What's biting?: Flathead and bream terrific in the estuaries

It's a bit like groundhog day and beginning to test the patience of everybody, especially the angling fraternity.

On the beaches, north beach had been producing a consistent run of bream and tailor, along with some terrific flathead from the close in gutters. Soft vibes in the 14 to 20 gram range have been working a treat for the latter.

On the bream front, numbers should pick up after this full moon, with the next few weeks likely to see the best action of the year.

If the wind and sea back down for more than a day or two at a time, also look for a significant increase in mulloway activity. While the past couple of months have seen quite a few school sized about, the presence of travelling mullet and tailor will not go unnoticed by the larger models.

Of the rocks, tailor numbers have been terrific with some quality fish on offer. Most headlands both north and south have been holding fish, and should continue to do over the coming months. On the bream front, reports from around Point Plomer have been encouraging, with evening sessions to date providing the better results.

Those fishing the darker hours also report a few school mulloway from Plomer and Big Hill, with fish in the four to eight kilo bracket common. On the drummer front, while we are yet to see them really fire, and likely won't until the weather and water cool a few more degrees, a few nice fish are getting about. Diamond Head is rumoured to be worth the trip.

In the estuaries, flathead and bream have both been terrific with most parts of Hastings now worth a look in line with the gradual improvement in water clarity. Both baits and lures have seen good results on both species. On the blackfish front, we are seeing a gradual improvement in the lower reaches, but as yet they have not fired up as we have come to expect at this time of year.

Offshore, the FAD has been producing terrific numbers of mahi mahi over the past couple of weeks, with some quality fish on offer. This is the best action the FAD has seen for time and certainly a welcome change. Closer in on the pelagic front, the odd Spanish mackerel and cobia are still available, both in Barries Bay and in front of Port.

Plenty of solid mac tuna and the odd longtail are also amongst them. On the bottom fishing front, snapper numbers are encouraging and should improve as winter nears, while quality pearl perch have been taken in around 60m off Plomer when the current has been reasonable.

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