Can fishing get any better than this? Snapper, gummy sharks, flathead, makos, threshers and bronze whaler sharks are all being caught in the offshore waters around Port Albert.

With such a good start to the snapper season, the run of bigger snapper may decline with the warmer water and the pinkie snapper to 3kg will become more abundant. The offshore reefs out off Port Albert have all been fishing well, with the reef system off Manns Beach and down to McLoughlins also holding good numbers of fish. The best method to catch these snapper seems to be a whole pilchard or a Californian squid fished on a running sinker rig.

Gummy sharks have been quite thick in numbers, with most anglers taking their bag comfortably. Whale Bay and inside Port Albert are the places to be, with silver trevally, yakkas and cured eel accounting for most sharks caught.

On a recent trip to Whale Bay, Elma and myself had a good session on the gummies and flathead. Some of the gummies were over 1m, and the flathead reached 60cm. Fish were caught mainly on cured eel and whole yakkas.

Flathead have been about in excellent numbers and great quality. Cliffy Island and the surrounding waters are the hotspots at present, with most fresh baits accounting for fish. The Silstar Jig Em rig is accounting for its fair share of flathead, and if using either the new Shad or Prawn pattern you can expect a good catch of flathead.

There have been reports of people being bitten off while fishing for gummy sharks offshore. On a recent trip out off Port Albert, Craig Farley of Yarram landed himself nice 1.2m bronze whaler shark, which gives a clue to the culprits.

Mako sharks are already being caught too, as evident by the capture of three small sharks to 35kg, taken out around the Cliffy Islands.

Inshore waters are also fishing extremely well, with the entrance area of Port Albert accounting for some good fish. Brian Spiteri of Traralgon had a good trip taking five pinkie snapper and two gummy sharks on a nice balmy evening. Brian said pilchards and squid accounted for most fish.

Manns Beach is fishing really well up around the top of boat harbour, with good numbers of quality flathead being taken on soft plastics and natural baits.

The whiting are starting to improve with good numbers being taken at Old Port and Nine Mile, with the Basket Beacon also fishing well on an evening flood tide. Bass yabbies and pipis are working well.

Happy New Year to all and keep safe over the holidays.

Darren Whelan with two nice snapper caught in the entrance of Port Albert. There is some great fishing in this region at present.