The ‘summer we never had’ arrived late, with 40ºC+ days on a number of occasions. And with the ocean temperature around 20ºC, things have started firing up offshore.

This is the time offshore anglers look forward to because with the warm water arrive big schools of baitfish.

Flathead action is in full swing with good catches around Gabo Island. The flathead have been exceptional and filling a bag of flatties has taken only a short time.

Good catches of gummy sharks have been reported from the 40m line, especially during the full moon.

Yellowtail kingfish will be around over coming months; whether they make a fleeting appearance or hang around is anyone’s guess.

Those fishing the beaches at night have been rewarded with good catches of gummy sharks from Bastion Beach down to Quarry Beach. Beach salmon have been quiet with only a few small fish to be found.

The Bottom Lake has been good with flathead around the channel markers through to John Bull marker with good numbers of fish around Goodwin Sands.

Bait anglers have been doing well on bream using prawns. It’s not surprising that prawns have been pulling in the fish because there are plenty of these tasty crustaceans running in the lake.

Lure anglers have also been doing well on the bream, using suspending hardbody lures like Rapala Husky Jerks and Bushy’s Stiffy.

Those chasing flathead have had plenty of success on soft plastic lures and prawn imitations.

Tailor are turning up when you least expect it, with some big fish among them.

Good numbers of silver trevally are in the lake with the weed-fringed channel a good area for this species.

There are decent numbers of good-sized garfish being caught from the local jetties.

Numbers of smaller bream around 30cm are being caught in the rivers above Gypsy Point, along with a few good flathead.

The Betka River has been fishing well for flathead and some good bream have also been caught.

Prawns have been plentiful near the entrance.