It’s been a long cold winter and now spring has finally arrived and we can enjoy the longer days and bask in the knowledge that summer is just around the corner.

The town is still quiet with very few tourists, and will remain like this up until Christmas.

Offshore things are also quiet with very few anglers heading out, as things won’t pick up until the water warms. I’m unsure how many people will venture offshore this year as access to the ocean is the worst it has been for a number of years with the harbour at Bastion Point full of silt.

The entrance is wide open but you will need to pick you days as the surf here has claimed many boats. The odd boat heading offshore has reported a few gummy sharks are being caught out around Gabo Island.

Salmon are along all the local beaches from Quarry Beach right through to Bastion Point, there is also the odd gummy shark being caught by those fishing into the evening.

The warmer water over the coming months will see a bit of variety off the beach with yellowfin bream and whiting also being caught.

The Bottom lake has been fishing well with some great silver trevally chasing the bait schools, when hooked they are one of the best fighting fish you are likely to encounter in the Inlet. Good size tailor are also about, however you are lucky to catch anything over 2lb as a bite off usually how encounters with a bigger fish end.

Yellowfin bream are a hard fighting fish especially when compared to black bream. Fishing the edges and shallows with suspending hardbody lures has accounted for some quality bream along with a few flathead.

Out in the deeper water blades and vibes have been catching fish. A sounder is needed when fishing like this otherwise you also need a lot of luck.

The margins of the Top Lake have also fishing well for flathead, black bream and the odd yellowfin bream. From Gypsy Point upstream in both the Genoa and Wallagaraugh rivers black bream and the odd flathead are being caught. The black bream move around a fair bit so find a section of river where fish are schooling, then cast persistently in that area to catch a few fish.

Bait fishers have done well using frozen prawn as bait with lure anglers experimenting with soft plastics to try and find the lure that is working. The Betka River will really start to fish well as we head towards summer with some good fishing already being had. Black bream and estuary perch are already being caught and with the warming water the flathead will start to fire up.