The spring season has seen more boaters out and about on the water with improving results, which is great to see.

Local legend Graham Godding has been trying his luck whenever he has had the opportunity and has been having great success in around the 21-30m mark of water with very good-sized gummies, school shark and flathead, which have been taking down a variety of presentations.

Like other successful anglers Graham says that pilchards, squid and fresh fish fillets have been doing the job and the flathead have been taking those soft plastic lures which have been dynamite.

The fresher bait is usually preferred but of course it is a bit hard to get fresh West Australian pilchards but as long as whatever you use is not stale.

News from the Welshpool Boat Storage is that there have been snapper making an appearance with fish to the 6kg mark being taken on the usual attractions.

Inside the inlet there have been flathead, silver trevally, mullet and garfish at long last along with a sprinkling of whiting. Things are looking great for a very good season.

On the other side of the inlet Tony Holgate who has the Yanakie Caravan Park says that there are good-sized flathead being taken on both sides of the tide along with silvers, gummies, garfish and ‘couta in good numbers.

Tony had a friend send a photo of an angler who went out with his daughter, subsequently hooking into a large ‘couta.

After a long fight his daughter managed to bring the big fish aboard but it broke free and on the way into the boat latched onto the unfortunate girl’s arm. As a result of this accident she received a nasty injury and 50 stitches, but otherwise she is none the worse off for her experience.

Of course it goes without saying that these fish have huge teeth and must be handled with caution.

At Shallow Inlet Andrew Starrett and wife Karen run the local caravan park located on the foreshore and say that there have been huge numbers of salmon being bagged, mainly on lures. The fish have been to the 3kg mark and they have been providing great entertainment, especially on the light gear.

There are also whiting which have been turning up in time for the coming season and after the long cold winter we look like being rewarded for our patience with some great fishing in this wonderful part of the world.

On compiling this report there were reports of good numbers of flathead turning up and taking soft plastic lures.

It seems that everything is pointing to happiness.