There is a lot of anticipation around Bermagui this summer in the hope that it will be as good a marlin season as last year’s.

With just a few sightings of marlin so far, this is a good time to have all your tackle preparation spot on for what lies ahead. If the marlin hit like they did in early January this year, many anglers were ill prepared and missed some of the early run.

So get on the water and get the bugs out of your gear. Find out what you are missing and draw up that Christmas wish list.

And if you are out there might be pleasantly surprised with a striped marlin from Santa.

There is enough activity out there to keep you entertained. Striped tuna have provided excellent light-tackle action in between the yellowfin and albacore that have been patrolling in the cooler water.

Following the tuna are whaler, hammerhead, blues and mako sharks. Berley, especially striped tuna, will bring these sharks within range of anglers.

There are kingfish up at Montague Island and just off the water tower at Bermagui, the Three Bothers near Cuttagee and Goalen Head farther south.

Most of the action is at the island on jigs and live bait. Bonito are becoming more frequent.

It’s prime time for tiger flathead in 40m to 60m just over the edge of the Four and Six Mile reefs and for big tigers try out around the Twelve Mile Reef.

Snapper, abundant morwong, pigfish, nannygai, ocean perch and leatherjackets complete the mixed bags around the reefs.

Keep an eye on the weather because the north-easters can blow up these mornings and chop up the sea pretty quickly.

On the beaches, salmon are in good numbers and whiting, bream, mullet and trevally are also about. At night around the full moon gummy sharks, school mulloway and tailor are increasing in numbers.

After the rains this year all estuaries are fishing extremely well, especially Wallaga Lake.

Flathead and tailor are taking lures and bait around the rocky points on the western side that they create perfect ambush spots.

Over the flats and weed beds there are lots of bream, luderick and whiting slurping down nippers and worms.

Berley around the weed beds to attract sizeable garfish.

This is pretty much the scenario for most of the lakes and estuaries, especially the Bermagui River, where flood nutrients mean there is a bumper crop of prawns. It looks like being an excellent prawning season.

Brogo Dam is full with plenty of food and the bass are providing some excellent angling.

The Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association has been stocking fish each year into this system, including 20,000 last month.

The association is also holding its fundraising comp on December 3 and 4 and anyone interested in competing in this catch and release event can phone me on 0427 934 688 or email --e-mail address hidden--