has been eddying off our part of the coast. Activity has been slow with just a few snapper, flathead and the odd pearl perch.

Hopefully a decent push of warm, blue water will come from the north shortly, which should fire the action right back up again.