If you were looking at having a fishing holiday on the Clarence Coast over the Summer break, you will not be disappointed.

January is shaping up to be a cracker with sea temperatures already off the scale.

The first showing of spotted mackerel in Shark Bay has taken place, hopefully a sign of what's to come.

Last year the mackerel season was cut way to short with flooding rain, just when the Spanish were hitting their straps.

We can only pray that January does not dish up another disaster like that. An incredibly warm sea certainly has us all nervous.

The past few Summers have been slim pickings on the billfish front. We have had to put up with a massive cold water eddy spinning clockwise and sending all the warm currents too far out for trailer boats.

So far there has been no such problem and it looks like we may encounter some billies closer to shore.

The inshore reefs continue to produce good snapper, especially for this time of year. Woody Head and the Sandon Shoals have been the standout spots.

The river won't disappoint, either. Whiting have really arced up and plenty are being caught on worms and pink nippers.

If you are into chasing them on surface lures (one of my favourite fishing styles these days) there are plenty on offer. All the flats from the mouth to Lawrence are worth a look.

Throw in the odd XOS lizard and maybe a giant herring into the mix and you are guaranteed a good time.

The school mulloway fishing from Browns Rocks to above Maclean has continued to impress. The only good thing come out of several years of floods were the best spawning conditions for mulloway in more than a decade, and those little soapies are all starting to get some size to them.

I can't ever remember the bream and flathead being as thick at this time of year up around Maclean and the Broadwater as they have been.

In January we will no doubt see the bream taper off but the flathead will only get better.

Looks like yet another year without a significant run of blue swimmer crabs. Maybe it is time someone has a look into what seems to be taking on the appearance of a collapsed fishery locally.

Woody Head, Brooms Head and the Red Cliff area will produce some very big tailor through January.

Big spent fish will be heading back south after spawning off Fraser Island. Large poppers are the weapons of choice for these big greenbacks.

After last Summers bass fishing non-event, we were certainly owed a decent one this year and we got it. The Clarence and all its tributaries have been producing good catches.

In January we get hatches of an iridescent blue/green beetle, known locally as a cane beetle. The bass gorge themselves on these over the next few months and little surface lures in this colour will bring them undone.

I have been pestered over the past couple of years to make a larger version of our polycarbonate Shake & Bake vibration blade. I finally got off my backside and made it!

The new blade measures 68mm and is available in 10g & 14g weights. Although the blade was designed with school mulloway in mind, the number of good bream being landed on them is quite amazing.

The local bream guns are using them when the current gets too strong for the smaller 6g Shake & Bakes and they are quickly turning into a must-have upgrade lure.

Like their smaller brothers, they have a tight, fast vibration. Although not on our website at present, all the colours of the small poly Shake & Bakes will be available in the larger version.

For more info drop in to the shop or give us a call – mail order a specialty. Smart phone owners should scan the code image hereabouts.